LAKELAND, Fla.—Victory Field will play host to two of the top teams in the NAIA that enter the game at 3-0 as Southeastern takes on Keiser Saturday night.
How dominant have these two teams been to start the year?
Combined, they've allowed just 44 points over a total of six games and have scored 278. Both rank in the Top 10 in the NAIA in scoring, total yards, points allowed, and yards allowed per game.
Last week, the Fire had to grind out a 21-7 victory over Webber International in the rain. The Fire defense was nearly impenetrable, allowing just 74 total yards and holding the Warriors to just 1-of-12 on third down. Additionally, the Warriors on average had 7.5 yards to go on third down.
The Fire are third in the NAIA allowing just nine points per game and second in total yards allowed per game at 188. Opposing quarterbacks have struggled against SEU, posting a 44% completion rate and have been sacked eight times in 75 drop backs.
Sophomore
Khalid Scott is coming off a monster game in which he made three tackles for loss and was named the Mid-South Sun Division Defensive Player of the Week.
On offense, the Fire had some success on the ground with junior
Bryan Bell rushing for a team-best 97 yards. During his freshman year against Keiser, Bell toted the rock a program-record 35 times for 190 yards and had a touchdown.
The Keiser defense has allowed two touchdowns in 12 quarters of football this season, and have also stymied opposing quarterbacks. The Seahawks are third in the NAIA against the pass, allowing just 67.7 yards per game.
KU is led by quarterback Eli Matthews who has posted a 220.4 pass efficiency rating and has completed nearly 77% of his passes for 598 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. They've also gotten the job done on special teams, leading the NAIA in kick returns at an average of 44.2 per attempt.
The all-time series between these two teams is tied at one win each. Southeastern won the first meeting in 2018, coming back from a 10-0 first half deficit to win 27-17. Last year, the Seahawks won in West Palm Beach by the score of 42-29 thanks to 107 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries by Marquess Burgess.
Kick off is at 7 p.m.
