Keiser University Athletics

Score: No. 9 Keiser 31, No. 15 Southeastern 28
Records: No. 9 Keiser (4-0), No. 15 Southeastern (3-1)
Location: Victory Field, Lakeland, Fla. 
Time of Game: 7:00 PM
Weather: 82 degrees, Partly Cloudy

Behind the power running of Marques Burgess, the No. 9 Keiser football team edged past Mid-South Conference Sun Division foe No. 15 Southeastern, 31-28, Saturday evening on the road.
 
The Fire threatened in the closing moments of the contest as they moved into Keiser territory, but an interception by Troy Sloan in the end zone sealed the win for the Seahawks.


No. 9 Keiser 14, No. 15 Southeastern 14

• After winning the toss and deferring to the second half, Keiser's defense took the field first and immediately forced an SEU three-and-out.
• The Seahawks needed only four plays to cover 62 yards on their opening drive as Burgess trotted into the end zone from 15-yards out. Logan Robinson's extra point made it 7-0 with 11:24 to go in the first.
•  A roughing the passer call against Southeastern on the first play of the drive helped jumpstart the Seahawks offense.
• After another three-and-out by the Fire, Michael Robinson provided a spark on special teams with an electric 78-yard punt return to the SEU three-yard line.
• One play later, Burgess punched it in for his second score of the day to put Keiser up 14-0 at the 9:50 mark.
• Southeastern finally got their offense in gear on their third drive of the opening quarter as Cooper Jones connected with Wendell Harris Jr. for an 11-yard score, wrapping up a 10 play 65-yard drive. Drew Holder connected on the extra point to make it 14-7, Keiser with 5:08 remaining in the quarter.
• Following a Keiser three-and-out, the Fire struck again as Jones found Eugene Witherspoon from 33-yards out to tie the score at 14 with 1:46 left in the opening quarter.

No. 9 Keiser 24, No.15 Southeastern 14

• After both teams traded punts to open the second quarter, Keiser jumped back on top as Burgess exploded up the middle for a 40-yard touchdown run.
• Burgess' third touchdown of the game capped off a six play 80-yard drive, putting the Seahawks up 21-14 with 9:22 to go before the half.
• Defensively, Keiser stood tall once again forcing the fourth Fire punt of the half, sending Burgess and the offense back to work.
• KU marched 12 plays down the field but failed to find the end zone as Eli Mathews pass on third and three from the Fire 13-yard line was tipped and picked off by Cory Rahman in the end zone with 1:11 before the break.
• Jones and the Fire failed to capitalize off the turnover, throwing an interception of his own two plays later.
• Freshman, Wendol Philord came away with the pick for the Seahawks at the Fire 45-yard line with 47 seconds left in the half.
• A pass interference call followed by a 20-yard Mathews scramble two plays later set the Seahawks up for a 20-yard field goal attempt just before the half.
• Robinson connected on the attempt for his second make of the season to give Keiser a 24-14 lead at the intermission.

No. 9 Keiser 31, No. 15 Southeastern 28

• The Seahawks made the first big mistake of the third quarter as Mathews had the snap slip through his hands at the KU 16-yard line, leading to a Southeastern recovery by Marc Viechec at the one-yard line.
•  Jones punched it in on the ensuing play, cutting the Keiser lead to 24-21 with 11:21 remaining in the third quarter.
• Caleb Walls provided the answer the Seahawks needed on the following kickoff as the junior took it 89-yards to the house, extending the lead back to 10 at 31-21.
• The 89-yard kick return was the first in program history.
• A targeting call on the next Southeastern drive led to a costly ejection, but the Fire failed to take advantage of the new set of downs and was forced to punt it away.
• The mistakes continued for the Seahawks in the third quarter as Mathews threw his second interception of the contest on a third-and-10 from their own five-yard line. Eddie Graham came away with the pick, setting up SEU up at the Keiser 40-yard line.
• Five plays later, Bryan Bell punched it in from eight yards out to make it 31-28, Keiser with 2:07 left in the quarter.
• Offensively, the Seahawks struggled in the third as they finished with -10 yards of total offense in the quarter.

No. 9 Keiser 31, No. 15 Southeastern 28

• Early in the quarter, the Seahawks nearly had a punt return go wrong as Robinson muffed the football at his own 22-yard line but Wesley Scott jumped on it at the 10-yard line.
• With under three minutes remaining in the contest, the Seahawks attempted to put the game out of reach as they went for it on fourth-and-goal from the SEU seven-yard line.
• Mathews rolled out to his right but was unable to connect with Walls, turning the ball over on downs, giving SEU one final chance with 2:35 to play.
• The Fire quickly reached Seahawk territory on their opening play as Demetrius Burns connected with Witherspoon for a 50-yard completion, putting the ball at 43-yard line.
• After an ineligible man down field penalty moved the Fire back five-yards, Marc Laurore was flagged for a face mask penalty on a near two-yard sack, moving the ball to 33-yard line.
• Following an incomplete pass and a two-yard loss on a Bell run, Burns was intercepted by Troy Sloan in the end zone with exactly one minute remaining.
• The Seahawks then ran out the clock, claiming their fourth victory of the season and first against a ranked opponent.

Keiser will have a week off before returning to the friendly confines of the Keiser Football Field for a conference matchup against Warner University on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. from West Palm Beach, Fla.

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• With the win, Keiser improves to 2-1 all-time against the Fire
• The matchup marked the second straight season KU and SEU met with undefeated records and ranked inside the Top 15
• Keiser has now won 13 straight regular season games and six straight on the road
• With two forced turnovers by the defense, Keiser has now forced 10 turnovers in three matchups with Southeastern
• Keiser's win marked the first home divisional loss for Southeastern in program history
• Caleb Walls 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the first in program history
• Keiser entered the contest as the No. 1 team in the nation in kickoff return yards per attempt (44.2)
• Mathews streak of 14 straight games with a touchdown pass came to a halt
• The junior finished the night 10-of-24 passing for 82 yards
• Burgess led all players with a career-high 181 yards on 24 carries and three touchdowns
• The junior back also added four catches for 24 yards in the win
• Freshmen Jake Collins and Jalen Wring led the defense with six total tackles
• Logan Wakefield racked up a team-high two tackles for loss and was followed by Wring, Laurore, Desulme and Canitllo with one apiece
• Desulme, Wakefield and Laurore each came away with a sack to lead the defensive front
• Overall, the Seahawks were outgained by the Fire 324-308