• Preseason Releases: Team Poll, Offensive Player Watch List, Defensive Player Watch List | Media Day Recap
The countdown to the start of the 2025 season will include a look at all nine OVC-Big South Football Association teams with content from the Football Media Day event.
Southeast Missouri was picked third in the OVC-Big South Preseason Poll this season. The Redhawks open the 2025 campaign on the road at FBS foe Arkansas State on Saturday, August 30.
SEMO is entering its 12th season under Head Coach Tom Matukewicz after finishing 9-4 in 2024. The Redhawks went to the playoffs for the fourth time under Matukewicz, and the fourth time in the last seven seasons.
McCoy Casey, who earned second-team All-OVC-Big South honors in 2024, was recently named to this year's FCS Football Central Preseason All-American Team. He ranked fourth on the team with 61 tackles in his first season with the Redhawks. Nasim Cairo started all 13 games and ranked eighth on the team with 40 tackles and tied for second with four sacks last season.
Cam Pedro joined Casey as a second-team All-OVC-Big South honoree last season. He is SEMO's only starter back at wide receiver after ranking first on the team with 84 receptions. Overall, Pedro finished the 2024 campaign as the Redhawks third-leading receiver with 897 yards and four touchdowns.
Payton Brown and Brandon Epton, Jr. had the bulk of the Redhawks carries in the backfield in 2024. Brown ran for a team-high 314 yards and five touchdowns in eight games as a true freshman, while Epton, Jr. gained 241 yards and a touchdown on 61 attempts.
BELOW VIDEOS
• Head Coach Tom Matukewicz 1-on-1 with Bob Belvin
• DL Nasim Cairo
• "Get to Know" Brandon Epton Jr.