Redhawks off to a decent OVC start

The SEMO football team failed to notch its second straight OVC upset.

But the Redhawks should still feel pretty decent about their 1-1 league start that has come against two of the three defending OVC tri-champions.

SEMO suffered its first conference loss Saturday, falling 31-16 at perennial OVC power Jacksonville State as the Gamecocks pulled away late in the game by scoring the final 14 points.

The Gamecocks' win wasn't a surprise, especially since you knew they would be breathing fire after opening their league schedule with a 30-point loss at preseason favorite Eastern Kentucky, another of the squads that earned a piece of last year's conference title.

SEMO, which began its OVC slate with that wild 41-38 double-overtime home victory over Tennessee Tech, is 2-3 overall as the Redhawks enter their bye week.

The Redhawks have to improve in a lot of areas to be considered serious OVC contenders but at least they have kept their head above water during the first two conference games.