STARKVILLE, Miss. - After snapping a 12-game road losing streak dating back to the end of the 2005 season, the Southeastern Louisiana University football team returns to action Saturday facing defending Auto Zone Liberty Bowl champion Mississippi State at at Davis Wade Stadium.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.

The Lions opened their 2008 campaign with a 34-28 win at Alcorn State - Southeastern's first road win since a 38-21 victory at Mississippi Valley State to end the 2005 season. Mississippi State (0-1) recorded five turnovers and blew a 14-9 halftime lead with a 22-14 setback at Louisiana Tech.

Saturday's game will be the first-ever meeting between the schools on the football field and will be Southeastern's third game against a current member of the SEC, where the Lions are 1-1 (lost to LSU, 48-7, in 1949 and defeated Auburn, 6-0, in 1950).

In its opener, Southeastern broke open a 21-21 deadlock with two touchdowns in the opening 17 seconds of the fourth quarter before holding off Alcorn State at the end. The Lions held on fourth down after Alcorn State drove to the SLU 8-yard line in the final seconds.

Junior college transfer Chris Wilson caught two passes for 105 yards in his Southeastern debut while Mike Neville completed 13 of 17 passes in the second half with a touchdown as he replaced an injured Brian Babin.

GAMEDAY INFO
Date/Time - Saturday, September 6, 2008, 6 p.m.
Location - Starkville, Miss. (Davis-Wade Stadium - 55,082)
Radio - KSLU-FM 90.9
Talent - Mark Willoughby (PBP), Allen Waddell (color), Robbie Rhodes (sideline)
Streaming - www.LionSports.net
Television - Comcast Sports South (Tape-Delay)
The Series - First meeting
Last Meeting - N/A

Storylines - Southeastern returns to the gridiron today for the first time since Hurricane Gustav facing SEC member Mississippi State ... the Lions will play their second straight game in the state of Mississippi after opening the season with a 34-28 win at Alcorn State ... Southeastern has spent the week preparing for the MSU game at the Bulldogs' arch-rival - Ole Miss - while being housed at nearby Camp Lake Stephens in Oxford.

TEAM NOTES
OFFENSIVE LINE
C Brad Bardy (Covington, La.) is the lone returning starter from the 2007 season ... LT David Ward (Sugar Hill, Ga.), who started all 11 games in 2006 as a freshman before missing the entire 2007 campaign with a knee injury, returned to the starting lineup ... RT Kevin Hughes (New Orleans, La.) earned two starts last season as redshirt freshman ... junior college transfer Willie Pritchett (Moss Point, Miss.) is the younger brother of former Lion Charles Hall (2004-05) ... RG Brent Blazevich (Hammond, La.), a three-year letterwinner, earned his first career start last week at Alcorn State.
 
RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Merrick Lanaux (Hammond, La.), who missed two games last season due to injury/illness, missed the Alcorn State game after injuring a hamstring during pre-gaem warm-ups ... Lanaux needs needs 11 catches to tie former Lions Ray Mahfouz and Ray Perkins for 10th place in school history ... with one touchdown reception, Lanaux will tie Tommy Arbour for eighth-place with 10 and with 57 yards, Lanaux will tie Jeffery Howard for eighth-place in receiving yards ... Chris Wilson (Amory, Miss.) caught two passes for 105 yards ... his 70-yard TD grab in the first quarter tied the game at 7-7 before giving the Lions a 21-14 lead with a 35-yard reception in the second ... freshman Simmie Yarborough (Brookhaven, Miss.) caught six passes in his first collegiate game ... his first reception - a 14-yard TD catch in the first quarter - tied the game at 14-14 ... Andre Cryer (Kentwood, La.) set career-highs for catches (3), yards (71) and recorded his first touchdown reception with a 45-yard catch in the fourth quarter that snapped a 21-21 deadlock.

