SLU heads to league-leading UIW in search of third straight win

Southeastern Louisiana (2-3, 2-1 SLC) at Incarnate Word (2-2, 2-0 SLC)

Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018 | 4 p.m. | San Antonio, Texas | Benson Stadium (6,000)

Series History: SLU leads 4-1

Last Meeting: Southeastern Louisiana 49, UIW 30 (Oct. 7, 2017 – Hammond, La.)

Television: None / UIW Live Video Stream: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uiw/

Radio: Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU 90.9, Kajun 107.1, The Highway 104.7, WFPR 1400)

Announcers: Mark Willoughby, Robbie Rhodes and Allen Waddell

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana football team will look for its third straight victory on Saturday, when it travels to face Southland Conference foe Incarnate Word at 4 p.m. in Benson Stadium.

Both the Lions (2-3, 2-1 Southland) and the host Cardinals (2-2, 2-0 Southland) will be looking for their third conference victories of 2018.

“UIW knows it has the opportunity to improve to 3-0 in conference play and we expect to get their best on Saturday,” Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo commented. “We have a big challenge in front of us this trip. We’re making progress each week and we have players who are getting more comfortable with where they fit in. We just want to keep getting better and we have another opportunity to do just that on Saturday.”

Last week, Southeastern held off a late Northwestern State rally to earn a 24-17 victory over the Demons in Hammond. Sophomore Austin Mitchell hauled in five passes for 182 yards – the sixth-highest single-game receiving yardage total in school history – and a touchdown, while also setting up another Lion scoring with a 42-yard punt return.

Mitchell was the top target for junior Chason Virgil, who threw for 316 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 19-of-28 passing, finding Mitchell and freshman CJ Turner on scoring throws.

Defensively, Southeastern finished with a season-high five sacks accumulated by junior Xavier Lewis, senior Tamarcus Russell, sophomore Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, senior Imani Mitchell, senior Sean Clavelle and freshman Josh Carr. Lewis and senior Zeke Walker led SLU with nine tackles each.

Lewis also forced a fumble, as junior Tre’ Spann and Russell each recovered a fumble. The Demons committed their first two turnovers of the season and the Lions also held NSU to 2-for-6 efficiency in the red zone.

Incarnate Word improved to 2-0 in Southland Conference play for the first time in school history after a 44-34 shootout victory over Abilene Christian last Saturday. Freshman Jon Copeland threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns, while senior Ra’Quanne Dickens rushed for 118 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. Senior Kody Edwards was Copeland’s top target, finishing with five catches for 133 yards and a touchdown to becume UIW’s all-time leader in career receiving yards.

The Lion offense is averaging 409.9 yards per game this season, doing most of its damage through the air. Virgil has three games of 300-plus passing yards and is currently third in FCS with 1,526 passing yards. Junior Juwan Petit-Frere (23 catches, 422 yards, 2 TD), junior Bransen Schwebel (17-229-2 TD), Mitchell (15-280-3 TD), Turner (13-154-1 TD) and senior Nih-Jer Jackson (13-151) give Virgil several productive options in the passing game.

Opponents are managing 554.5 yards and 40.2 points per contest versus UIW – numbers greatly skewed by high opposing outputs in losses to FBS foes New Mexico and North Texas.

Junior linebacker West Lambert leads the Cardinals with 41 tackles, followed by senior linebacker Silas Stewart (39 tackles) and junior linebacker Mar’kel Cooks (32 tackles). Stewart has a team-high two interceptions, while Cooks leads the team with two fumble recoveries.

Southeastern is yielding 27.8 points and 434.6 yards per game heading into Saturday’s contest. Russell paces Southeastern with 49 tackles, followed by Lewis (32), Adeyemi-Berglund (31), junior defensive back Dejion Lynch (29) and senior defensive back Brayleon Thorns (25).

Lynch also leads SLU with five pass breakups, while freshman Ferlando Jordan has two interceptions. Russell and Adeyemi-Berglund also pace the team with five tackles for loss apiece, while Spann has recovered a team-high two fumbles.

Copeland has thrown for 918 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions on 63-for-135 passing with the trio of Edwards (18 catches, 281 yards, 1 TD), senior Phillip Baptiste (15-250-2 TD) and senior Lamont Johnson (12-186-1 TD) serving as his top target.

Dickens leads the Southland Conference with 587 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. The Seminole, Florida native also carries the top yards per carry average in FCS (10.3 yards per rush).

Petit-Frere averages 31.1 yards per kickoff return – ninth-best in the nation – for the Lions heading into Saturday’s game.

Junior Ivy Wall has averaged 44.0 yards per punt – 10th-best in FCS – to highlight the SLU kicking game. Senior Jonathan Tatum has connected on four consecutive field goals.

Edwards is averaging 27.5 yards per kickoff return for UIW. Senior Cody Seidel (8-for-10) and freshman Rhett Marshall (5-for-5) have combined to go 13-for-15 on field goals.

Southeastern is 4-1 all-time versus Incarnate Word, which transitioned from Division II and joined the Southland in 2013. Last season, the Lions outscored the visiting Cardinals, 49-30, in Hammond.

Following Saturday’s game, Southeastern will play its next two games at home, starting with next Saturday’s Homecoming game versus Houston Baptist at 4 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium. A live video stream, produced by the Southeastern Channel, will be available on the Southland Digital Network at www.Southland.org/live.

Fans will also be able to hear the Lions-Huskies tilt on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU-FM (90.9), Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and WFPR 1400 AM). Fans can also listen live at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Radio FX, TuneIn Radio and Lions Gameday Experience apps.

TICKET INFORMATION

For season ticket information and individual game tickets, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. The Lions will welcome conference foes Central Arkansas (Sept. 15), Northwestern State (Sept. 29), Houston Baptist (Oct. 13 – Homecoming), Abilene Christian (Oct. 20 – Hall of Fame Game) and McNeese (Nov. 3) to Strawberry Stadium in 2018.

CLEAR BAG POLICY

Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.

TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB

Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.

All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.

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

INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN FOOTBALL WITH FRANK SCELFO

Inside Southeastern Football with Frank Scelfo, the Lion first-year head coach’s radio show, is held every Monday through Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering (113 East Thomas Street) in downtown Hammond.

Hosted by Scelfo and Allen Waddell, the show will air on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU-FM (90.9), Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and WFPR 1400 AM). Fans can also listen live at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Radio FX, TuneIn Radio and Lions Gameday Experience apps. A live video stream of the show will be available via Facebook Watch at www.facebook.com/sluathletics.