LAKELAND, Fla. -- For the first time in the program's history, Southeastern is moving on in the NAIA Football Championship Series. Powered by timely offense, a gritty defensive stand, and award-winning performances on both sides of the ball, the No. 15 Fire outlasted No. 19 Reinhardt 24–22 on Saturday afternoon at Victory Field, securing the first postseason victory in school history and setting a new single-season program record with their ninth win.
The result did not come easily. In a game defined by momentum swings and critical fourth-quarter sequences, Southeastern showed poise. The Fire finished with 431 yards of total offense and made the plays that mattered most—none bigger than the game-clinching drive that drained the final 4:21 off the clock.
Reinhardt set the tone early, marching 75 yards on the opening drive before punching in an 8-yard touchdown to go ahead 7–0. But the Fire answered instantly, and spectacularly. On SEU's second offensive snap of the postseason,
Nate Mikell launched a 51-yard strike to
David Pomales—an early preview of the connection that would dominate the afternoon. Three plays later, Mikell zipped a 26-yard touchdown to Pomales to even the game and ignite the home crowd.
After a defensive stop, the Fire went right back to work. Mikell engineered a balanced, 78-yard march, capping it with a determined 4-yard keeper that gave Southeastern its first lead, 14–7. Momentum continued into the second quarter, where SEU delivered its longest touchdown of the day: a 45-yard catch-and-run by
Tre McClellan, sprung by excellent downfield blocking and a pinpoint throw from Mikell. The Fire led 21–7 after the five-play, 90-yard sequence.
Reinhardt trimmed the margin to 21–10 late in the half, but the Fire defense—one of the nation's best all year—rose to the occasion repeatedly. A major turning point came at the end of the second quarter when
Willie Hill intercepted a deep shot at the SEU 30-yard line, halting a potential scoring drive and preserving the 11-point halftime cushion.
As the heat intensified and both teams began trading punts in the third quarter, Southeastern's defense continued to impose its will. Led by Defensive Player of the Game
Thomas Ibrahim, the Fire controlled the line of scrimmage, stalling multiple Eagle possessions in SEU territory. Ibrahim finished with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and constant disruption—numbers that only scratch the surface of his impact. The senior repeatedly penetrated the backfield and set edges that cut off Reinhardt's potent rushing attack, helping limit the Eagles to a single offensive score over the game's first 45 minutes.
But Reinhardt made its push early in the fourth. A 95-yard drive—extended by a 43-yard completion on third-and-10—ended with a 34-yard touchdown strike to make it 21–16. Southeastern answered with championship-level composure. Mikell guided a 15-play, 62-yard response, highlighted by a crucial 17-yard scramble and a nine-yard completion to
Jocquet Jiles on third-and-long. The march ate more than six minutes of clock and resulted in
Joel McGrath's 30-yard field goal, extending the lead to 24–16.
Still, the Eagles wouldn't go away. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Reinhardt broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run, trimming the margin to 24–22 with 4:32 remaining. The two-point attempt failed, but suddenly the Fire's season—and its pursuit of history—rested on one final possession.
That's when SEU delivered the most clutch drive of the season. Starting at their own 30, the Fire leaned on their offensive line and the legs of
Curtis Kimmons, who opened the possession with a 19-yard burst. Facing third-and-11, Mikell found Pomales again for 16 yards, pushing SEU into plus territory and forcing Reinhardt to burn timeouts. Jiles then ripped off a 15-yard run to the Eagle 16, effectively sealing the win.
By the time Mikell took the final knee, Southeastern had drained every remaining second—putting the finishing touches on a defining moment in Fire football history.
Offensive Player of the Game honors went to Mikell, who was brilliant and steady, completing 15 of 26 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers, while also rushing for a score. His top target,
David Pomales, delivered a career performance at the perfect time. The sophomore hauled in seven catches for 149 yards, the most in a single game by any SEU player this season, repeatedly flipping field position and extending drives.
Jiles and Kimmons combined for 126 rushing yards, while McClellan contributed 52 receiving yards and a long touchdown. Defensively, Ibrahim,
Brady Nowlan (10 tackles), and
Cole Highsmith (10 tackles) anchored a unit that forced the game's lone turnover.
With the victory, Southeastern advances to the NAIA Football Championship Series Second Round, where the Fire will learn both their opponent and destination later tonight.
