Southeast Missouri State football earns second-ever FCS playoff berth

Southeast head coach Tom Matukewicz and his team prepare to take the field for the Redhawks' final home game of the season Saturday.

Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian

The Southeast Missouri State football team is headed to the playoffs.

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Southeast Missouri State football makes case for playoff berth with 38-32 win over Eastern Illinois on Senior Day

By Phillip Suitts ~ Southeast Missourian

Zion Custis caught the ball three yards from his own goal line with one thought in his mind: "make a play." He did just that. Seconds later, the Southeast Missouri State football freshman was raising his arms and strolling into the opposing end zone for a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown...

The No. 20 Redhawks received one of the 14 at-large bids to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs when the 24-team field was announced Sunday morning in a live selection show on ESPNU.

SEMO (8-3, 6-2 Ohio Valley Conference) will host No. 15 Stony Brook (7-4) in a first-round game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Houck Field. It will be SEMO's first-ever home playoff game.

It's SEMO's second-ever playoff appearance and first in eight years. It's also the first time the No. 20 Redhawks have earned an at-large bid.

In 2010, SEMO won the Ohio Valley Conference, earning an automatic bid. In its first-ever playoff game, the Redhawks lost 37-17 to Eastern Washington.

This season, SEMO went 8-3 and 6-2 in the OVC to finish second behind Jacksonville State, which claimed its fifth consecutive conference crown.

SEMO's 37-14 win over Jacksonville State, which ended the Gamecocks' 36-game conference winning streak, helped the Redhawks earn an at-large bid.

It's the first time the OVC has had two playoff teams since 2015.