Southeastern Game Notes
UAB Game Notes
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HAMMOND – Looking to build on a two-game winning streak that included its first road win since the 2009 season, the Southeastern Louisiana University football team heads back out on the road when it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face Conference USA opponent UAB at Legion Field.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net. A live video stream, courtesy of UABSports.com, will also be available on www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern (2-3), a Division I member in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), faces its 17th opponent from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) since resuming football in 2003.
The Lions began their two-game streak with a come-from-behind 25-24 victory at home over McNeese State before snapping a 14-game losing streak in road games last week with a 31-21 win at Lamar. A victory by Southeastern over UAB (0-4) would be its first over an FBS member since resuming football and would give the Lions their first three-game winning streak since 2004.
Part of the Lions' recent success has been due their defense, which has held opponents to an average of 305 yards of total offense while forcing six turnovers in the past three games. In its last contest, Southeastern limited Lamar to 76 yards on the ground while holding a 368-244 advantage in total offense.
“Going into a game like this against UAB, we're going to have to play great defense,” Southeastern head coach
Ron Roberts said. “They've got some great talent for a team that is 0-4 and has played the schedule that they have. Anytime when you go FCS to FBS, there's a difference in talent on the field and it's going to be a huge challenge for us.”
Southeastern set season-highs in points, total offense (368 yards), rushing attempts (51) and rushing yards (165) in its win over Lamar and will look for continued production against a Blazer unit that ranks fifth overall in C-USA in total defense allowing 444.8 yards per game.
Quarterback
Nathan Stanley has paced the Southeastern offense in 2012, going 98-for-180 through the air for 1,069 yards and four touchdowns. Leading the receiving corp is
Stanley Moore who has caught 17 passes on the season followed by
Tony McCrea (14),
Marquis Fruge' (14),
Michael Chaney (14) and
Jeff Smiley (13).
Chaney leads Southeastern in rushing with 123 yards and three TDs with freshman
Xavier Roberson coming off a 75-yard effort against Lamar after being converted two weeks ago from defensive back.
Defensively,
Kaleb Muse leads Southeastern with 37 tackles followed by
John Graves (32) and
Devan Walker (30). All-America candidate
Robert Alford has intercepted passes in his last two games for the Lions while
Tyler Stoddard,
Drew Misita,
Tay Alford and
Denzel Thompson have each picked off passes.
UAB, under first-year coach Garrick McGee, will play its third home game of the season after suffering losses to Troy (39-29) and Tulsa (49-42). The Blazers, who have played one of the toughest schedules in the country to date, have also dropped games at nationally-ranked opponents South Carolina (49-6) and Ohio State (29-15).
The Blazers are led by receivers Jackie Williams and Patrick Hearn, who have caught a team-high 20 passes each. Jonathan Perry and redshirt freshman Austin Brown have split time at quarterback for UAB with Brown tossing for 337 yards and three TDs in his first career start last week against Tulsa.
Linebacker Marvin Burdette leads UAB with 38 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, on the season followed by Greg Irvin (32), Jake Ganus (26) and Calvin Jones (24). Burdette and Chris Rabb have two sacks each to lead the Blazers while Ganus and Lamar Johnson have each intercepted passes.
GAME NOTES
• Southeastern Louisiana, a Division I member in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), plays the second of two opponents from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) today when it faces Conference USA opponent UAB.
• The Lions are 0-16 against current members of the FBS since resuming the program in 2003. Southeastern did not field a football team from 1986-2002.
• UAB will mark the third current FBS member from the state of Alabama that Southeastern will face on the gridiron in its history. The Lions defeated Auburn, 6-0, in 1950 and lost at Troy, 28-0, in 2003.
• Today's game will mark Southeastern's second football contest in the Magic City. The Lions dropped a 7-0 contest to Howard College (now Samford University) in the 1963 season.
• A win by Southeastern would give the Lions their first three-game winning streak since 2004 when, under then head coach Hal Mumme, they defeated Mississippi Valley State, Northern Colorado and Division II Mercyhurst (Pa.) College.
• Southeastern's 31-21 victory over Southland Conference rival Lamar last week snapped a 14-game losing streak in road games dating back to the 2009 season.
• Southeastern is 7-27 all-time against current members of Conference USA. The Lions have identical 2-1 records against Memphis and UCF, are 3-19 against Southern Miss and are 0-6 against Tulane.
• The Lions rank 23rd nationally among FCS schools in pass defense (169.8) and are 40th nationally in passing offense (230.4).
• Southeastern leads all FCS schools in punt returns, averaging 28.0 yards an attempt.
Robert Alford set a single-game record with 105 yards in punt returns against Lamar, including a 75-yard return for a TD that was the third-longest in school history.
