HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University football team opens its 62nd season of intercollegiate football on Saturday when it makes the short trip to New Orleans to face in-state rival and Conference USA member Tulane in the Louisiana Superdome.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. The contest was pushed up two hours from an original 2:30 p.m. kickoff due to the inclement weather associated with Tropical Storm Lee, which formed off the Louisiana coast earlier on Friday.

The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.

Southeastern, which returns 38 letterwinners for fifth-year coach Mike Lucas, looks to reverse a 2010 campaign in which it finished 2-9 overall with six losses by a combined 20 points. The Lions and Tulane, which finished 4-8 overall, opened the season against each other last year with the Green Wave posting a 27-21 victory.

The meeting between the two schools located just over an hour apart will be the sixth all-time in a series that dates back to 1949 with Tulane winning the previous five meetings. The teams have played three times since Southeastern re-instated football in 2003 with Tulane posting wins in 2005 (28-21), 2007 (35-27) and 2010 (27-21).

Simmie Yarborough, who holds Southeastern career records for receptions (168) and touchdown receptions (27), enters his final season needing 344 yards to pass former Lion Felton Huggins as the school's all-time leader in receiving yardage.

Yarborough, who led Southeastern with 60 receptions and 709 yards in 2010, is part of one of the top returning wide receiver trios in the Football Championship Subdivision that includes Texas transfer Brandon Collins (56 receptions, 875 yards) and New Orleans native Kory Theodore (34 receptions, 622 yards).

The Lions will open the season with its third starting quarterback in as many years since former signal-caller Brian Babin graduated after the 2009 season. Former Hahnville product Brian Young, a fourth-year junior, is slated to start at quarterback against Tulane with Ole Miss transfer Nathan Stanley also expected to see action.

Leading rusher Sam Fairley, who gained 579 yards last season, and Zeke Jones finished among the top rushers in the Southland Conference in 2010 and will be joined by a deep backfield that includes LaTruan Weary, Michael Chaney and redshirt freshman Jordan Wells.

Southeastern looks to replace nine starters on a defense that included standouts Tommy Connors, Mark Newbill and Ryan Godare. The top six tacklers from 2010 graduated for Southeastern, but the Lions added some veterans to the mix with the return of Robert Alford, the additions of FBS transfers Todd Washington (Memphis) and Jerrod Black (Iowa State) and 2009 Junior College All-American Frank Bryant.

Senior Devin Boutwell along with juniors Devan Walker and Tramaine Lucas all started for the Lions along the defensive line while Alford, a former Hammond High product, looks to solidify the secondary after missing the entire 2010 season to an injury.

Washington, a sophomore from Lutcher, started six games last season at Memphis and tied for team lead in interceptions. Black, who played three seasons at ISU, will team up with Boutwell, Lucas and true freshman Jonathan Kinchen to give the Lions quality depth on the defensive line.