The NFL legend stands in the Redhawks’ way to title, history

On November 24, 2024By Littum

Who would have thought that the only obstacle standing in the way of the Southeast Missouri State football team and the outright Big South-OVC championship, a school-record 10th win and a berth in the FCS playoffs is a team coached by an NFL- legend?

“It’s been a good year if you play meaningful games in November,” SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz said. “So I’m very happy for Coach George and the Tigers. They’re having a great year and they’re now in a meaningful game in November.”

11/12 The Redhawks travel to Tennessee State to take on Eddie George and the Tigers in a virtual winner-take-all at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, November 23 in Nashville, Tennessee. While a win is all SEMO needs to claim the title, TSU needs to win and have both UT Martin and Tennessee Tech lose to walk away with the crown.

It is fitting that the Nissan Stadium serves as the setting for this showdown. It’s in the very stadium where George shot to stardom as a running back during the Tennessee Titans’ only Super Bowl appearance.

George and the Titans fell a yard short 25 years ago against a team based in Missouri, no less, but now is his chance to potentially bring a championship to Nashville.

“Here it is,” said George. “I got an opportunity to cross the finish line.”

George took over as head coach of TSU in 2021. After spending the first two seasons marred in mediocrity, the Tigers made strides with a winning season in 2023 and established their best season in a decade in 2024 with an 8-3 record (5 -2 large southern OVC).

Tennessee State is the first coaching job George has started in his career, and while he’s four years into seeing the fruits of his labor, he said during his weekly conference call that “it still feels like Year 1 in terms of the excitement level.”

“I never thought coaching would be fun,” George said. “I thought it was long hours in the office, a lot of stress, late phone calls and long hours and you have no life. But I’ve really enjoyed the process of getting the game plan.