Box Score

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS – In a game that saw the two teams combined for 812 yards and 44 first downs, Tulane was too much for Southeastern Louisiana, handing the Lions a 47-33 loss in the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at the Louisiana Superdome.

The Lions (0-1), who had 21 players make their Southeastern debut on Saturday, dropped their season opener, despite amassing 419 total yards and 26 first downs. However, Tulane (1-0) countered with an explosive attack led by a 267-yard, three-touchdown passing performance by Ryan Griffin and a school record 213 kickoff return yards by Robert Kelley.

Junior Brian Young took the majority of the snaps under center for the Lions, finishing 20-for-35 for 249 yards and a rushing touchdown. Junior Nathan Stanley also made his debut for Southeastern, connecting on five of nine passes for 46 yards. Senior Brandon Collins was Southeastern's top receiver, grabbing nine passes for 94 yards.

Southeastern had a solid effort on the ground, led by juniors Zeke Jones and Sam Fairley. Jones toted the rock 17 times for 65 yards and two touchdowns, while Fairley had 13 carries for 58 yards and a score of his own.

Griffin's top target was Joe Kemp, who finished with four catches for 84 yards. Albert Williams, Orleans Darkwa and Kelley all had rushing touchdowns for Tulane, which finished with 393 total yards and 18 first downs on the day.

Junior Tay Alford and freshman Marice Sutton led Southeastern with seven tackles apiece, while junior Devan Walker and Alford each had a sack for the Lions. Trent Mackey led the Green Wave with 16 tackles, while Julius Warmsley had three of Tulane's seven sacks.

After a wild first half that saw the offenses have their way, the defenses stiffened to start the third quarter, trading punts to start the quarter. Southeastern was forced to punt on its second drive as well and junior Beau Mothe had his kick blocked by Matthew Bailey. The ball rolled out of the end zone to give Tulane a safety and a 33-21 lead with 8:50 left in the third quarter.

After the free kick, Tulane covered 59 yards on six plays. Griffin connected with Joe Kemp on a 43-yard bomb to highlight the scoring drive, which was closed on a two-yard run by Darkwa to put Tulane ahead, 40-21, with 5:58 left.

Southeastern cut into the lead with a 12-play, 59-yard drive capped by a 30-yard field goal by sophomore Seth Sebastian. Young connected on a 25-yard pass to freshman Carl Pearson and an 18-yard throw to senior Simmie Yarborough on the drive that pulled Southeastern to 40-24 with 2:46 left in the third quarter.

Tulane put the game away on the first drive of the fourth quarter. A 44-yard punt return by Derrick Strozier to the Southeastern 13-yard line set up an 11-yard scoring scamper by Kelley that put Tulane up, 47-24 with 13:53 left in the contest.

Stanley led a drive that resulted in a 38-yard field goal by Sebastian – his 11th straight without a miss dating back to last season – that cut the Tulane led to 47-27. Young returned to move Southeastern 87 yards on 10 plays, finishing the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to pull the Lions to with two scores at 47-33 with 6:34 left.

Tulane took a 31-21 lead into the halftime break. The first 30 minutes featured a combined 501 yards of total offense and only three punts, as the two teams marched down the field at will.

Tulane opened the game with a 66-yard kickoff return by Kelley, setting up the Green Wave with the ball at the Lion 24. Southeastern stiffened, however, and held Tulane to a 46 yard field goal by Cairo Santos.

Southeastern answered on its first drive after freshman Jordan Wells set Southeastern up near midfield with a 46-yard kickoff return. Young was 4-for-5 on the opening 10-play, 49-yard drive, which Jones capped with a one-yard scoring plunge to put Southeastern up, 7-3, with 10:15 left in the opening quarter.

Tulane came back quickly, as Griffin found Wilson Van Hooser on the third play of the ensuing drive for a 55-yard catch and run to put the Green Wave back up, 10-7. After forcing the Lions to punt, Tulane moved down the field with a nine-play, 62-yard drive that saw Griffin find Mackey for a three-yard score.

A 25-yard run by Fairley and a 29-yard end around by Collins highlighted a nine-play 80-yard march that carried into the second quarter. Jones bulled in from five yards out to cut the Tulane lead to 17-14 with 14:46 left in the half.

After the two teams traded punts, Tulane again made it a two-score cushion, as Griffin found Ryan Grant in the back corner of the endzone with a 27-yard touchdown strike, moving the advantage to 24-14 with 8:09 left.

Southeastern answered right back with an eight-play, 50 yard drive. Fairley cut the lead to three with a one-yard score with 5:25 remaining.

Tulane closed out the halftime scoring with a five-play, 70-yard drive. Williams broke a big run down the left sideline from 30 yards out to send the Green Wave into the locker room with a 10-point lead.

Southeastern will open its home schedule on Saturday, Sept. 10, hosting Savannah State at 7 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium. The game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at LionSports.net, where a live video stream and live statistics will be available.