DeLaurent's 3 TDs help SE Missouri St. beat Central Arkansas

GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Paxton DeLaurent passed for 252 yards and two touchdowns, and he rushed for 60 yards and a score to help Southeast Missouri State beat Central Arkansas 35-27 on Saturday.

DeLaurent’s 11-yard keeper with 10:57 remaining in the fourth quarter gave SEMO a 35-20 lead. The Bears, trailing 35-27, had it on their own 7 with 3:21 left but went three-and-out and SEMO picked up a first down to run out the clock.

Geno Hess rushed for 123 yard for SEMO (3-1). DeLaurent hit Ryan Flournoy for a 62-yard touchdown to tie it at 14 midway through the second quarter.

SE Missouri State also scored on defense and special teams. Linebacker Bryce Norman grabbed loose ball after a Henry Pickens' strip sack and scored from 3-yards out to open the scoring. Dalyn McDonald returned a kickoff for a 97-yard touchdown to tie SEMO’s second longest in program history. It was the program’s first kickoff return since 2018.

Will McElvain passed for 284 yards for Central Arkansas (1-3).

UCA had two 80-yard touchdowns in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead. Running back Kylin James passed for an 80-yard touchdown to Jarrod Barnes, and T.D. Williams returned a fumble 85 yards.

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