Preview: No. 6 SLU travels to No. 22 UIW for Southland matinee

No. 6 Southeastern (7-1, 5-0 SLC) at No. 22 UIW (6-2, 4-1 SLC)
Nov. 6, 2021 | 2 p.m. | Benson Stadium | San Antonio, Texas
Series History: Series tied, 4-4
Last Meeting: No. 22 UIW 56, No. 16 SLU 45 (March 20, 2021 | San Antonio, Texas)
Television: ESPN3
— Announcers: David Saltzman, Taylor McHargue and Lainie Fritz
Radio: Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM
— Announcers: Mark Willoughby, Robbie Rhodes and Allen Waddell

HAMMOND, La. – The No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana University will close out its regular season road schedule at Southland Conference foe No. 22 UIW with a 2 p.m. contest at Benson Stadium.

The game between the Lions (7-1, 5-0 Southland) and the host Cardinals (6-2, 4-1 Southland) will be televised on ESPN3, while also being 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.

Southeastern can clinch a share of the Southland Conference championship with a win on Saturday. Boasting a 5-0 conference record for the first time since 2013, the Lions are 7-1 for the first time since 1980 and are on a six-game winning streak.

Southeastern scored 20 consecutive second half points and weathered a late McNeese rally in a 23-20 win over the Cowboys.

In the win, SLU quarterback and reigning Walter Payton Award winner Cole Kelley threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Austin Mitchell and Damien Dawson on scoring throws. Kelley also rushed for a score.

The Southeastern offense ranks in the top three nationally in eight different categories. The Lions are averaging 47.2 points and 551.6 yards per game heading into Saturday’s contest.

Kelley has completed 234-of-320 passes for 2,987 yards and 28 touchdowns on the season, while also rushing for a league-high nine touchdowns. The Lafayette, Louisiana native leads the nation in completion percentage (73.1) and points responsible for (224) through eight games.

Mitchell (44 catches, 697 yards, seven touchdowns) and Nolan Givan (31-291-2 TD) are the most active of Kelley’s 16 receivers who have caught passes this season. Mitchell and Givan are two of nine Lions with multipe touchdown receptions this season, along with CJ Turner (5 TD), Nick Kovacs (3 TD), Tim Wilson Jr. (2 TD), Gage Larvadain (3 TD), Dawson (2 TD), Cephus Johnson III (2 TD) and Ivan Drobocky (2 TD). With 2,662 career receiving yards, Mitchell ranks fifth among active FCS players and is 118 yards shy of the school’s career record held by Southeastern Athletics Hall of Famer Simmie Yarborough.

The Southeastern defense came up with two big goal line stops in the win over McNeese, as Donniel Ward-Magee stopped Cowboy quarterback Cody Orgeron on fourth-and-goal at the goal line, while Zy Alexander ended another drive with an interception in the end zone.

Alphonso Taylor led SLU with nine tackles in the win, while Garrett Crawford and Brandon Barbee added eight tackles each. Crawford was named Southland Conference and Louisiana Defensive Player of the Week after posting 2.5 sacks, while Barbee broke up a game-high three passes.

Alexander is now eighth nationally with a team-high four interceptions. The Lions rank third in FCS with 13 interceptions on the year, as Taylor and Justin Dumas have contributed two apiece, while Barbee, Jack Henderson, Justin Douglas, Ferlando Jordan and Terrell Carter each have one.

Ramos leads Southeastern with 48 tackles on the season, followed by Taylor (42), Herman Christophe (31), Ward-Magee (28) and Henderson (27). Crawford paces the roster with 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

On special teams, Austin Dunlap has twice been named Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week and boasts a 45.6 punting average. Mateo Rengifo is a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals, while Larvadain is fifth in FCS with 31.3 yards per kickoff return.

UIW is coming into Saturday’s matchup off a 49-21 home win over HBU last Saturday. Quarterback Cameron Ward was named the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns.

Ward, who won the Jerry Rice Award as the national freshman of the year in the spring, leads a dynamic Cardinal offense that is averaging 37.4 points and 468.1 yards per game. Ward has thrown for 2,807 yards and 26 touchdowns.

The quartet of Taylor Grimes (54 catches, 712 yards, 9 touchdowns), Robert Ferrel (39-457-5 TD), Trevor Begue (31-427-2 TD) and Darion Chafin (31-355-4 TD) are the top targets for Ward. Kevin Brown (558 yards, 8 touchdowns) and former Lion Marcus Cooper (375-6 TD) are the top rushers for the Cardinals.

Opponents are averaging 23.0 points and 395.3 yards per game versus UIW. Kelechi Anyalebechi leads the Cardinals with 75 tackles and three forced fumbles. Anyalebech is one of two UIW defenders with two interceptions, along with Rashon Davis.

The all-time series between Southeastern and UIW is tied, 4-4. The Cardinals have won the last three meetings between the Southland rivals. This spring in San Antonio, UIW outlasted SLU in a 56-45 shootout.

Southeastern will return home to host Northwestern State next Saturday at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN3 and can 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.

The SLU-NSU game will also be the Hall of Fame game. Both the 2020 class of Matt Carvell (golf), Maiya Cooper (soccer), Brock Hebert (baseball) and Adonson Shallow (track and field), as well as the 2021 class of Jameson Fisher (baseball), Harry Nunez (football) and Renee Villarreal (tennis) will be inducted in a private ceremony prior to the game and recognized at halftime.

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
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @LionUpFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.