HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana football team will close out non-conference play on Saturday, when it travels to No. 23 Southern Utah for a 7 p.m. (CDT) contest at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City, Utah.
Both the Lions (0-1) and the host Thunderbirds (0-1) will be looking for their first wins of the season after losing to Football Bowl Subdivision opponents on the road to open 2016. SUU dropped a 24-0 decision to Utah in its season opener on Thursday, while Southeastern opened play with a 61-7 loss at No. 19/21 Oklahoma State on Saturday.
The Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office will have a limited number of tickets available for giveaway for the SLU-SUU game throughFriday at 10 a.m. Contact the ticket office at (985) 549-5466 for more information.
The game be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network. Fans can tune in to the flagship station of Southeastern Football, KSLU-FM (90.9), as well as Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and WFPR-AM (1400). Fans can also listen online atwww.LionSports.net/listenlive or via the TuneIn Radio app. A live video stream, courtesy of the Big Sky Conference, and live stats, courtesy of SUU, will be accessible on the football schedule page at LionSports.net.
Southern Utah, which is ranked No. 23 nationally in the most recent FCS coaches poll, will be the first ranked non-conference FCS opponent Southeastern has faced since the quarterfinal matchup in the 2013 FCS Playoffs versus then-No. 15 New Hampshire. Southeastern has not played a ranked non-conference FCS opponent during the regular season since traveling to then-No. 6 South Dakota State during the 2013 regular season.
The last time Southeastern defeated a non-conference FCS opponent on the road was a 34-31 win at Samford on Sept. 21, 2013. SLU’s last road win over a ranked non-conference FCS opponent came on Sept. 11, 2004, when the Lions, still competing as an independent, rolled past future Southland Conference rival and then-sixth-ranked McNeese State, 51-17, in Lake Charles.
Southeastern head coach Ron Roberts is ready to see how his team matches up with Southern Utah, which like the Lions, has made the FCS playoffs twice in the past three years.
“We’re looking to make a huge leap from week one to week two,” Roberts said. “We made some mental mistakes against Oklahoma State that we have to clean up moving forward. Southern Utah is very good on both sides of the ball and it will be a great test for our team to see how we answer the challenge on Saturday.”
The Lions will be looking to increase their offensive output after managing 203 total yards in the opener. Seniors Justin Alo (3-for-8, 94 yards) and D’Shaie Landor (1-for-6, 12 yards) split time under center. Alo, in his second season in Hammond out of Mt. San Antonio College, is expected to make his first start as a Lion on Saturday.
The Southeastern running game showed flashes in Stillwater. Senior Kaelyn Henderson, playing in his first game as a running back, led the Lion ground game with 68 yards and the team’s lone touchdown on 13 carries.
The Lion offense will be facing a staunch SUU defense that limited FBS foe Utah to 24 points last Saturday. Linebackers Mike Needham (11 tackles) and Taylor Nelson (10 tackles, 1 forced fumble) led the Thunderbirds in the opener.
Southern Utah was held scoreless in the opener, as Utah limited the Thunderbirds to 158 total yards and seven first downs. McCoy Holl (6-for-12, 42 yards) and Tannon Pedersen (0-for-6, 1 INT) split time under center, while Malik Brown (10 carries, 49 yards) led the rushing attack.
The Southeastern defense played better in the opener than OSU’s 61-point total would indicate. The Cowboys returned two fumbles for touchdowns and scored an additional 27 points on drives that started in Southeastern territory.
Juniors Javon Tillman (10 tackles) and Torrance Mosley (nine) were the leaders in tackles for the Lions, while senior Will Hines was credited with a fumble recovery and the trio of senior Caleb Young, junior Lee Spight and senior Jon Taylor each recorded sacks.
Following a bye week, the Lions will open their five-game home schedule and Southland Conference play with a 6 p.m. game versus league foe Northwestern State on Saturday, Sept. 24 in Strawberry Stadium. The game will be televised live on Cox Sports Television and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, as well as at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app. Live stats will also be accessible at LionSports.net.
Season tickets for the Lions’ five-game home schedule are on sale until Friday, Sept. 23. Single-game tickets for Southeastern’s home opener versus NSU and the Oct. 8 game versus defending league champion McNeese State are also on sale now. To purchase season or single-game tickets, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net orwww.LionUp.com.
In conjunction with the game versus Northwestern State, Southeastern will also hold Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, as all Southeastern faculty and staff can present their SLU ID at the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office to receive two free tickets to the home opener.
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