QUARTERBACKS
Brian Babin (St. Amant, La.) did not play the entire second half after suffering a concussion on the final play of the first half ... Babin finished the half 12-for-20 for 143 yards and three touchdowns ... Mike Neville (Vallejo, Calif.) played the second half finishing 13-for-17 for 108 yards and a touchdown ... the 26-year-old Neville, a junior college transfer who spent two years on a Mormon mission in Brazil, is slated to start his first game against Mississippi State ... sophomore Tyler Beatty (Pflugerville, Texas), who transferred to Southeastern after two years at Baylor, is slated to see action against MSU.`

RUNNING BACKS
All-America candidate Jay Lucas (Baton Rouge, La.) has recorded eight 100-yard games in his career and needs 1,273 yards to become the school's all-time leading rusher ... with 40 yards, Lucas will become the fourth player in school history to eclipse the 2,000-yard barrier in his career and with four receptions would become the fifth player - and first running back - to record 100 career catches ... Lucas has caught a pass in 17 consecutive games - the longest streak among any current player ... junior college transfer Jasper Duckwworth (Mt. Olive, Miss.) carried twice for 16 yards in his Southeastern debut.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Walter Vaughn (Spalding, Ga.) started at defensive end after missing the final nine games of the 2007 season with an injury ... DE Steven Honore (New Roads, La.) was credited with four tackles in his first start after playing at linebacker in 2007 ... DT Devin Boutwell (Buras, La.) returned to the starting lineup after missing five games last year due to illness ... the former South Plaquemines product was featured in a 2006 series on the school by New York Times writer Jere' Longman ... redshirt freshman Jordan August (Edgard, La.) forced and recovered a fumble while being credited with one stop in his collegiate debut ... DE Nathan Clophus (Sulphur, La.) tallied two tackles against Alcorn State - both for losses.

LINEBACKERS
Ryan Godare (Sulphur, La.) led all players with eight tackles, including two for losses ... junior college transfer Quinten Pierre (New Iberia, La.) posted three tackles and forced a fumble in his Southeastern debut ... freshman Devin Jones (Independence, La.) recorded two stops, including one solo, in his collegiate debut.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
SS Tommy Connors (Marrero, La.) scored his second career touchdown with a 14-yard fumble return that gave Southeastern a 34-21 lead ... Connors added an interception - his third career and second dating back to the Lions' 2007 finale against Nicholls State - that led to a second-quarter touchdown ... CB Tony Johnson (Baton Rouge, La.) made his third career start and tallied three tackles for the Lions ... FS Trey Douglas (Hammond, La.) made three stops, despite missing nearly the entire second quarter due to cramps ... CB Craig Duronslet (Vacherie, La.) recorded two tackles in his first collegiate start ... CB Brian Reynolds (Tupelo, Miss.) blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter that preserved a 21-21 deadlock.

SPECIALISTS
Jeff Turner (Houston, Texas), a Preseason Third-Team All-America by the Sports Network, set a new school-record for most field goals in a season (17) ... Turner finished second among FCS kickers in field goals made and set a SLC-record of 13 consecutive field goals made  ... Cody Samples (Ripley, Miss.) averaged 40.9 yards per punt on six attempts ... his 59-yard punt in the second quarter was his career-best.

AGAINST FBS (FORMALLY I-A) INSTITUTIONS
Southeastern will continue to face schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) as the Lions will battle Mississippi State and Louisiana Tech this season and are scheduled to face Ole Miss in 2009. Southeastern faced three FBS_schools in 2007, falling at New Mexico State  (35-14), Orange Bowl champion Kansas (62-0) and Tulane (35-27) ... Since the program's resurrection, Southeastern has played eight games (going 0-8) against the top level of college football beginning with a 28-0 loss at Troy in 2003 ... Two years later, Southeastern tangled with Tulane (playing its 11 games in 11 different stadiums after the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina)_in LSU's Tiger Stadium and lost a narrow decision, 28-21, before dropping games to NMSU (30-15), Southern Miss (45-0) and Texas Tech (62-0) in 2006.

TURNER EARNS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA NOTICE
After recording a record-breaking year in 2007, placekicker Jeff Turner (Houston, Texas) was selected as a Preseason Third-Team All-America among Football Championship Subdivision schools by the Sports Network ... Turner, a 5-foor-10, 190-pound junior, was one of three players selected from Southland Conference schools joining Nicholls State's Lardarius Webb, who was a first-team selection at free safety, and quarterback Nathan Brown of Central Arkansas, a third-team pick ... As a sophomore, Turner converted on 17 of 20 field goals and was 28-for-29 in extra point attempts. He led the Southland Conference in points per game and was fourth scoring while finishing second among FCS kickers in field goals per game ... Turner, who was a Preseason First-Team All-Southland Conference selection, tied a SLC record with 13 consecutive field goals made, which included a league single-game record with six field goals at Texas State. Heading into his junior season, Turner is ranked ninth in school history with 113 points.

