CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Jax Leatherwood threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns and Southeast Missouri scored 30 straight points in a 30-21 home-opening win over North Alabama on Saturday night.
SEMO (1-1), which trailed 7-0 with 43 seconds left in the first quarter, answered by scoring the next 30 points and UNA never recovered.
The Lions scored the game’s first points on a fourth-down 1-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Ari Patu. Justin Keller kicked a 29-yard field goal to cut UNA’s lead to 7-3 with 6:17 left in the second quarter.
The Redhawks took their first lead of the night on a 3-yard run by Leatherwood. His first rushing touchdown of the season finished an eight-play, 78-yard drive putting SEMO ahead, 10-7, at the 2:12 mark.
Keller connected once more, this time from 27 yards out as time expired to give SEMO a 13-7 advantage at the half. In the third, Keller kicked a 48-yard field goal for a 16-7 margin. Leatherwood threw a 55-yard touchdown to Cam Pedro to extend the lead to 23-7.
Leatherwood threw an 8-yard touchdown to Andrew Civey with 5:33 remaining to make it 30-7.
Reserve Destin Wade threw a pair of late touchdowns and 103 yards for North Alabama (0-2).
