No. 9 Southeastern cracks Top 10 in FCS Polls for 1st time since 2014

Published 3:22 pm Monday, October 18, 2021

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The Southeastern Louisiana University football team continued its climb in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25 polls, which were both released Monday.

The Lions moved to ninth in both polls. The ranking marks the first time Southeastern has cracked the top 10 in the national polls since the final poll of the regular season in 2014, as SLU was tabbed ninth in the coaches Top 25 heading into the FCS playoffs.

SLU moved up two spots in both polls after opening its home schedule with a 61-24 Homecoming rout of HBU. The Lions – off to a 5-1 start for the first time since 1980 – extended their winning streak to four games with the win over the Huskies.

The Southeastern offense finished with a season-high in points, yards (634) and first downs (34) in Saturday’s triumph. Senior quarterback and Walter Payton Award winner Cole Kelley tied his career high with five touchdown passes, throwing for 396 yards and 31-for-38 passing. Kelley found Austin Mitchell for a pair of touchdowns passes, allowing the senior from Plaquemine to move into second place on the school’s career receiving touchdown list with 23. CJ Turner, Nick Kovacs and Gage Larvadain also hauled in scoring tosses.

SLU also posted a season-high with 238 rushing yards. Cephus Johnson III led the Lions with 87 yards on the ground, as both he and Jahmon McClendon found the end zone on rushing touchdowns.

The Lion defense held HBU to 295 total yards – including just 56 on the ground – in the win. Jack Henderson and Brandon Barbee each recorded interceptions, while Josh Randall had a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Alexis Ramos led Southeastern with five tackles, ae he, Garrett Crawford, Bryce Cage, Rodney Sopsher and Chinedu Ogbonna all recorded tackles for loss.

The Southeastern offense leads the nation in third-down conversion percentage (59.5), completion percentage (74.6) and tackles for loss allowed per game (3.0), while also ranking among the FCS leaders in scoring offense (50.7 ppg, 2nd), total offense (569.5 ypg, 2nd), passing offense (404.7 ypg, 3rd) and first downs (188, 2nd).

Kelley is bettering his numbers from the spring season when he won the FCS version of the Heisman Trophy. The Lafayette native has thrown for 2,395 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions on 195-for-258 passing, while also leading the team with seven rushing touchdowns.

Kelley leads the nation with a 75.6 completion percentage, while also ranking among the national leaders in completions per game (32.5, 2nd), passing touchdowns (2nd), passing yards (2nd), points responsible for (182, 2nd) and total offense (440.0 ypg, 2nd).

The Lion defense is fourth in FCS with 10 interceptions on the season. Zy Alexander and Alphonso Taylor have two picks apiece, while Barbee, Henderson, Ferlando Jordan, Justin Douglas, Justin Dumas and Terrell Carter each have one.

On special teams, Mateo Rengifo is a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, while Larvadain is second in the FCS with 35.3 yards per kickoff return. Austin Dunlap has only had the opportunity to punt eight times in the first six games, but is averaging 42.8 yards per punt.

Southeastern will be back in action on Saturday, traveling to Northwestern State for a 3 p.m. contest in Natchitoches. The game will be televised on ESPN+ and 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 (35)5-0                   1,223   1
  2. Eastern Washington (14)7-0                   1,178   2
  3. North Dakota State (1)6-0                   1,169   3
  4. Southern Illinois 6-1                   1,097   4
  5. Villanova 5-1                   1,022   6
  6. South Dakota State5-1                   980      7
  7. James Madison 5-1                   951      8
  8. Montana State 6-1                   919      9
  9. Southeastern 5-1                   842      11
  10. UC Davis 6-1                   750      13
  11. Montana 4-2                   694      5
  12. Kennesaw State 5-1                   658      15
  13. UT Martin 5-1                   583      17
  14. ETSU 6-1                   556      10
  15. South Dakota 5-2                   521      21
  16. UIW 5-1                   518      18
  17. Missouri State 4-2                   486      20
  18. Rhode Island 5-1                   405      12
  19. Sacramento State4-2                   251      NR
  20. Northern Iowa 3-3                   190      16
  21. VMI 5-2                   173      NR
  22. Princeton 5-0                   166      25
  23. Delaware 3-3                   152      14
  24. Jackson State 5-1                   148      NR
  25. Dartmouth 5-0                   120      NR

Others Receiving Votes: Jacksonville State 104, Harvard 101, Eastern Kentucky 85, Weber State 73, Duquesne 44, North Dakota 27, Prairie View 16, Youngstown State 11, Chattanooga 8, William & Mary 7, Stephen F. Austin 5, Mercer 4.

AFCS FCS Coaches Top 25

Team (First-place votes)                   Record            Points  Prv.

  1. Sam Houston (26)5-0                   674      1
  2. Eastern Washington (2)7-0                   670      2
  3. North Dakota State6-0                   646      3
  4. Southern Illinois 6-1                   605      4
  5. Villanova 5-1                   581      5
  6. James Madison 5-1                   561      7
  7. South Dakota State5-1                   543      8
  8. Montana State 6-1                   509      9
  9. Southeastern 5-1                   453      11
  10. UC Davis 6-1                   419      12
  11. Kennesaw State 5-1                   409      13
  12. Montana 4-2                   376      6
  13. UT Martin 5-1                   347      16
  14. East Tennessee State6-1                   312      10
  15. South Dakota 5-2                   268      21
  16. Harvard 5-0                   246      19
  17. Princeton 5-0                   193      20
  18. Missouri State 4-2                   184      23
  19. Rhode Island 5-1                   169      14
  20. Jackson State 5-1                   151      25
  21. Jacksonville State3-3                   111      22
  22. Eastern Kentucky 5-2                   93        NR
  23. VMI 5-2                   89        NR
  24. Northern Iowa 3-3                   85        17
  25. Delaware 3-3                   71        15

Others receiving votes: UIW 70, Dartmouth 67, North Dakota 34, Chattanooga 33, Weber State 28, Monmouth 19, Florida A&M 15, Duquesne 13, Sacramento State 10, Holy Cross 9, Furman 8, Mercer 6, New Hampshire 6, Stephen F. Austin 6, Yale 6, Prairie View A&M 2, Towson 2, Elon 1.  

2021 opponents in bold italics

TICKETS
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