Kansas State opponent preview: Southeast Missouri State

The statistics used to learn more about Kansas State opponent Southeast Missouri State are via footballoutsiders.com, bcftoys.com, collegefootballdata.com and stats.ncaa.org. ksu_FAN will begin to take a glance at each team on the K-State schedule this year, starting with Southeast Missouri State.

Learning more about Kansas State opponent: SEMO

LAST FIVE GAMES: First meeting between Kansas State and Southeast Missouri State.
2022 RECORD: 9-3 Overall, 5-0 Ohio Valley Conference (co-league champions)
WINS: Their only win over a team with a winning record was versus FCS Lindenwood (7-3). However, Lindenwood was ranked just No. 121 in the FCS SP+ as they transitioned from the D2 level. Other wins for the Redhawks included over FCS No. 28 Southern Illinois and No. 40 Central Arkansas. Eight of their wins came over FCS programs with four wins or fewer.
LOSSES: Iowa State defeated them 42-10, they fell to No. 41 Eastern Kentucky 28-23 and in the first round of the FCS playoffs to FCS No. 6 Montana 34-24. SEMO did lead 24-3 in the third quarter before surrendering 31 unanswered points.

SEMO is coached by Tom Matukewicz.

He is a graduate of Fort Hays State University and enters his 10th season with the Redhawks. Matukewicz has led Southeast Missouri State to the best stretch of football in their FCS history over the last five years with three 9-win seasons and three playoff appearances.

The Redhawks have a pair of Ohio Valley Conference titles and their only FCS playoff win in program history (2018 over Stony Brook) in that stretch. Simply put, K-State will see the best FCS version ever from SEMO.

2022 Numbers

Southeast Missouri State finished No. 13 in the FCS Coaches poll last year and No. 15 in the FCS STATS poll. They were No. 29 in Bill Connelly’s final FCS SP+ rankings, with the No. 27 offense and No. 59 ranked defense.

The offensive strength was the running game, averaging 225.6 yards per game (No. 13 in FCS) while scoring 35.6 points per game (No. 16). The Redhawks also produced a total offense of 468.2 yards per game (No. 8).

The defense allowed 366.5 yards per game (No. 53), with 255 of those yards coming through the air (No. 104). SEMO only allowed 22.6 points per game (No. 32). The rush defense was solid, allowing just 111.5 yards per game (No. 14) and the red zone defense ranked No. 19.

The strength of Southeast Missouri State’s special teams unit was their kickoff return team. They averaged 23.3 yards per return (No. 15) and scored once. That will be an early test for that particular Kansas State phase.

Preseason accolades

They are the highest ranked Ohio Valley team in the FCS preseason polls at No. 9 in Athlon and No. 11 in HERO.

The Redhawks return six starters on offense and nine on defense. Two offensive returners and two defensive returners are FCS preseason All-Americans and eight returns were named to the All-Ohio Valley first and second team a year ago.

Key players on offense

1.) Geno Hess (RB): He was a first team All-American and first team All-Ohio Valley pick last season and a preseason All-American and first team All-Ohio Valley choice this year. Hess finished fifth in the 2022 Walter Payton voting (FCS Player of the Year) after rushing for nearly 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has over 4,000 yards rushing and 53 touchdowns for his career.
2. Ryan Flournoy (WR): Like Hess, Flournoy was a first team All-Ohio Valley selection last season. He’s also a preseason All-American. He led SEMO with 984 receiving yards, 16.1 yards per reception and seven touchdowns in 2022. He was originally a junior college product and is entering his second season with the Redhawks. He’ll be an early challenge for the new K-State cornerbacks.
3.) Zack Gieg (OL): The offensive lineman was a first team all-conference pick last year and a preseason All-American this season. Gieg won the award for top center in the FCS in 2022. He’s logged 22 career starts at Southeast Missouri State.
4.) Paxton DeLaurent (QB): SEMO’s starting quarterback made the All-Newcomer team in the Ohio Valley last season and threw for 2,685 yards. He also completed 61 percent of his passes and finished with 21 touchdowns on an impressive 12.8 yards per completion. DeLaurent also ran for 288 yards and three scores.

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— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) July 6, 2023

Key players on defense

1.) Lawrence Johnson (S): A second team All-American and first team All-Ohio Valley pick a year ago, Johnson is projected to finish as a first team all-league choice again in 2023. He was second on the team with 87 tackles (46 solo), including a team-leading 11 tackles for loss. Not only that, he led the Redhawks with five sacks and 10 pass break-ups as well and recorded an interception. He is who the Kansas State offense will need to lock in on this season.
2.) Bryce Norman (LB): Like most highlighted, Norman was a first team All-Ohio Valley pick last season and a preseason All-American and first team All-Ohio Valley choice this year. He led SEMO with 119 tackles and 57 solo tackles while adding 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five pass break-ups and an interception.
3.) Keandre Booker (LB): The other Southeast Missouri State linebacker was a second team All-Ohio Valley selection last season and collected 24 tackles, including seven for loss and four sacks.
4.) Ty Leonard (DB): Like Booker, Leonard was a second team all-conference choice last year and fourth on the team with 50 tackles (30 solo). He also logged three pass break-ups and an interception.

Key players on special teams

1.) Dalyn McDonald (KR/PR): Much like K-State with Phillip Brooks, he’s a first team All-Ohio Valley choice as a kick and punt returner after averaging 26.1 yards per kick return and a score last year. McDonald also returned 15 punts for a total of 110 yards.

K-State wins if…

Kansas State wins if the Wildcats don’t open the season complacent and overlook the Redhawks. SEMO is a solid FCS program and should make the playoffs in 2023. However, they are not in the upper echelon of FCS football like programs like South Dakota State and North Dakota State.

SEMO has played five games against average or below FBS programs since 2017, and those were contests versus Iowa State, twice against Missouri and one contest apiece across from Arkansas State and Kansas.

They lost by an average score of 47-15, with no game being within three touchdowns.

The Ohio Valley isn’t a great FCS conference, either. Most of their wins in 2022 came against below average FCS squads. K-State will be a steep test and a better team than the five that the Redhawks have already played.

K-State can lose if Southeast Missouri State’s offense exploits a few of the newcomers on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, it is the first game without both Deuce Vaughn and Malik Knowles as playmakers and that could spell early trouble. Turnovers also are a factor in upsets.

But I don’t see that stuff happening.

Prediction: Kansas State 48, SEMO 7