SLU travels to Southern Illinois for FCS Top 25 matchup

HAMMOND, La. – No. 15/17 Southeastern Louisiana will close out the regular season with another Top 25 matchup on Saturday at No. 17/18 Southern Illinois, as both teams were ranked in both the Stats Perform FCS and the AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25 this week.

The game at SIU will mark the fourth time in as many road contests in 2020-21 for Southeastern to face a ranked opponent.

The Lions (4-2, 4-2 Southland) moved up six spots in the Stats Perform media poll and four places in the AFCA coaches poll after closing out the Southland Conference slate with a 52-45 River Bell Classic win at then-No. 17/18 Nicholls last Saturday. SLU intercepted Colonel quarterback Lindsey Scott four times – returning two for scores – and accumulated 499 total yards of offense behind a 391-yard, four-touchdown showing from quarterback Cole Kelley.

Southeastern is one of four Southland teams ranked in both polls. The Lions moved up to No. 17 in the Stats Perform poll and are joined by No. 5 Sam Houston, No. 21 Nicholls and No. 25 UIW, while Saturday’s opponent, SIU, is in at No. 18.

In the coaches poll, SLU moved up to No. 15 and is joined by spring opponents Sam Houston (No. 5), Southern Illinois (No. 17), Nicholls (No. 20) and UIW (No. 22).

Up Next
Saturday’s 12 p.m. game at the Salukis will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU 90.9 FM, Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM). Fans can also listen live at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Game Day Experience and TuneIn Radio apps.

Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes) Record Points Prv.
1. James Madison (25) 4-0 968 1
2. North Dakota State (12) 6-1 950 2
3. Weber State 5-0 911 3
4. South Dakota State (1) 4-1 880 4
5. Sam Houston (2) 5-0 862 5
6. North Dakota 4-1 803 6
7. Delaware 4-0 755 8
8. Eastern Washington 5-1 717 9
9. Jacksonville State 9-2 693 10
10. Villanova 2-1 563 11
11. Richmond 3-0 553 12
12. Monmouth 3-0 539 20
13. UC Davis 3-2 459 13
14. Missouri State 5-4 457 15
15. VMI 5-1 452 14
16. Kennesaw State 4-1 382 7
17. Southeastern Louisiana 4-2 357 23
18. Southern Illinois 4-3 351 16
19. Rhode Island 2-1 252 22
20. Murray State 5-2 231 17
21. Nicholls 4-3 138 18
22. Austin Peay 4-5 137 25T
23. Mercer 5-5 130 NR
24. ETSU 4-2 118 21
25. UIW 3-2 104 19

Others receiving votes: Northern Iowa 75, Sacred Heart 44, Duquesne 26, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 20, Gardner-Webb 19, Southern 15, Maine 14, Alabama A&M 11, San Diego 3.

AFCA FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes) Record Points Prv.
1. James Madison (19) 4-0 569 1
2. Weber State (2) 5-0 535 2
3. North Dakota State (2) 6-1 523 3
4. South Dakota State 4-1 496 4
5. Sam Houston 5-0 486 5
6. North Dakota 4-1 468 6
7. Delaware 4-0 435 8
8. Eastern Washington 5-1 414 9
9. Jacksonville State 9-2 396 10
10. Richmond 3-0 341 12
11. Villanova 2-1 339 11
12. VMI 5-1 289 13
13. Monmouth 3-0 273 22
14. UC Davis 3-2 255 15
15. Southeastern Louisiana 4-2 225 19
16. Kennesaw State 4-1 223 17
17. Southern Illinois 4-3 219 18
18. Missouri State 5-4 170 23
19. Murray State 5-2 138 16
20. Nicholls 4-3 109 17
21. Southern 4-1 100 25
22. UIW 3-2 75 14
23. Northern Iowa 3-4 73 21
24. ETSU 4-2 53 20
T25. Alabama A&M 3-0 49 NR
T25. Mercer 5-5 49 NR

Others receiving votes: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 39, Austin Peay 33, Duquesne 23, Gardner Webb 22, Sacred Heart 12, South Carolina State 10, Fordham 7, Tarleton 7, Charleston Southern 6, Holy Cross 4, Idaho 3, San Diego 3, Prairie View 2, Davidson 1, Delaware State 1.