FCS Polls: Southeastern-UIV matchup in Southland to feature 2 ranked teams

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University football team continues its steady climb in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25 polls which were released Monday.

The No. 6 Lions (7-1, 5-0 Southland) moved up two spots in both polls after extending their win streak to six games on Saturday. SLU heads into this Saturday’s 2 p.m. contest at UIW, which is ranked No. 22 in the Stats Perform poll and receiving votes in the coaches poll, needing a win to clinch a share of the Southland Conference championship.

SLU scored 20 straight second-half points and then held off a late rally in a 23-20 victory over McNeese.

Twice the Lion defense stopped the Cowboys in the red zone. Donniel Ward-Magee took down McNeese quarterback Cody Orgeron just shy of the goal line on a fourth down attempt, while Zy Alexander intercepted an Orgeron throw in the end zone.

Alphonso Taylor led Southeastern with nine tackles, while Garrett Crawford and Brandon Barbee finished with eight stops each. Crawford also led SLU with 2.5 sacks on the way to being tabbed Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week, while Barbee was credited with a team-high three pass breakups.

Through eight games, the Lions rank third nationally with 13 interceptions on the season. Alexander’s pick on Saturday was his team-high fourth, ranking him eighth in FCS in interceptions per game.

Crawford wasn’t the only Lion to earn league honors, as punter Austin Dunlap averaged 53.0 yards per punt in Saturday’s win, including a career-long 66-yard effort. On one of his punts, Brennon Dingle forced McNeese returner Mason Pierce to fumble and Anthony Spurlock pounced on the loose ball.

Dunlap has a 45.6 punting average, which would be good for fifth in the FCS if he wasn’t short of the minimum punts necessary to qualify for national rankings. Lion placekicker Mateo Rengifo is a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals.
The Lion offense finished with 375 total yards in Saturday’s win over McNeese. SLU quarterback and reigning Walter Payton Award winner Cole Kelley threw for 245 yards on 18-for-30 passing and connected with Austin Mitchell and Damien Dawson on touchdown passes, while also rushing for a touchdown. Ed Magee led SLU with six catches, while Mitchell had a team-high 107 yards through the air.

Southeastern’s offense leads the nation in third-down conversion percentage (55.7), completion percentage (72.3) and first downs (235), while also ranking among the national leaders in total offense (551.6 ypg, 2nd), scoring offense (47.2 ppg, 2nd), passing offense (388.5 ypg, 3rd), tackles for loss allowed (3.00 per game, 2nd) and team passing efficiency (177.37, 3rd).

Protected by a consistent, veteran offensive line and armed with numerous talented receivers, Kelley leads the nation with a 73.1 completion percentage (234-for-320) and 224 points responsible for. The Lafayette, Louisiana native has thrown for 2,987 yards and 28 touchdowns, while also rushing for a Southland-high nine scores.

Mitchell has been Kelley’s top target in the passing game, leading the team with 44 catches for 697 yards and seven touchdowns. With 2,662 career receiving yards, the Plaquemine, Louisiana native is 118 yards shy of becoming the school’s career receiving yardage leader. Nolan Givan (31 catches, 291 yards, two touchdowns) has also been a productive contributor in the passing game, as he, CJ Turner (five touchdowns), Nick Kovacs (3 TD), Tim Wilson Jr. (2 TD), Gage Larvadain (3 TD), Dawson (2 TD) and Ivan Drobocky (2 TD) all have multiple receiving touchdowns this season.

Saturday’s game at UIW will be televised on ESPN3. The game can also be heard in the Hammond area on Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM, as well as online at www.kajun107.net.

Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes) Record Points Prv.
1. Sam Houston (40) 7-0 1,240 1
2. North Dakota State (10) 8-0 1,208 2
3. James Madison 7-1 1,133 5
4. Montana State 7-1 1,082 6
5. Eastern Washington 7-1 1,013 7
6. Southeastern 7-1 970 8
7. Southern Illinois 6-2 893 3
8. UC Davis 7-1 854 9
9. South Dakota State 6-2 811 10
10. Villanova 6-2 745 4
11. Montana 6-2 721 11
12. Kennesaw State 7-1 698 12
13. Northern Iowa 5-3 693 16
14. ETSU 7-1 616 T13
15. UT Martin 7-1 599 T13
16. Sacramento State 6-2 517 15
17. Missouri State 5-3 396 17
18. VMI 6-2 331 18
19. Jackson State 7-1 292 20
T20. William & Mary 6-2 277 NR
T20. Princeton 7-0 277 19
22. UIW 6-2 229 22
23. South Dakota 5-3 213 21
24. Weber State 4-4 177 23
25. Eastern Kentucky 6-2 139 25

Others Receiving Votes: Prairie View 34, Chattanooga 20, Mercer 14, Florida A&M 12, Dartmouth 10, Rhode Island 9, Stephen F. Austin 8, Harvard 7, Monmouth 2.

AFCS FCS Coaches Top 25
Team (First-place votes) Record Points Prv.
1. Sam Houston (27) 7-0 675 1
2. North Dakota State 8-0 644 2
3. James Madison 7-1 621 5
4. Montana State 7-1 579 6
5. Eastern Washington 7-1 566 7
6. Southeastern 7-1 537 8
7. UC Davis 7-1 479 9
8. Kennesaw State 7-1 484 10
9. Southern Illinois 6-2 420 3
10. Montana 6-2 413 11
11. UT Martin 7-1 384 12
12. South Dakota State 6-2 369 13
13. Villanova 6-2 352 4
14. ETSU 7-1 325 14
15. Northern Iowa 5-3 303 17
16. Princeton 7-0 257 15
17. Jackson State 7-1 221 16
18. VMI 6-2 213 18
19. Eastern Kentucky 6-2 193 19
20. Missouri State 5-3 184 20
21. South Dakota 5-3 108 22
22. Sacramento State 6-2 89 T23
23. William & Mary 6-2 83 NR
24. Weber State 4-4 80 T23
25. Chattanooga 5-3 44 NR

Others receiving votes: Harvard 27, Monmouth 21, Mercer 16, Dartmouth 14, Prairie View 14, Central Arkansas 13, Florida A&M 13, Stephen F. Austin 12, Holy Cross 11, Delaware 10, UIW 8, Maine 6, Nicholls 5, Davidson 2.

TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2021-22 season. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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