Redhawks Travel to #1 North Dakota State Saturday

Southeast Missouri (1-1) at #1 North Dakota State (2-0)

Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m., CT
Location: Fargo, N.D.
Facility: Fargodome (19,000)
Surface: Artificial Turf
Series: First Meeting

Head Coaches

Southeast Missouri: Tom Matukewicz (65-64 general; 64-64 at SEMO; 47-32 OVC-Big South)

North Dakota State: Tim Polasek (16-2 general; 16-2 at NDSU; 7-1 MVFC)

Follow the Redhawks

Video: ESPN+ (Dom Izzo, Kyle Emanuel)

Live Stats: GoBison.com

Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)

X: @SEMOfootball

Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF) 

Redhawks Travel to #1 North Dakota State

•    Southeast Missouri (1-1) faces its first ranked opponent of the season when it travels to reigning FCS National Champion and #1 North Dakota State (2-0) Saturday. Kickoff is ready for two:30 p.m., CT on the Fargodome.

•    Fargo, North Dakota is SEMO’s longest journey of the season. It is situated 894 miles from Cape Girardeau, roughly a 13-hour and  40-minute drive.

•    The Redhawks will board a constitution flight departing Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Friday.

•    North Dakota State is considered one of solely two Division I faculties in North Dakota. The different is the University of North Dakota, which is situated in Grand Forks.

•    SEMO has by no means performed a Division I opponent from both North Dakota or South Dakota in its soccer historical past.

Series History

•    Saturday marks the primary assembly between Southeast Missouri and North Dakota State.

•    North Dakota State is the primary North Dakota faculty SEMO faces in its program historical past.

SEMO vs. #1

•    This 12 months marks the sixth time in program historical past the place Southeast Missouri squares off towards the #1 group within the Football Championship Subdivision.

•    SEMO is 0-5 in such video games.

•    The Redhawks final performed a #1-ranked group on Sept. 11, 2021. #1 Sam Houston beat SEMO, 52-14, in Huntsville, Texas that 12 months.

•    SEMO additionally confronted #1 Tennessee State (L, 28-35) in 1999, #1 Southern Illinois (L, 24-42) in 2009,  #1 Eastern Washington (L, 17-37) in 2010 and #1 Jacksonville State (L, 28-56) in 2015.

Brickyard Game

•    Saturday is one other “Brickyard” recreation for the Redhawks.

•    Anytime SEMO upsets a FBS or ranked FCS opponent, it shows the successful scores of these video games completely within the “Brickyard.”

•    The “Brickyard” resides within the Redhawks locker room situated on the Rosengarten Athletic Complex.

•    Against ranked FCS opponents, Matukewicz has a program document 9 victories. His final “Brickyard” win was at then-#7 Southern Illinois (38-21, Sept. 21, 2024).

Ranked Opponents

•    #1 North Dakota State is considered one of three ranked Football Championship Subdivision opponents on Southeast Missouri’s schedule.

•    SEMO has a complete of 12 wins over ranked FCS opponents throughout its NCAA Division I tenure, 9 of which have include Tom Matukewicz on the helm.

•    The Redhawks upended then-#3 Southeastern Louisiana (24-23) in Cape Girardeau on Sept. 20, 2014. It was the very best ranked opponent SEMO defeated in program historical past.

•    The Redhawks wins over ranked FCS foes are:

#17 Illinois State – W, 28-25 (Sept. 16, 2000)

#19 Tennessee State – W, 27-20 (Oct. 25, 2008)

#5 Southern Illinois – W, 24-21 (Sept. 18, 2010)

#3 Southeastern La. – W, 24-23 (Sept. 20, 2014)

#20 Tennessee State – W, 28-21 (Oct. 4, 2014)

#13 Eastern Illinois – W, 21-14 (Oct. 1, 2016)

#4 Jacksonville State – W, 37-14 (Oct. 19, 2018)

#15 Stony Brook – W, 28-14 (Nov. 24, 2018)

#14 Jacksonville State – W, 24-21 (Oct. 19, 2019)

#8 UT Martin – W, 31-14 (Nov. 20, 2021)

#17 Southern Illinois – W, 34-31 (Sept. 10, 2022)

#7 Southern Illinois – W, 38-21 (Sept. 21, 2024)

Against the Missouri Valley Football Conference

•    The Redhawks play Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents in back-to-back weeks.

•    After Southeast Missouri visits #1 North Dakota State Saturday, the Redhawks host #14 Southern Illinois on Sept. 20.

•    SEMO is 81-100-8 all-time towards MVFC faculties.

•    The Redhawks are 3-8 vs. Illinois State, 4-5 vs. Indiana State, 28-46 vs. Missouri State, 44-40-8 vs. SIU and 1-0 vs. Western Illinois (now within the OVC-Big South).

•    In all, SEMO has performed 189 video games towards MVFC members.

Brown Brothers

•    Sophomore Southeast Missouri operating again Payton Brown and freshman North Dakota State quarterback Preston Brown will play one another for the primary time as Division I athletes.

•    Preston signed with the Bison final December and Payton was SEMO’s high rusher with 310 yards and 5 touchdowns in eight video games as a freshman in 2024.

