New rivals Lindenwood and Southeast Missouri played for the first time last season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Lindenwood Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 2 – Lindenwood (1-0) at #14 Southeast Missouri (0-1)
Date/Time – September 9, 2023 – 6 pm
Location – Houck Field — Cape Girardeau, MO
Broadcast – ESPN+
Live Stats – SEMO Live Stats
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO — Missouri schools Lindenwood and Southeast Missouri hook up for the second time in their rivalry deemed the “Game Ball Brawl”, Saturday afternoon at SEMO’s Houck Field. The Lions and Redhawks met for the first time last season, with SEMO being the first Division I opponent to play at Lindenwood’s Hunter Stadium.
SEMO won that matchup, 49-28, and went on to win the Ohio Valley Conference championship. This season, both teams are competing in the Big South-OVC Association, with big hopes of winning the league title crown and earning a berth into the NCAA FCS playoffs.
Saturday’s showdown will be the conference opener for both clubs. Southeast Missouri was the preseason favorite to win the league this year.
Lindenwood will come into Saturday’s contest with a 1-0 record, after pounding Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 77-9, last week. SEMO is 0-1, following a 45-0 loss to Kansas State. SEMO will play at home against Southern Illinois next week.
Players to Watch: Lindenwood is coming off a sensational opening week performance, where it totaled 696 yards of total offense and scored 11 touchdowns. Quarterback Cole Dugger finished the night with 263 yards and four touchdown passes to four different receivers.
Other players who stood out, included receiver Jeff Caldwell, who blocked two punts, returned one for a touchdown, and caught a touchdown pass to earn himself Big South-OVC Specialist of the Week honors.
Running back Robert Giaimo — in his first game since suffering a season-ending injury last season — scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) to help power the Lindenwood offense. Fellow backs Justin Williams (100 yards rushing, 1 TD) and Von Gordon (77 yards rushing, 2 TD) also had fine performances in the season opener.
SEMO will be led by star RB Geno Hess, last year’s OVC Offensive Player of the Year. Hess is already SEMO’s all-time career leading rusher and he comes into this season needing 1,042 yards to become the OVC league leading rusher.
Wideout Ryan Flournoy caught 10 passes for 96 yards in the game against K-State last week.
The SEMO defense is led by preseason All-American LB Bryce Norman. Last year, the 6-foot, 220-pounder had 119 tackles, 2.5 quarterback sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown.
Up Next: The Lions will be on the road again next week, with a matchup against Western Illinois.
SEMO will play at home in another rivalry game against Southern Illinois next Saturday.
Probable Starters
Lindenwood Offense Lindenwood Defense
QB – 2 Cole Dugger – Jr. DE – 4 Kobe McClendon – So.
RB – 21 Robert Giaimo – So. DT – 56 Darion Mullins – Jr.
WR – 10 Spencer Redd – Sr. DT – 99 Makai Finau – Fr.
WR – 19 Jeff Caldwell – Sr. DE – 46 Frank Caldwell – Jr.
WR – 81 Ronnie Thomas – Jr. LB – 20 Ethan Stuhlsatz – So.
LT – 78 Gareth Warren – Jr. LB – 52 Brenden Dye – So.
LG – 68 Joe Becker – So. LB – 40 Tyrone Griffin – Jr.
C – 58 George Miki-Han – So. CB – 7 Jayden Patrick – So.
RG – 71 Jacob Swihart – Jr. FS – 3 Darion Bolden – Sr.
RT – 74 Ethan Johnson – So. SS – 11 Mann McGruder – Sr.
TE – 18 Chase Lanckreit – Jr. CB – 24 Wesley Hines – Sr.
PK – 43 Logan Siebert – So. P – 95 Patrick Turner – Fr.
Southeast Missouri Offense Southeast Missouri Defense
QB – 10 Paxton DeLaurent – So. DE – 91 LaWilliam Holmes – Sr.
RB – 6 Geno Hess – Sr. NT – 50 Lunden Manuel – Sr.
WR – 33 Dalyn McDonald – Sr. DE – 99 Steven Lewis – Jr.
WR – 1 Ryan Flournoy – So. LB – 0 Keandre Booker – Jr.
WR – 3 Damoreia Vick – Sr. LB – 32 Bryce Norman – Jr.
LT – 72 Jamarcus Hill – So. LB – 4 Christian Fuhrman – Jr.
LG – 75 Clive Truschel – Sr. LB – 12 Sam Cook – Jr.
C – 56 Zach Gieg – Sr. CB – 6 Henry Pickens III – So.
RG – 69 Kobe Sixkiller – Jr. S – 8 Eric Ivory, Jr. – So.
RT – 60 AJ Laux – Sr. S – 7 Lawrence Johnson – So.
TE – 19 Danny Joiner – So. CB – 5 Ty Leonard – Sr.
PK – 49 DC Pippin – Sr. P – 39 Adam Heston – Jr.
| 2023 Lindenwood Lions Football Schedule |
| Sat., September 9 — at #14 Southeast Missouri State* — 6 pm |
| Sat., September 16 — at Western Illinois — 6 pm |
| Sat., September 23 — at Illinois State — 12 pm |
| Sat., September 30 — vs. Austin Peay — 1 pm |
| Sat., October 7 — vs. Tennessee Tech* — 6 pm |
| Sat., October 14 — at Charleston Southern* — 3 pm |
| Sat., October 28 — at Tennessee State* — 2 pm |
| Sat., November 4 — vs. Eastern Illinois* — 2 pm |
| Sat., November 11 — vs. Bryant* — 1 pm |
| * – denotes Big South-Ohio Valley Conference game |
| All Lindenwood home games will be played at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium |