College Football

Tennessee Tech edges Southeast Missouri State 21-20

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:33 a.m. ET

foxsports

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Michael Birdsong threw for 170 yards and a touchdown to help lift Tennessee Tech to a 21-20 win over Southeast Missouri State on Saturday.

Dontez Byrd hauled in the 10-yard go-ahead touchdown throw from Birdsong with 3 minutes left in the opening half to put Tennessee Tech (3-5, 3-3 Ohio Valley Conference) up 21-17. Birdsong completed 14 of 23 passes and Byrd had 97 yards on eight catches to snap Tech's two-game skid.

Southeast Missouri State (2-5, 2-2) cut the gap to 21-20 in the third quarter with a 30-yard field goal from Ryan McCrum, who hit a 51-yarder in the first quarter but missed a 30-yard attempt in the third.

Tech also got a 2-yard touchdown run from Yeedee Thaenrat in the first quarter and took its first lead one play later when Elliott Normand intercepted a pass from Jesse Hosket and returned it 25 yards for a TD.