Cookeville, TN – Tennessee Tech won their eighth game of 2025 to stay atop the Big South-OVC conference and continued to contend for a home seed in this year’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs. TTU had won 12 straight games coming in dating back to last season. They currently continue the longest winning streak in all of Division 1 football.
They started fast against the visiting SE Missouri State squad (4-5, 2-3), gave way to a QB change by SEMO, and then soared away in the fourth quarter for a 42-23 victory. The Golden Eagles flourish under second-year HC Bobby Wilder. We’d seen him lead Old Dominion on several occasions when he led the Monarchs from the FCS into the FBS in 2014-15. Several TTU fans admitted, the success has come surprisingly fast this year after years of struggles. We look forward to an opportunity to see Tech play again this season if they host an FCS playoff game.
TTU makes turnover count
DB Andrew Smith put the Golden Eagles at the Red Hawk 37 with an interception thrown right at him by SEMO QB Johnny Weber. Weber started his second game of the season replacing Jax Leatherwood who sat out the previous two games with an injury. TTU QB Kekoa Visperas connected with Tremel Jones on a 13-yard TD pass for their 7-0 lead at the end of the first.
Midway through the second, Justin Keller put the Red Hawks on the board with his 31-yard FG. On the Golden Eagles’ next possession, a 30-yard pass to Noah Robinson brought TTU to the SEMO 19. At the 11, Q’ Daryus Jennings took it over for an 11-yard touchdown. The review showed that as he dove, he shifted the ball from one hand to the other allowing him hit the pylon before going out of bounds to secure the score.
“Dull game” through most of first half
Envision that observation coming from this week’s Guest Game Analyst, St. Laurie. Finally got her to a game this season. Dinner at Craw Daddy’s and the Red Silo Brewing company after enticed her somewhat. The Golden Eagles methodically moved the football. The Red Hawks totaled 57 yards on offense in the first, turned the ball over at their 37 on their first possession, and settled for field goals. The first half did drag along. With media time-outs on a warm but beautiful sunny day, the game lacked excitement.
Holding the Red Hawks to a three-and-out, Tre’ Holloway returned the ensuing punt 37 yards to the SEMO 27. Visperas proceeded to throw a short pass left to Aidan Littles for a 14-yard TD. In response trailing 21-3, SEMO HC Tom Matukewicz called on Jax Leatherwood to replace Weber. The Red Hawks came out throwing more effectively. Their initial drive with a new QB under center went 48 yards to the TTU 22. From there, Keller converted on his second field goal. The Golden Eagles went into the locker room at halftime leading, 21-6. Looked like No. 8 would dominate.
Unusual second half start
SEMO did not defer the kick to open the game. In a rarity, they chose to receive the football first in the second half. So TTU opened the third with the ball, but punted away. Leatherwood remained at QB for the RedHawks. Things changed significantly. On a fourth and one at the Tennessee Tech 29, SE Mizzou picked up the first. However, they had to settle for Keller’s third FG. This one came through from 36 yards.
The Red Hawks defense held and forced the Golden Eagles to punt from their 28. The SEMO drive commenced from their 31. With Leatherwood under center, they mixed runs and passes for 14 plays as Cole Ruble ran over from the two with 1:33 left in the third. Suddenly, we had a ball game. The Red Hawks now threatened No. 8 TTU, 21-16. Leatherwood seemed to have turned the game around. He outdistanced Weber this afternoon with 278 yards and a TD compared to 103 yards and an INT in his start during the first half.
Golden Eagles take off
TTU started the fourth quarter on their drive with a second and four at the SEMO 24. Quintel Quinn finished off the drive with a ten-yard run to extend the lead, 28-16. The Red Hawks could not answer. The Tech defense rose up to the new challenge. Starting the SE Missouri drive from the 25, DL Chima Iwuagwu sacked Leatherwood for an eight-yard loss. Very next play, he and Idris King racked up the Leatherwood once again to force a fumble. Iwuagwu recovered the ball in the end zone for a Golden Eagles score to go up, 35-16.
On the ensuing Red Hawk possession, Leatherwood capped a 75-yard drive with a 38-yard TD pass to Calvin Gilbert to continue to challenge TTU once again. To maintain momentum, the Golden Eagles responded following an unsportsmanlike penalty and Tre’ Holloway’s 26-yard return to the TTU 44-yard Ine. With 4:53 left, Jennings finalized the scoring with a seven-yard TD run. Southeast Missouri turned the ball over on downs, and Tennessee Tech ran out the clock to the final score of 42-23.
Tech’s unbeaten streak continues at 13 games. It most likely maintains it ranking in the FCS Top Ten. They dwell atop the Big South-OVC conference at 5-0 in conference play. We hope we may catch the Golden Eagles, if possible, among our plans to see post-season games at most levels of NCAA football this season.
WEEK Ten coming up
The Golden Eagles remain at Overall Field at Tucker Stadium (home stands under reconstruction) to host the Gardner- Webb Running Bulldogs. They trail TTU in second place in conference standings (5-3, 3-1). SE Missouri State (3-5, 2-2) returns home to Cape Girardeau to play Charleston Southern (3-6, 2-3) in another Big South-OVC conference game. Alert: next season, Tennessee Tech joins the Southern Conference, an organization that has had many teams transition to the FBS level in recent years. For the Golden Eagles, the switch brings a few more intra-Tennessee rivalries. UT Chattanooga and East Tennessee State may stir some more intense natural rivalries as this program improves under HC Wilder.
SEC! SEC!
We at collegefootballfan.com head to Fayetteville, Arkansas for our first game there ever. The struggling Arkansas Razorbacks (2-6, 0-4) will entertain the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-4, 0-4). Both seek their first SEC win. The Hogs come off a 33-24 loss against Auburn at home this past Saturday. The Bulldogs come off a 45-38 OT loss to the No. 20 Texas Longhorns. Neither team has a clear shot to make any bowl games. Both play some of the top teams in the SEC in their three remaining games after this one.
This will be a rematch of our first and only trip to see a Mississippi State home game in Starkville. These two hooked up when we attended in November 2004. Seems like yesterday. Arkansas won 24-21. The key play occurred when Arkansas blocked a field goal attempt for a 10-point swing. Arkansas DB Pierre Brown made an over the shoulder catch of the deflected ball and raced 76 yards for the score. How can I be so sure? Read about it in my first book: Tales from the Tailgate: From the Fan who’s seen ‘em all!
Of course, more football history abounds in our latest book on Amazon.com. Recording such fantastic memories since 1972!
Click on the title about this life-long adventure: Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun, and the Ugly on Amazon.com. Read the reviews on the book page and get your copy today! If you’re trying to follow NILs and transfer portals, read what we predicted in 2023 and more. You’ll see we know what we’re talking about.
In addition, we offered solutions to issues occurring that we anticipated when we wrote this book. Based on our game story above, this fun, unique life-long Journey continues. Catch up on the last 45 years, and then please submit a review. We hope you will get a “kick” out of our great adventure having now seen all 136 FBS teams play over the years! Who else can say that? Continue to come back and follow our future adventures. Bowls and play-off game lie ahead for the rest of this season. Thanks for checking this out!
