Lindenwood QB Nate Glantz threw for 228 and had two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the Lions’ win over St. Thomas last Saturday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
It was another fun and exciting day of football in the Big South-OVC Football Association last Saturday, as several teams (Lindenwood, Gardner-Webb, and Tennessee Tech) picked up their first wins of the year.
Southeast Missouri State probably earned the biggest win, going on the road to knock off No. 7 Southern Illinois.
Lindenwood laid the biggest whooping on anybody over the weekend. The Lions hosted St. Thomas and absolutely blew them away, 64-0.
Here’s a recap of all of last week’s action:
LINDENWOOD 64, ST. THOMAS 0 | BOX SCORE
Lindenwood picked up its first win of the season in convincing fashion with a 64-0 win over St. Thomas. The Lion defense was a key factor, as it held the Tommies to just 148 total yards and picked up the program’s second shutout since 2015.
The Lindenwood defense also forced five turnovers — two interceptions and three fumbles — and sacked the opposing quarterback four times.
Quarterback Nate Glantz threw for 228 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (2 passing, 2 rushing), while receiver Jeff Caldwell had five catches for 153 yards and two scores.
#21 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 38, #7 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 21 | BOX SCORE
Paxton DeLaurent threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns and Dorian Anderson, Tristan Smith and Payton Brown each went over 100 yards to lead No. 21 Southeast Missouri (3-1) to a 38-21 win in the “War For The Wheel” game over longtime rival #7 Southern Illinois (2-2).
SEMO led the entire first half, then fell behind in the third quarter. But the Redhawks rebounded by scoring three straight touchdowns in the late third and fourth quarters to re-take control and put the game away.
TENNESSEE TECH 24, TENNESSEE STATE 14 | BOX SCORE
When it mattered the most, the Tennessee Tech defense came through. The Golden Eagles found ways to pressure Tennessee State quarterback Draylen Ellis, sacking him seven times.
Tech’s defense also held State to exactly zero rushing yards on 27 carries. DB Ty Moss then sealed the deal with a 56-yard interception return for a touchdown with just over a minute remaining in the contest to lead the Golden Eagles to a 24-14 victory over their in-state rivals and claim the first salvo in the hunt for the Sergeant York Trophy.
Tech improves to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in league play, putting the first victory in head coach Bobby Wilder’s column in his Cookeville career.
GARDNER-WEBB 42, PRESBYTERIAN 21 | BOX SCORE
Sophomore running back Carson Gresock ran for a career-high 134 yards to go along with three scores while leading the Gardner-Webb to a convincing 42-21 win at Presbyterian on Saturday night at Bailey Memorial Stadium. Senior running back Quasean Holmes also produced a huge game on the ground for the ‘Dawgs, totaling 132 yards and two scores.
MISSOURI STATE 31, UT MARTIN 24 | BOX SCORE
A fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the University of Tennessee at Martin came up just short, as the Skyhawks dropped a close 31-24 decision to Missouri State at Hardy Graham Stadium. UT Martin held a 7-0 lead through one quarter before the visiting Bears reeled off 24 unanswered points. The Skyhawks scored again late in the third quarter and tacked on 10 straight points in a five-minute span in the final period but Missouri State (2-2) held on for the win.
#15 ILLINOIS STATE 31, EASTERN ILLINOIS 7 | BOX SCORE
The 112th Mid-America Classic was impacted by turnovers as No. 15 Illinois State forced three turnovers in a 31-7 win over Eastern Illinois. Anthony Shockey and Elijawah Tolbert each had 10 tackles to lead EIU.
WEEK 5 — BIG SOUTH-OVC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE — Sept. 28, 2024
| Away | Home | Time | Location | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Lindenwood |  Eastern Illinois | 2:00 P.M. | Charleston, Ill. | TV: ESPN+ Stats |
 Northwestern State |  Southeast Missouri | 3:00 P.M. | Cape Girardeau, Mo. | TV: ESPN+ Stats |
 Tennessee Tech |  Gardner-Webb | 3:00 P.M. | Boiling Springs, N.C. | TV: ESPN+ Stats |
 UT Martin |  Kennesaw State | 5:00 P.M. | Kennesaw, Ga. | TV: ESPN+ Stats |
 Charleston Southern |  Tennessee State | 5:00 P.M. | Nashville, Tenn. | TV: ESPN+ Stats |
 McKendree |  Western Illinois | 6:00 P.M. | Macomb, Ill. | TV: ESPN+ Stats |