LIONS SECOND NATIONALLY IN PUNT RETURNS
Southeastern has not been known for its punt return prowess since bringing the program, but Lions ranked second among FCS schools in 2007 in return average ... Southeastern averaged 16.7 yards per return last season ... Andre Cryer (Kentwood, La.) saw spot duty as the Lions' returner and will handle the chores on a full-time basis in 2008 ... Cryer recorded a 67-yard touchdown return against Kentucky Wesleyan, which is the fourth-longest in school history and the first TD on a punt return since Anthony Vereen's 64-yard TD return against Livington (now West Alabama) in 1977.

LIONS "IN THE ZONE"
Southeastern were very successful in the red zone in 2007, converting on 27 of 30 attempts (90%) ... the Lions converted nearly half of their chances into touchdowns with 14.

OWEN "WALKING ON DEAD FISH"
Sophomore Johnny Owen (LaPlace, La.) plays one of the feature roles in the soon-to-be-released "Walking on Dead Fish," a documentary narrated by Terry Bradshaw (who was also an Executive Producer). Owen was a prep standout at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina forced Owen and family (and nearly 20,000 New Orleanians) to move to nearby LaPlace. Owen finished his senior year at East St. John High School, where he was the Wildcats' starting running back ... the premiere (which was cancelled due to Hurricane Gustav) was scheduled for Sept. 3 in New Orleans with the opening weekend set for Sept. 5-6.

LUCAS AND THE CENTURY MARK
After finishing second in the Southland Conference in rushing last season, Jay Lucas took his game to the level most thought of after a blue-chip career at Baton Rouge's Redemptorist High School. In 2007, Lucas rushed for a school-record 1,239 yards with 12 TDs. Lucas averaged 7.2 yards per carry and posted six 100-yard games. Lucas' eight 100-yard games in his career is tied with Ray Perkins for fouth in school history. 

Top 10 Leaders in 100-yard rushing games
1.    Jerry Butler, 13
2.    Mack Boatner, 11
3.    Horace Belton, 11
4.    Ray Perkins, 8
    Jay Lucas, 8
6.    Ted Glaser, 6
7.    C.J. Alexander, 5
8.    Charlie Thomas, 4
    Robert Hicks, 4
10.    Gino Marino, 3

ON OPENERS
Southeastern has a 36-21-3 record in season-opening games dating back to 1930 ... The Lions dropped their last two openers (both against New Mexico State and former coach Hal Mumme) before defeating Alcorn State, 34-28, last week in Lorman ... the Lions won their first three after reviving the program in 2003 ... in road openers dating back to 1946, Southeastern has posted an 12-9-1 record ... prior to its win in Lorman, the LIons' last victory to open the season on the road came at McNeese State (17-7) in 1982.

ON SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE OPENERS
Southeastern's 21-3 win over Stephen F. Austin on Oct. 6 marked the first-ever Southland Conference opening win for Southeastern, which was 0-2 in league openers prior to the contest ... Southeastern opened its first SLC slate in 2005 dropping a 30-15 decision to 14th-ranked Texas State at Strawberry Stadium before falling at Nicholls State, 14-10, in last year's SLC opener in Thibodaux ... the win by the Lions also marked the first time since 1976 (a 28-12 win over Tennessee-Martin in the Gulf South Conference opener) that Southeastern won its opening conference game.

LIONS OVERCOME ADVERSITY
In terms of adversity in the past three years, Southeastern been a seasoned veteran ... since the end of the 2004 season, Southeastern has dealt with 1.) former head coach Hal Mumme's departure for New Mexico State; 2.) record-setting quarterback Martin Hankin's transfer to Memphis, 3.) Hurricane Katrina which forced the Lions to cancel one game and reschedule another with the homes of over a dozen players' families affected by storm surge, 4.) former coach Dennis Roland's bout with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma through much of the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and 5.) Hurricane Gustav.

LIONS WORK OUT IN OXFORD
The latest bout of adversity forced Southeastern to move its operations north in preparation for Saturday's game at Mississippi State ... the Lions bussed to Oxford, Miss., on Sunday and set up at Camp Lake Stephens - a Methodist camp located minutes from the Ole Miss campus ... with classes cancelled in Hammond, Southeastern worked around the Ole Miss schedule, using the Rebels' football facilities, including the indoor facility and weight room.

