INDIANAPOLIS – Senior quarterback Cade Sexauer and his fellow senior teammates came to St. Thomas as Division III football players, never expecting to be on a Division I team–let alone a DI conference championship team.
With Saturday’s 27-13 win over Butler at the Sellick Bowl, the Tommies did the unthinkable. In its second season of DI, the St. Thomas football team went undefeated in the Pioneer Football League, broke into the FCS top-25 rankings and hoisted the PFL championship trophy.
“I think there’s a lot of people that counted us out and didn’t give us a chance, and I think our group in this locker room has meant so much,” said a tearful Sexauer, who accounted for two touchdowns Saturday. “We stood by each other, and we knew something like this was possible.”
The No. 21 Tommies (10-1, 8-0 PFL) came into the 2022 season predicted to finish third in the conference, and came into Division I in 2021 ranked dead last out of 128 total teams in the FCS.
“I never thought I’d be a DI player in my life. I didn’t know I could be a DI player, be a part of something bigger,” senior offensive lineman Mark Schmitz said. “This (the PFL championship) is probably one of the greatest accomplishments I’ll ever have in my life.”
Coach Glenn Caruso called his team’s achievement “a legacy that we will remember and live on for generations.”
Caruso has credited his team’s offensive line multiple times this season for protecting Sexauer so well, but it was the Tommies’ defense and special teams that completely stole the show against Butler.
In the first quarter, senior defensive back Kam In blocked a field goal attempt into the hands of sophomore defensive back Yusef Leak, who returned the ball 66 yards for a score, putting the Tommies up 14-0.
In blocked another field goal attempt at the end of the second quarter to hold the Bulldogs (7-4, 5-3) scoreless through the first half.
During the second half, the defense collected two interceptions, one by Leak and one by senior defensive back Johnson Fallah.
In his last game for the Tommies, Sexauer said he knew his “time was finite.”
He finished his career with 2,572 passing yards, 22 passing TDs, 446 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs. Saturday, he scored on a 2-yarder on the Tommies’ opening drive of the game, and ran in another 1-yard score in the fourth quarter.
“Every single play meant so much more today,” Sexauer said, crediting much of his team’s success this season to Caruso.
“He’s pushed me beyond belief to be a better person, a better football player, a better quarterback–to just never settle for just being good enough,” Sexauer said.
Senior defensive back Luke Glenna also credited the culture of the program as a major factor to his team’s success this season.
“Being able to finish this thing with the conference championship is just incredible,” Glenna said. “I’ve learned so many lessons from so many people in this program that I’m forever grateful.”
Normally, a conference championship in the PFL gives the winner an automatic berth into the FCS playoffs with a shot at the national title, but the Tommies can’t go to the playoffs until 2025 because of the NCAA’s probation period for DI newcomers.
“We knew that this was our last game of the season, so we just wanted to win the last one, go out with a bang and get that trophy to ourselves,” Glenna said.
Cam Kauffman can be reached at kauf8536@stthomas.edu.