Central Arkansas Bears vs Southeast Missouri State Predictions September 19, 2026
Central Arkansas’ rushing production merits attention, but SEMO’s takeaways and limited comparable performance evidence leave too much uncertainty to recommend a wager.
Matchup and recent form
Central Arkansas visits Southeast Missouri State at Houck Field on September 19, 2026, for a college football matchup scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. The Bears enter 2-1; SEMO is 1-2 and playing its home opener.
The Bears beat Central Oklahoma 59-20 on September 12, rushing for 407 yards and four touchdowns. Jalen Washington contributed 202 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Quarterback Donovyn Omolo completed 11 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns, adding 32 rushing yards and another score.
Central Arkansas also recorded four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and seven sacks while committing no turnovers. That combination explains the dominant result, but one game does not establish that the Bears can reproduce it against SEMO.
What complicates the matchup
Through three starts, Omolo has 573 passing yards and six passing touchdowns, alongside 275 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His production gives Central Arkansas multiple ways to attack, although the available statistics do not establish how SEMO matches up against either approach.
SEMO has forced at least one turnover in each of its three games, including three takeaways at Southern Illinois on September 12. Payton Brown returned from a quad injury in that game with 27 rushing yards on 14 carries and 32 receiving yards on five catches. His return alone does not establish a rushing advantage.
The series is tied 8-8-1. Central Arkansas is 8-1-1 across the past 10 meetings, while SEMO holds a 5-3-1 record at Houck Field. Those historical records provide context, but neither establishes an edge for the 2026 teams.