Sept 15, 2001

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Demetrius Smith scored on a 1-yard run with 2:40 remaining as Southwest Missouri State rallied to beat Southeast Missouri 31-28 in one of only three NCAA Division I-AA games Saturday.

All the other Division I-A and I-AA games were postponed or canceled because of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Prior to the game, a group of about 75 firefighters and police officers gathered on one sideline facing the crowd, who sang both "God Bless America" and the national anthem. All men and women in uniform along with their families were admitted into the game for free.

Players for both teams wore small American flag decals on their helmets, the same stickers were given to fans entering the game. A collection for relief efforts was also taken outside the stadium before the game.

"I'm also pleased at the way the school presidents and the administration got together and decided that this game should be played," said SMS coach Randy Ball. "I think it was the right decision. I told our kids after the game that this would mean a lot more to them in the future."

Said SEMO coach Tim Billings, "The emotion at the beginning of the game . . . I was getting tingles. Whether it was right or wrong (to play a game in the wake of the tragedy), it was good for the people to show their commitment to the country."

As far as the game goes, it was a tale of two halves as Southwest Missouri State University scored all ten second half points in a come from behind victory over Southeast Missouri State on Saturday night.

Despite having 130 less offensive yards than the Southeast (1-2), the SMS Bears (2-1) caused five Indian turnovers including a 88-yard fumble recovery and return by safety Daryl Warren that changed the momentum of the game. It looked like Southeast was going to score for sure but Tarik Simpson fumbled a completed pass that would have made the game 21-7 in favor of Southeast and SMS scored on the ensuing drive to tie the game at 14-14.

The first half was a run-and-gun show by both teams as they combined for 49 points. Southeast would strike first when redshirt freshman quarterback Jeromy McDowell scored from one-yard out to put the Indians up 7-0 only 3:18 into the game. The drive has highlighted by a McDowell to Willie Ponder 24-yard strike.

SMS would bounce right back, scoring on a six-play, 76-yard drive that has capped by a Nathan Schurman 29-yard pass to Austin Moherman with 4:16 remaining in the second half.

Southeast attacked early in the second quarter, when McDowell hit Ponder on a 26-yard strike to put the Indians up 14-7. Ponder made an athletic jump and grab in the endzone on the play.

And it looked like SEMO would go up 21-7 late in the second when McDowell found Simpson near the goal line. Simpson would cough up the ball and Warren returned the ball 88-yards to the Southeast 12 yard line. Running back Steve Ennis would run the ball in two plays later to even the score at 14.

But the McDowell to Ponder show would continue as McDowell hit Ponder for a 58-yard strike to put Southeast back in the lead. But less than three minutes later Ennis would find the endzone again on a 23-yard run to even the score at 21.

But Ponder had one more first half touchdown in him, as McDowell hit Ponder for a 21-yard strike to put Southeast on top 28-21 at halftime. The three touchdowns reception by Ponder tied the all-time Southeast receivers record, set by Lyman Brown against Central Missouri on November 3, 1962.

McDowell finished the first half 16-22 passing with 257 yards, three passing touchdowns and one rushing score. Unfortunately for Indian fans, McDowell would not put up those numbers in the second half. He managed only 65 yards at SMS controlled the ground attack and the ball.

In the third the Indians were marching when McDowell was intercepted SMS defender P.J. Jones, a high school teammate of McDowell at North County High School in Bonne Terre, Mo., and that would eventually set up a 23-yard field goal by SMS kicker Brian Long to pull the Bears within four at 28-24.

Southeast would again have chances as Curtis Cooper would rush 46-yards on a fake punt to set up a prime scoring chance for the Indians. But again McDowell would throw an interception to end the drive. SMS then started a nine-play, 80-yard drive than was capped by a Demetrius Smith one-yard run with only 2:40 to play. Southeast would have one last chance but could not convert on the final drive of the game.

Cooper was a star for Southeast, totaling 315 all-purpose yards on the night. He rushed 27 times for 194 yards, a career high. He also had seven catches out of the backfield for 67 yards and 54 yards on returns. McDowell finished the game, his third collegiate start, 22-41 for 322 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions and he was sacked three times. Junior wide receiver Willie Ponder caught eight balls for 170 total yards.

SMS was led by a trio of rushers. Ennis finished with a team-high 98 yards, Eddie Linscomb had 75 and Jason Ringena, who had a career game against Southeast last season, added 63 yards.

For the game, Southeast outgained the Bears 510-378 in yardage.

In the other Division I-AA games played, Wisconsin-Eau Claire beat Valparaiso 31-9 and Jacksonville University beat Morehead State 39-27.

The AP contributed to this story.