FCS Second-Round Playoff
The Matchup – Southeast Missouri (9-3) at No. 2 Weber State (9-2) at Stewart Stadium (17,500) in Ogden, Utah
Kickoff – 4 p.m. ET
Coverage – ESPN3
Series – First meeting
3 Players to Watch – Southeast Missouri: QB Daniel Santacaterina 220 of 363, 2,734 yards, 28 TDs, 7 INTs), RB Marquis Terry (206 carries, 1,226 yards, 14 TDs), ILB Zach Hall (163 tackles, 12 TFL, 4 FF); Weber State: RB Josh Davis (224 carries, 1,288 yards, 9 TDs; 170 all-purpose yards per game), LB LeGrand Toia (71 tackles, 12 TFL, 5.5 sacks), LB Landon Stice (64 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5 takeaways)
The Skinny – Southeast Missouri is coming off a 28-14 win over Stony Brook in the first round – the Redhawks’ first ever in the FCS playoffs in their second all-time appearance and tying the school record for wins in a season. The resurgent Ohio Valley Conference squad has forced 22 turnovers in its last six games and leads the FCS with a plus-27 turnover margin. Hall paces the FCS in tackles (163) and is second in tackles per game (13.6), but OLB Justin Swift also is posting banner numbers with 109 tackles, including 14 for loss and 7.5 sacks, and seven takeaways. Santacaterina has to remain at an efficient level against Weber State’s punishing defense, which is top-ranked in the Big Sky. The Wildcats, who are on a six-game winning streak, tend to win tight, grind-it-out games. They had an incredible seven defensive players voted to the Big Sky first team, including Toia for the second consecutive season. QB Jake Constantine isn’t dynamic, but has growing efficiency, supported by terrific playmakers in Davis, the Big Sky rookie of the year, and WRs Rashid Shaheed and Darryl Denby. Shaheed, who has four kickoff return touchdowns in two seasons, and PK Trey Tuttle headline one of the strongest special teams units in the FCS.
Up Next – The winner will play either Jacksonville State (9-3) or No. 7 seed Maine (8-3) in the quarterfinals Dec. 7 or 8.
Prediction – SEMO is facing a physical defense for the second straight playoff game. It will take more turnovers to upset the second-seeded Wildcats. Weber State, 27-17.
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