WELCOME TO DIVISION I FOOTBALL
A total of 22 players saw their first taste of Division I football in Southeastern's season-opener last week at Alcorn State with three newcomers (Craig Duronslet, Quinten Pierre and Chris Wilson) each earning starts.

AT HOME SINCE THE RETURN
The Lions have been solid at home in Strawberry Stadium since returning football in 2003 ... The Lions are 18-10 in the friendly confines with a 5-1 mark in 2003 and another solid 5-2 slate in 2004. Southeastern was 3-2 last season with wins over Kentucky Wesleyan, Stephen F. Austin and Nicholls State. The Lions were 2-2 in 2005 and went 2-3 in 2006.

THE ROAD HAS NOT BEEN KIND
Since returning football for the 2003 season, the Lions are 5-24 when playing outside of Strawberry Stadium, including an 0-6 record in the past two seasons ... Southeastern snapped its 12-game skid Aug. 30 with a 34-28 win at Alcorn State ... two of the five road wins came in 2004 as the Lions knocked off nationally-ranked McNeese State in Lake Charles and Jacksonville ..._Southeastern picked up its first-ever road win as a member of the Southland Conference with a 45-23 win at Stephen F._Austin in 2005 and closed the year with a 38-21 win at Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 19, 2005 - its last road win until the ASU contest.

BAYOU BOWL LIONS
Southeastern and "Defensive MVP" have been common when describing the Bayou Bowl - the high school football all-star game pitting teams from Louisiana and Texas. The last four defensive MVPs, dating back to the 2004  event with Keithshone Dantzler, have signed with Southeastern. Following Dantzler in earning Defensive MVP honors have been Tommy Connors (2005), Ryan Godare (2006) and Devin Jones (2007).

VERSUS THE RANKED
Southeastern is 2-7 against FCS (formally I-AA) ranked opponents since 2003 ... The biggest win to date for the Lions since returning football came in 2004 as they knocked off then sixth-ranked McNeese State, 51-17, in Lake Charles ... In 2003, top-ranked McNeese State defeated the Lions 52-21 at home while No. 24-ranked Sam Houston State handed the Lions a 45-17 defeat in 2004 ... Also in 2003, No. 20 Northwestern State slapped an 87-27 defeat on the Lions in Natchitoches ... In the 2005 season, the Lions dropped a decision at home to No. 14 Texas State followed by a loss at 23rd-ranked Northwestern_State and a 37-13 win over No. 20 McNeese_State ... The most recent was a loss to fifth-ranked McNeese State (45-17) on Oct. 27 in Lake Charles.

"MAGNOLIA STATE" LIONS
Southeastern has made a strong presence of recruiting in Louisiana, but the Lions have also hit the roads of Mississippi in finding talent. Eight players on the current roster hail from the Magnolia State, including seniors Cody Samples (Ripley) and Travis Williams (Ocean Springs). Six newcomers to the roster are from Mississippi, highlighted by Willie Pritchett (Moss Point), whose brother, Charles Hall, played for the Lions from 2004-05. Rounding out the Mississippi contingent are: Jasper Ducksworth (Mt. Olive), Brian Reynolds (Tupelo), Kenny Stallings (Macon), Chris Wilson (Amory) and freshman Simmie Yarborough (Brookhaven).

KSLU TO SERVE AS FLAGSHIP STATION
Southeastern Louisiana University Director of Athletics Joel Erdmann announced that the department has partnered with KSLU-FM (90.9) to serve as the flagship station for Lions' football beginning with the 2008 season ... The move of football broadcasts to the University station, which has served as the flagship for Southeastern men's and women's basketball and baseball, begins with the Aug. 30 season-opener at Alcorn State. Each broadcast will start with a 30-minute pre-game show followed by an extensive post-game show. All broadcasts will be made available via high definition radio and world-wide on the Internet at www.LionSports.net and www.kslu.org ... Entering his fourth season as the ”Voice of the Lions,” Mark Willoughby will handle the play-by-play duties with Damon Sunde serving as color commentator with Robbie Rhodes as sideline reporter ... KSLU is a CPB-qualified non-commercial educational radio station owned and operated by Southeastern. The radio station's signal is often heard from Denham Springs to the west, Covington to the east, and Kentwood in the northern part of Tangipahoa Parish.