The Game:

• Southeast Missouri defeated North Alabama 37-15 in the 2024 FCS Kickoff
• The Redhawks scored the game’s final 30 points to secure the win
• Southeast Missouri (1-0) became the 16^th different team to play in the FCS Kickoff
• North Alabama (0-1) has lost to Mercer and SEMO in the last two years at the FCS Kickoff
• SEMO won the toss and deferred to the second half
• Pregame Weather: Sunny skies, 89 degrees; 8 mph SE wind
• The kickoff time was 6:05 p.m.

Most Valuable Player:

• Southeast Missouri freshman running back Payton Brown was named MVP
• Brown was true freshman from Festus, Mo., was making his collegiate debut
• He had 19 carries for 97 yards and three touchdowns in the win
• The three rushing TDs tied the FCS Kickoff single-game game record
• He scored on runs of 1, 25 and 1 yard in the win over the Lions
• He averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the game
• The 19 rushing attempts are third-most in FCS Kickoff

FCS Kickoff Records:

• Southeast Missouri freshman running back Payton Brown had three rushing TDs in the win
• The three rushing TDs tied the FCS Kickoff single-game record
• Jacksonville State’s Zion Webb had three rushing TDs against Stephen F. Ausitn in 2022
• Southeast Missouri forced an FCS Kickoff record four turnovers in the win
• Junior defensive backs Adrian Patterson and Justus Johnson both recorded interceptions for the Redhawks
• Junior defensive end Casey McCoy and senior linebacker Jared Pedraza both recovered fumbles
• Youngstown State also forced four turnovers in the win over Samford in 2019.

Game Notes:

• Southeast Missouri scored 37 points in the win over North Alabama
• The 37 points are the fourth-most by a team in the FCS Kickoff
• SEMO scored 16 points in the fourth quarter; the third-most by a team in FCS Kickoff
• UNA RB Jayvian Allen became the seventh player at the FCS Kickoff to rush for 100 yards
• Allen had 13 carries for 100 yards and one TDs for the Lions
• He had a 62-yard run in the first quarter and averaged 7.7 yards per carry
• SEMO senior ILB Mali Walton was ejected for targeting in the first quarter
• SEMO senior ILB Jared Padraza replaced Walton and had a monster game
• Pedraza had seven tackles, two TFLs, two pressures, one sack and one fumble recovery
• SEMO senior SS Khalani Riddick led the Redhawks with eight tackles
• UNA senior linebacker Jackson Bratton tied the FCS Kickoff record with 2.5 TFLs
• Bratton finished with 10 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and one sack
• Youngstown State’s Justus Reed also had 2.5 TFLs in 2019
• UNA senior rover Gregroy Riddick recorded a game-high 12 tackles
• UNA and SEMO combined for an FCS Kickoff record four 2-point conversions
• SEMO was 1-for-3 on 2-point tires; setting the FCS Kickoff record for attempts
• SEMO had a successful 2-point conversion in the third quarter (Brandon Epton run)
• The Redhawks missed on 2-point attempts in second and fourth quarter
• UNA had a successful 2-point conversion in the first quarter (Ari Patu pass to Takana Scott)
• There have been five successful 2-point plays in FCS Kickoff history
• Montana (2015), Samford (2018) and Central Arkansas (2020) also had successful 2-point plays

 

FCS Kickoff History

• The FCS Kickoff was created by ESPN to showcase the top programs at the NCAA football championship series level
• The game is owned and operated by ESPN Events and is the official kickoff of the college football season
• North Alabama is making its second straight appearance in the FCS Kickoff
• The Lions fell to Mercer 17-7 in last year’s game
• Southeast Missouri is making its first appearance in the FCS Kickoff
• No. 1 Eastern Washington outscored No. 17 Sam Houston State 56-35 in the inaugural FCS Kickoff in 2014
• The two high-powered offenses combined for 91 points and 1,164 total yards in the game.
• Vernon Adams, Jr., threw four TDs passes in the win
• The teams combined for 35 points in the second quarter and topped that mark with a 42-point fourth quarter
• Cooper Kupp (now with LA Rams) caught seven passes for 62 yards and one TD
• Jacksonville State defeated UT Chattanooga 27-13 in the 2017 FCS Kickoff; the first to be played in Montgomery
• JSU running back Roc Thomas finished with 190 total yards and one touchdown in the win
• He ran the ball 19 times for 122 yards, including an FCS Kickoff record 76-yard TD jaunt in the first quarter
• Senior linebacker Jonathan Hagler iced the game with a 58-yard interception return in the third quarter

FCS KICKOFF RESULTS:

 

Date                    Result of Game                                                                                        Location

Aug. 23, 2014   Eastern Washington 56, Sam Houston State 35                            Cheney, Washington

Aug. 29, 2015   Montana 36, North Dakota State 35                                                   Missoula, Montana

Aug. 27, 2016   North Dakota State 24, Charleston Southern 17                           Fargo, North Dakota

Aug. 26, 2017   Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 13                                             Montgomery

Aug. 25, 2018   North Carolina A&T 20, Jacksonville State 17                                 Montgomery

Aug. 24, 2019   Youngstown State 45, Samford 22                                                      Montgomery

Aug. 29, 2020   Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 21                                                 Montgomery

Aug. 27, 2022   Jacksonville State 42, Stephen F. Austin 17                                     Montgomery

Aug. 00, 2023   Mercer 17, North Alabama 7                                                                 Montgomery

Aug. 24, 2024   Southeast Missouri 37, North Alabama 15                                      Montgomery

Future Games:

• Johnson C. Smith and Tuskegee will meet in the 2024 Red Tails Classic
• The game will be played Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. (CT); the game will be televised by ESPNU
• The 2024 Camellia Bowl will be played on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. (CT); the game will be televised by EPSN
• Nine of the previous 10 Camellia Bowl game have been decided by eight points or less