LAKELAND, Fla.—The Fire football team has an opportunity to match its best start in program history tonight at Victory Field when it hosts Campbellsville in its final out-of-division contest.
Southeastern, ranked 15
th in the NAIA-AFCA Top 25, plays host to the Tigers, fresh off of a comeback win at Union a week ago.
The Fire were impressive in all phases of the game in a 54-15 home opening win over Georgetown a week ago. SEU set a program record for passing yards in a game with 330. Sophomore
Cooper Jones earned Mid-South Sun Division Offensive Player of the Week honors, throwing for a career-high 322 yards and four touchdowns.
"We worked really hard on our timing and routes, as well as our game plan that fit our opponent last week," said coach
Keith Barefield. "Guys got on the same page, and quite honestly, it's always good to be back on Victory Field."
On defense,
Tyrail Davis recorded a pair of interceptions, returning one for a score during a 27-point third quarter for the Fire. The front seven had another solid day, recording five sacks.
David Larson earned Mid-South Sun Division Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the fifth time in his career, averaging 45.5 yards per punt, hitting one of over 50, and landing one inside the 20. Larson also had a great day on kickoffs, recording eight touchbacks in nine kickoffs.
Campbellsville was down 14-6 with 4:40 left in the first quarter last week, but rattled off the next 46 points of the contest, scoring 35 in the second half to win 52-14. The Tigers finished with 540 yards of total offense on 76 plays, and recorded 24 first downs to Union's 13.
"They are a solid Bluegrass team that has been good year in and year out," said Barefield. "They're going to come in and play a consistent ballgame. They run an odd defense and will come at us from a lot of different angles and try to get to our quarterback and stifle our run game. Offensively, they run a lot of misdirection and single wing concepts and have some speedy receivers."
Quarterback Talaileva Sufia threw four touchdowns in relief last week, passing for 216 yards and was not sacked. Senior Kendon Young was the top target, making six catches for 157 yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, the Tigers have done a good job getting off the field, holding their opponents to a success rate of just 25% on third down this season. Linebacker Darius Moore leads the NAIA in total tackles for loss with 11.5, and is fourth in tackles per game at 12.3.
The game will feature two punters ranked in the top five in the NAIA with SEU's Larson currently fourth at 54.3 yards per punt and Noah Bicksler of Campbellsville, who is fifth nationally 43.9 yards per punt.
Tonight is also Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night as well as Dollar Hot Dog Night.
Tickets are still available.
