LAKELAND, Fla. -- The No. 18 Southeastern Football team turned in a dominant all-around performance Saturday evening at Victory Field, blanking Thomas University 69–0 in the most lopsided win in program history and the Fire's first shutout since October 5, 2024, against Webber International. The 69 points also marked the second-highest single-game total in school history.
From the opening kickoff, Southeastern controlled every phase of the game. The Fire marched 49 yards on their opening drive, capped by a six-yard touchdown run from
Curtis Kimmons, then followed with another efficient seven-play, 79-yard drive finished by Connor McCazzio's three-yard scoring plunge. SEU's offensive line set the tone early, paving the way for 19 first-half first downs and 275 rushing yards by game's end.
In the second quarter,
Nathan Carter extended the lead with a one-yard touchdown run to make it 21–0, before
Nate Mikell connected with Tre McCllelan for a six-yard score. Just ten seconds later, the Fire struck again when
Cole Highsmith scooped up a fumble on special teams and ran it back 11 yards for a touchdown, giving SEU a commanding 35–0 halftime advantage.
The onslaught continued after the break. On the opening drive of the second half, Kimmons punched in his second score from a yard out. Backup quarterback Zach Pleuss entered and threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mccazzio, then
Z'Orey Cotton powered in from four yards out on the very next drive as the Fire scored three touchdowns in less than three minutes of game time to stretch the lead to 56–0.
Southeastern's defense refused to give an inch all afternoon, holding Thomas to just 146 total yards and no red-zone conversions. The unit forced four turnovers, highlighted by interceptions from Highsmith,
Willie Hill, and
Cliff Bridges—the latter returning his 33-yard pick for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Cotton capped the day with a 33-yard touchdown run in the final minute to put the finishing touch on the Fire's record-setting afternoon.
Kimmons led a balanced ground game with 103 yards and two touchdowns, while Cotton (71 yards, 2 TDs), Mccazzio (57 yards, 1 rushing, 1 receiving TD), and Carter (47 yards, 1 TD) all contributed. Mikell was a near-perfect 7-of-8 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown before Pleuss added 94 yards and another score through the air.
Southeastern (4–1, 1–1 Sun Conference) finished with 491 yards of total offense, 31 first downs, and averaged 7.6 yards per play, while the Fire defense allowed just 1.9 yards per carry.
SEU hits the road next weekend to face Webber International on Saturday, October 18, 2025, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. in Babson Park, Florida.
