2009 REDHAWKS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (Thursday, April 16, 2009) - Southeast Missouri State University announced its 2009 football schedule on Thursday. The 11-game slate features six home games including three-straight home games to end the 2009 regular season.

"This is an exciting schedule for us," head coach Tony Samuel said. "Any time we get to play at home, I like it. We'll have six because we have two non-conference home games this year."

The Redhawks, who finished 4-8 last season, kick-off the season at home against NAIA opponent Quincy University on Thursday, September 3. The Hawks finished 6-5 last season, their third-straight winning season. The Redhawks have faced the Hawks just once in their history, winning 38-6 at Houck Stadium in 2001. The Redhawks are 3-0 in home openers under Coach Samuel.

"The season opener is exciting for every team in America," Samuel said. "The beginning of the year is always a challenge. We've had some serious battles in recent home openers so it will be important to find the identity of our team."

After their matchup with Quincy the Redhawks will embark on their first road trip of the year as they travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on Football Bowl Subdivision member and 2008 Big East Champion Cincinnati on Saturday, September 12. The Bearcats finished last season with a record of 11-3 and played in the BCS FedEx Orange Bowl. They finished the year ranked No. 17 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll after being ranked as high as No. 12. For the second time in three years the Redhawks will be the Bearcats home opening opponent as the two teams met for the first time in 2007 at Nippert Stadium.

"The kids like to play a school on that level," Samuel said. "A fair amount of our kids have played there before so they should be more comfortable this time around."

The Redhawks return home on September 19 for their Ohio Valley Conference opener against Eastern Illinois. That weekend has been designated as Family Weekend as all family members of current and past Southeast students are encouraged to return back to campus and partake in the many events and festivities highlighted by the Redhawks vs. Panthers football game.

"Having the conference opener against EIU, a perennial power, is exciting," Samuel said. "This is a very important start for us."

The Redhawks continue OVC play on the road the next two weeks as they face UT Martin on September 26 and then travel to the "Music City" to face Tennessee State at LP Field in Nashville, home of the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. This will be the Redhawks first trip back to the NFL facility since the 2006 season.

On October 10th the Redhawks host Austin Peay for their annual Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Last season the Redhawks rallied from a 17-3 halftime deficit to upset No. 19 Tennessee State, 27-20, in overtime in front of 9,750 fans on Homecoming. The win was Coach Samuel's first win over a ranked opponent at the helm of the program.

Last season the Redhawks rallied for a 33-30 win over the Governors with a touchdown with 14 seconds left in Clarksville, Tennessee.

After a bye week during the Redhawks fall break, they resume play back on the road with contests against Tennessee Tech on October 24 and against the reigning two-time OVC Champion Eastern Kentucky Colonels on October 31st. The game against the Colonels will be the Redhawks first of two games against a team that participated in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.

Last season the Colonels went 8-4 (7-1 OVC) and finished the season ranked No. 19 in the Sports Network poll.

The Redhawks finish the year with three-straight home games starting with Jacksonville State on November 7. The Gamecocks finished last season ranked No. 23 in the final Sports Network poll with an 8-3 record and feature one of the top players in the FCS in quarterback Ryan Perrilloux.

The following weekend the Redhawks host OVC rival Murray State on November 14.

"If we're doing things the way we want to, having those final three games at home will be a good situation for us," Samuel said. "Two of those final three are conference games so if we're in the running, playing in front of our home fans could be a big help to us."

To conclude the regular season the Redhawks renew a long-standing rivalry with their non-conference rivals from across the Mississippi River in Southern Illinois University. After a three-year hiatus the Redhawks and Salukis meet for the 75th time. The Salukis finished last season with a 9-3 record and were Co-Missouri Valley Football Conference Champions. They made their sixth-straight FCS Playoff appearance and finished the season ranked No. 11 in the final Sports Network poll.

The Redhawks lead the all-time series against the Salukis 36-30-8 but the Salukis have won the last three meetings including the most recent game at Houck in 2005. Prior to the Salukis current winning streak the Redhawks won the previous three meetings.

"I like that we're playing SIU again," Samuel said. "The history of this rivalry makes it a big deal."