Southeast Missouri State freshman running back Payton Brown’s college football debut on Saturday night looked a lot like many of his performances for the Hillsboro High School Hawks during his senior season.

Playing in the FCS Kickoff on ESPN, Brown ran for 97 yards and three touchdowns to help the Redhawks earn a come-from-behind 37-15 victory over North Alabama in Montgomery, Ala.

Brown earned the game’s Most Valuable Player award after tying the FCS Kickoff single-game record with his three touchdowns. He finished with 126 total yards in his college football debut.

A 6-foot-1, 216-pounder, Brown entered SEMO’s season opener as No. 2 on the depth chart as the Redhawks were looking for a running back to replace all-time leading rusher Geno Hess. Hess ran for 5,119 yards and 63 touchdowns in six seasons at SEMO.

The Redhawks have had a 1,000-yard rusher in six of the last nine seasons, but went into 2024 with five newcomers among the eight running backs on their roster, including Brown.

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Brown enrolled at SEMO early after a sensational senior season at Hillsboro where he racked up 2,054 total yards (1,605 rushing, 449 receiving) and scored 34 total touchdowns in leading the Hawks to a runner-up finish in Class 4. He earned first-team all-state honors as well as all-conference and all-district accolades.

As a junior at Hillsboro, Brown was the Hawks’ third-leading rusher with 839 yards and third on the team in touchdowns with 13.

2023 Missouri Football Coaches Association all-state teams

On Saturday night, Brown stepped up showed the skills that he displayed during his standout high school career with the Hawks.

SEMO trailed 15-7 late in the second quarter before Brown scored his first touchdown on a 1-yard run, cutting the deficit to 15-14.

With the Redhawks playing without standout starting quarterback Paxton DeLaurent, who went out with a game-ending injury, Brown led the comeback charge and took over in the second half.

Brown scored on a 25-yard run in the third quarter to put SEMO ahead 21-15 and then scored again, on another 1-yard run, to extend the Redhawks’ lead to 27-15.

The Hillsboro High product finished with 97 yards on 19 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, and the three touchdowns. He also caught two passes for an additional 29 yards.

SEMO’s next game will be at New Mexico State on August 31.

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– Nate Latsch |  latsch@scorebooklive.com

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — True freshman Payton Brown scored three touchdowns, redshirt freshman quarterback Carter Hensley led a second-half rally and Southeast Missouri State defeated North Alabama 37-15 on Saturday night in the FCS Kickoff Game.

Brown, who finished with 97 yards, scored on a 1-yard run late in the second quarter and a 25-yard run late in the third. His 1-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter was set up by a 47-yard quarterback keeper by Hensley.

In his first game action since high school, Hensley subbed in for injured starter Paxton DeLaurent and completed 10 of 14 passes for 100 yards. His 1-yard touchdown run gave the Redhawks a 34-15 lead with about 5 minutes remaining in the game.

North Alabama had 135 yards rushing in the first half while SE Missouri passed for 149 yards. The Lions had short touchdown runs by Jayvian Allen and Ari Patu. A two-point conversion after Allen’s touchdown helped produce a 15-13 halftime lead.

DeLaurent completed 14 of 17 passes for 96 yards but left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury.

With DeLaurent sidelined, the Redhawks found more balance in their offense and their defense held North Alabama without a point in the second half. The Redhawks finished with 196 yards passing and 176 yards rushing.

North Alabama’s only sustained drive of the second half ended in a turnover on downs late in the third quarter.

Patu completed 12 of 24 passes for 104 yards and was intercepted twice. Allen had 100 yards rushing and the Lions finished with 216 yards on the ground.

It was the seventh time the FCS Kickoff was held at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.

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The Associated Press

Wildlife officials in Missouri said a bald eagle has been rehabilitated after it was having trouble flying. 

The Missouri Department of Conservation captured the bird near Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, which is in the southwest corner of the state about 50 miles from Branson. 

The bird was found unable to fly and animal experts initially thought it was injured. 

In an open field a bald eagle sits, its head turned to look at the camera. A large dog carrier with its door open is to the left of the frame. Image: Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

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But upon further examination, the bird was found to be healthy overall but currently engorged from its latest meal – “in other words, too fat to fly,” Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield shared on social media. 

‘Bizarre-looking’ creature getting a helping hand from North Carolina conservationists

In the wild, a bald eagle’s diet is “opportunistic and varied,” according to the National Park Service, but most feed mainly on fish. Some may also sometimes feed on smaller mammals or birds. 

X-rays of the captured bald eagle showed the outline of a small paw inside the bird’s stomach, which is believed to be a raccoon’s paw. 

A check-up also found the bird’s stomach to be distended. 

Experts believe the bird feasted on raccoon roadkill. 

In an open field a bald eagle flies towards the tree line. You can see its yellow feet peaking out from behind its splayed tail feathers. Image: Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

After some rehabilitation, the eagle was released near where it was found in compliance with federal and state laws.