LAKELAND, Fla.- When the 2014 Southeastern University football schedule was released, the thought of their final conference game being for The Sun Conference championship was distant. In fact, the conference hadn't even officially announced it was starting football until months later.
Now, the first year program has the opportunity to win the first football championship the conference has offered.
"Nobody would have ever predicted that we'd be in this position, but we're certainly happy to be in it," said Coach Keith Barefield.
The Fire have posted a 5-2 record, and are 3-1 in conference play behind the NAIA's seventh-highest scoring offense at 41.3 points per game. Individually, redshirt freshman Jarrell Reynolds is second in the NAIA in rushing at 171.1 yards per game. He is the leader in scoring with 144 points this season.
"When he gets beyond the offensive line, it really illuminates his ability," said Barefield of Reynolds.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jonathan Pearce has helped the Fire offense, completing 57% of his passes for 1,315 yards and nine touchdowns.
They will be put to the test by a Warrior defense that ranks eighth in the NAIA in scoring average, holding their opponents to just 17.8 points per game. Individually, defensive lineman Marquise Harts has recorded 33 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and a conference-best seven sacks.
Webber comes in having won their last five consecutive games after starting their season 0-3. The Warriors have won three straight conference games with a 56-point win at Edward Waters, a 10-point win at Point, and a 15-point win at home against Ave Maria.
"There's really no pressure on us because nobody would have thought we'd be here, so we just have to have a great week of practice and go out to Lake Wales, and see what happens," said Barefield.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Saturday at Legion Field in Lake Wales. Tickets are $7.
