DeLaurent, SEMO lead from start to finish in commanding 38-27 win over Eastern Illinois

CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) Paxton DeLaurent threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns and Southeast Missouri State never trailed in a 38-27 win over Eastern Illinois on Saturday.

DC Pippin staked the Redhawks (5-1, 2-0 Big South-OVC) to a lead on a 26-yard field goal five minutes in. Before the first quarter closed, DeLaurent threw a 9-yard touchdown to Mitchell Sellers and a 29-yarder to Dorian Anderson. Cole Ruble's 2-yard run made it a 24-0 advantage with 9:35 before halftime.

Eastern Illinois (1-5, 0-2) got back in it when Pierce Holley threw a 12-yard score to Cooper Willman to close the half. The Panthers used a seven-play, 75-yard that ended when MJ Flowers crashed in from the 1 to reduce the deficit to 24-14.

But SEMO answered on the ensuing drive when DeLaurent threw a 3-yard score to Tristan Smith at the end of a four-play, 73-yard drive. The drive's key play came on DeLaurent's 54-yard completion to set up the short score.

DeLaurent ran it in from the 1 with 12:22 left for a 38-14 lead.

Holley threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns and Flowers ran for two touchdowns, including a 2-yarder with 2:10 remaining.

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