Remnants of Hurricane Helene couldn’t stop the Redhawks’ defense from smothering the Demons, holding them to just 120 total yards in SEMO’s first home shutout in 10 years. Redhawks’ red zone struggles led to four field goals, but Southeast Missouri’s dominant defense stole the show as #13 SEMO (4-1) shut out Northwestern State (0-5) with a 19-0 victory on a rainy Saturday at Houck Field.
DC Pippin kicked a career-high four field goals, scoring the final 12 points of the game with kicks from 30, 38, 37, and 24 yards. SEMO’s red zone struggles kept them from reaching the end zone more often, but their defense ensured Northwestern State never got close. The Redhawks allowed just 63 passing yards and stopped the Demons twice on fourth down, preventing them from mounting any significant offensive threat.
This shutout marked the Redhawks’ first over an NCAA Division I opponent at home in 30 years, dating back to a 10-0 win against UT Martin in 1994. SEMO’s defense played a crucial role in preserving the win, particularly after running back Payten Brown left the game with a lower leg injury during the first quarter, limiting SEMO’s offensive options.
Despite the offensive setbacks, SEMO controlled the game from the start. Khalani Riddick’s 43-yard punt return set the Redhawks up at the Northwestern State 37-yard line, leading to a 10-yard touchdown pass from Paxton DeLaurent to Cam Pedro. From there, Pippin’s reliable kicking extended SEMO’s lead, as he hit two field goals to give the Redhawks a 13-0 advantage at halftime.
While the offense struggled in the red zone, DeLaurent managed 21 completions on 43 attempts for 237 yards and a touchdown. Darrell Smith also had a standout game, rushing for a career-high 127 yards on 31 carries, but dropped passes and the early loss of Brown limited SEMO’s ability to capitalize on their drives.
On defense, Jared Pedraza and Bryce Norman led the way with six tackles each. Pedraza, playing against his former team, helped anchor a defensive effort that held the Demons to just 50 total yards in the first half.
SEMO finishes non-conference play at 3-1, giving head coach Tom Matukewicz his best non-conference record with the team. The Redhawks now turn their attention to Eastern Illinois for a Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Association matchup on Oct. 5.
The Barn 