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, 2^nd), scoring offense (47.2 ppg, 2^nd), passing offense (388.5 ypg, 3^rd), tackles for loss allowed (3.00 per game, 2^nd) and team passing efficiency (177.37, 3^rd).

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 State6-2                   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 State6-2                   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 State8-0                   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 State6-2                   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 State6-2                   89        T23
23. William & Mary6-2                   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.   

2021 opponents in bold italics

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.

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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.

CLEAR BAG POLICY

Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.