MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The 13th-ranked SEU Football team stayed unbeaten with a dramatic 26-19 road win at Faulkner, delivering their first fourth-quarter game-winning drive since 2023. SEU improved to 3-0 by combining a career-best outing from quarterback
Nate Mikell with a swarming defensive front that produced five sacks, the most in a single game since also recording five at Faulkner in 2023.
Southeastern struck first midway through the opening quarter, marching 71 yards in eight plays capped by
Alex Reyes breaking free for a 16-yard touchdown run. The Fire's early 6-0 lead didn't last long, as Faulkner answered with a long field goal late in the first and then took control in the second quarter. Two quick touchdown passes from Kamden Wellington pushed the Eagles ahead 16-6, forcing the Fire to rally from a double-digit deficit for the second consecutive week. Mikell kept his poise and found
Kamonte Grimes on a 58-yard connection that set up
Jocquet Jiles' one-yard touchdown plunge, cutting the deficit to 16-13 at halftime.
Momentum shifted out of the break thanks to Jiles, who returned the opening kickoff 50 yards to set up
Joel McGrath's 23-yard field goal that tied the game. Minutes later, another defensive stand allowed McGrath to drill a 35-yarder, giving SEU its first lead since the first quarter at 19-16. Faulkner knotted the score again at 19 early in the fourth, but the Fire saved their best for last.
With under four minutes to play, Mikell orchestrated a decisive five-play, 75-yard march. After moving the chains to midfield, the junior quarterback stepped into the pocket and fired down the middle of the field, connecting with
Daithan Davis in stride for a 59-yard touchdown that proved to be the game-winner. Mikell finished the afternoon 11-for-20 for a career-high 220 yards with the decisive score capping his breakout performance.
SEU's defense slammed the door in the final minutes. On Faulkner's last series, the Fire front overwhelmed Wellington with three sacks on four plays, highlighted by Tommy Ibrahim's second of the day, to preserve the victory.
Grimes paced the Fire receiving corps with four catches for 97 yards, including the long second-quarter strike that set up SEU's first touchdown. On the ground,
Curtis Kimmons provided a steady presence with 47 rushing yards on 11 carries, highlighted by a 14-yard burst in the opening quarter to keep the Fire's first scoring drive alive. Jiles delivered all-around production with 42 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, two receptions, and 91 yards in kickoff returns, giving Southeastern a versatile spark on offense and special teams.
The Fire offense totaled 351 yards on 56 plays, averaging 6.3 yards per snap. SEU balanced its attack with 131 yards on the ground and 220 through the air, while holding Faulkner to 251 total yards and just 2.2 yards per rush. The Fire defense came up big in critical moments, forcing five sacks for 41 yards lost and limiting the Eagles to 5-of-15 on third down. Special teams added another boost, as McGrath went 2-for-2 on field goals.
The Fire enter their bye week ranked 13th nationally and undefeated at 3-0. SEU returns to Victory Field on October 4 to host Florida Memorial. Tickets for the game are available at
fire.seu.edu/tickets.
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