Familiar Face

•    Ryan Napoli, who was Southeast Missouri’s soccer energy & conditioning coach in 2017 and 2018, and SEMO’s director of sports activities efficiency from 2020-23, is North Dakota State’s director of athletic efficiency for soccer.

•    Napoli is in his second 12 months working beneath Tim Polasek. 

•    He spent six seasons at NDSU earlier in his profession from 2011-16 and was on employees for this system’s first 5 FCS nationwide championships.

Redhawks Pick Up First Win 

•    Southeast Missouri earned its first win of the season when it beat North Alabama, 30-21, in its home-opener on Sept. 6.

•    SEMO fell behind, 7-0, early however scored 30-straight factors to tug away from the Lions.

•    UNA made a late push by scoring two touchdowns within the ultimate 5 minutes, however it wasn’t sufficient.

•    SEMO improved to 8-4 in home-openers beneath Head Coach Tom Matukewicz.

•    The victory additionally marked the Redhawks fifth-straight home-opening win.

Pedro Clears 1,000 Receiving Yards

•    Cam Pedro went over 1,000 receiving yards in his Southeast Missouri profession when he completed with 4 receptions for 82 yards and a landing vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    Pedro scored on a 55-yard reception within the third quarter to surpass the 1,000-yard mark.

•    He had 71 yards after the catch towards the Lions.

•    Pedro has caught 94 passes for 1,033 yards and 6 touchdowns as a Redhawk.

•    He scored a receiving landing in each of his begins this 12 months.

Leatherwood and Keller Earn OVC-Big South Weekly Honors

•    Quarterback Jax Leatherwood and kicker Justin Keller earned Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Offensive Player and Specialist of the Week honors, respectively, on Sept. 8.

•    Leatherwood accomplished 21-of-33 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for one other rating vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    Keller scored 12 factors on an ideal 3-of-3 area objectives and 3-of-3 further factors towards the Lions.

ª    It is the primary OVC-Big South weekly honors for the Redhawks this 12 months.

Fourth Down Stops

•    Southeast Missouri’s protection has stopped opponents 4 occasions on fourth down via two video games this season.

•    SEMO recorded three of these stops in its win over North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    Opponents are 2-of-6 on fourth down towards the Redhawks protection.

Leading Tackler

•    Safety Landon Sylvie leads the Redhawks with 20 tackles this season.

•    Sylvie turned the primary Redhawk to succeed in double-digit tackles when he posted a career-high 12 at Arkansas State (Aug. 30).

•    He adopted that up with eight tackles the following week vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    Sylvie ranks twenty third within the Football Championship Subdivision in complete tackles.

First Pick for a Dollar

•    Inside linebacker Slade Dollar recorded Southeast Missouri’s first interception of the season.

•    Dollar intercepted Ari Patu’s go within the second quarter vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    It marked the second interception of his profession.

Strong Start for Leatherwood

•    Jax Leatherwood is off to a powerful begin out of the gate as Southeast Missouri’s new beginning quarterback.

•    Leatherwood threw his first 69 passes of 2025 with out an interception.

•    He accomplished 26-of-36 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns in his first profession begin at Arkansas State (Aug. 31).

•    Leatherwood then threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-33 passes vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6). He additionally ran three yards for his first profession speeding landing towards the Lions.

•    Leatherwood ranks amongst nationwide leaders in completions per recreation (seventh, 23.5), completion proportion (twenty first, 68.1), passing touchdowns (eleventh, 4), passing yards (fifteenth, 497), passing yards per recreation (sixteenth, 248.5) and factors accountable for (14th, 30).

Takeaway Time

•    Southeast Missouri had a takeaway in every of its first two video games this season.

•    Jeremy Walton pressured a fumble and Nasim Cairo recovered within the third quarter at Arkansas State (Aug. 30) and Slade Dollar intercepted a go within the second quarter vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    SEMO has pressured a turnover in 11 of its final 15 video games relationship again to final season.

Mr. Perfect

•    Justin Keller has not missed a kick in his first two begins as Southeast Missouri’s kicker.

•    Keller not too long ago scored 12 factors on 3-of-3 area objectives and 3-of-3 further factors vs. North Alabama (Sept. 6).

•    For the season, he has scored a team-high 18 factors on 4-of-4 area objectives and 6-of-6 PATs.

About North Dakota State

•    Reigning nationwide champion North Dakota State is 2-0 on the younger season with wins over The Citadel (38-0) and Tennessee State (59-3).

•    The Bison, presently the #1 group within the Football Championship Subdivision, is 16-2 all-time beneath Head Coach Tim Polasek.

•    NDSU has three gamers into consideration for nationwide participant of the 12 months awards. Wide receiver Bryce Lance is on the preseason watch listing for the Walter Payton Award. Defensive finish Toby Anene and linebacker Logan Kopp are each on the watch listing for the Buck Buchanan Award.

•    Southeast Missouri is the second-straight OVC-Big South opponent the Bison will face.

•    NDSU has gained 10 nationwide championships since 2011.