HAMMOND - Neither rain, nor wind, or the Northern Colorado offensive line could stop Southeastern linebacker Damien Huren from getting to UNC quarterback Tony Christensen Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.
Playing in a constant rain caused by Tropical Storm Matthew, the junior transfer set a Division I-AA record with six sacks and Southeastern used a big third quarter for the second straight week to rally past UNC, 26-13, before a paid attendance of 8,322.
Southeastern (4-2) registered a school-record nine sacks in the game and forced three turnovers as it won its second straight game. Northern Colorado, which finished 9-2 last season and was ranked in the final national I-AA polls in its first year as a Division I-AA member, lost its fifth straight to fall to 1-5.
Martin Hankins threw for 255 yards and three touchdown passes, including the potential go-ahead score to Josh Taylor in a 16-point third quarter as Southeastern (4-2) turned a 10-7 halftime deficit into a 23-13 lead after three quarters.
The Lions got on the scoreboard with 1:28 remaining in the first quarter as Hankins connected with Felton Huggins on a 19-yard scoring pass that ended a seven-play, 84-yard drive.
UNC tied the score at 7-7 in the second after Ryan Palmer intercepted a Hankins pass at the Southeastern 16. On the first UNC play of the drive, Andre Wilson gained a yard to the Lions' 15, but the Bears were called for a personal foul that pushed the ball back to the 31.
Christensen threw an incomplete pass to Jamar Farbes to force third-and-24 from the 30, and on the next play, Christensen found Vincent Jackson in the end zone for the game-tying touchdown. Justin Zaitz added a 31-yard field goal in the final minute of the half to give UNC a 10-7 lead at the break.
UNC took the second-half kickoff and drove to the Southeastern 35, but on fourth-and-3, Huren batted down Christensen's pass in the flat stalling the drive.
Southeastern reclaimed the lead, at 13-10, on the next possession as it drove 65 yards in six plays with Hankins finding Hutch Gonzales for a 20-yard strike.
Zaitz tied the game for UNC with a 25-yard field goal with 4:11 remaining in the third, but two plays later, Hankins found a streaking Taylor for an 80-yard strike to put Southeastern ahead for good, 20-13.
On UNC's next possession, Charles Hall forced a Christensen fumble and Huren recovered at the UNC 20, and four plays later, Jim Hall kicked a 20-yard field goal to give the Lions a 23-13 lead after three quarters.
Huren, who broke the previous I-AA record of five sacks set last season by Maurice Troutman of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, recorded 13 tackles to lead Southeastern with Marvin Jones adding 12. Derrick Mincey, Jay Skidmore and Jay Fendlason added sacks for the Lions while Burk McGee intercepted a Nick Hagar pass in the final minute to secure the win.
Ray Perkins rushed for 119 yards on 15 carries for the Lions while Gonzales caught four passes for 72 yards. Jackson caught six passes for 138 yards for UNC while Wilson rushed for 131 yards on 29 carries.
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
Northern Colorado... 0 10 3 0 - 13 Record: (1-5)
Southeastern La..... 7 0 16 3 - 26 Record: (4-2)
Scoring Summary
1st 01:28 SLU - Huggins 19 pass from Hankins (Hall kick)
2nd 10:57 UNC - Jackson 30 pass from Christensen (Zaitz kick)
00:37 UNC - FG Zaitz 31
3rd 09:47 SLU - Gonzales 20 pass from Hankins (kick failed)
04:11 UNC - FG Zaitz 25
03:52 SLU - Taylor 80 pass from Hankins (Hall kick)
01:52 SLU - FG Hall 20
4th 11:26 SLU - FG Hall 30
A - 8,322 (Paid)
UNC SLU
FIRST DOWNS................... 14 15
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 47-116 29-116
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 184 255
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 26-9-1 36-17-3
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 73-300 65-371
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............ 0-0 0-0
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 5-72 3-26
Interception Returns-Yards.... 3-19 1-36
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 10-40.7 8-42.4
Fumbles-Lost.................. 3-2 1-0
Penalties-Yards............... 7-90 5-40
Possession Time............... 32:46 27:14
RUSHING
UNC - Wilson 29-131; Waterman 2-10; Hager 2-minus 7; Christensen 14-minus 18. SLU - Perkins 15-119; Davis 4-36; Robinson 2-8; Francis 2-minus 6; Hankins 4-minus 14; TEAM 2-minus 27.
PASSING
UNC - Christensen 7-23-0-153; Hager 2-3-1-31. SLU - Hankins 17-36-3-255.
RECEIVING
UNC - Jackson 6-138; Wilson 2-17; Sweitzer 1-29. SLU - Gonzales 4-72; Jordan 3-48; Taylor 2-97; Huggins 2-21; Scates 2-13; Perkins 2-7; Francis 1-0; Gilbert 1-minus 3.
