Box Score

          
CONWAY, Ark. – No. 16/17 Southeastern Louisiana rolled to its seventh consecutive victory, remaining atop the Southland Conference standings with a 58-31 road victory Saturday in Estes Stadium.
 
The Lions (8-2, 5-0 Southland) outscored Central Arkansas, 27-7, in the third quarter to pull away from the Bears (5-5, 2-3 Southland) and earn their first-ever win in Conway. Southeastern, which is averaging 49.6 points per contest versus league opposition, posted its highest point total ever against a Southland opponent and matched its longest win streak since 1961.  
 
1961 is also the last time the Lions have won a conference championship, having claimed the Gulf States Conference title in that year. Southeastern can change that with a win next Saturday, when the Lions host two-time defending league champion No. 6/7 Sam Houston State at 3 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium. A Lion win will not only clinch a share of the Southland crown, but also the program's first ever FCS playoff berth.  
 
"We were able to change the momentum with the big plays in the third quarter," Southeastern head coach Ron Roberts said. "We can't enjoy this one for too long, because we have a great program in Sam Houston State up next. This will be another huge challenge for our program."
 
Lion junior quarterback Bryan Bennett engineered a Lion offensive attack that racked up 545 total yards, including a season-high 343 yards on the ground. The Granada Hills, Calif. native rushed for a season-high 142 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns. The two rushing scores moved Bennett to second in school history with 13 touchdowns on the ground for the season.
 
Sophomore Xavier Roberson added 79 yards and a score on 14 carries, while junior Marquis Hayes posted his first career rushing touchdown. Bennett also threw for two touchdowns, finding juniors Jeremy Meyers and Marquis Fruge' on scoring tosses.
 
The Southeastern defense came up with two turnovers in the third quarter to change the momentum and key the Lions' second lopsided road win over a nationally ranked opponent in as many weeks. Sophomore Harlan Miller returned an interception for a touchdown, while junior Justin Church set up another score with a fumble recovery. Church, junior Justin Newman and senior Greg Triay each had sacks for the Lions.
 
The Southeastern special teams also once again came big. Roberson took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown, setting a new single-season school record for kickoff returns for touchdowns with his third and becoming the Southland Conference career record holder with his fifth kickoff return score. Senior Cqulin Hubert also blocked a field goal in the second half to keep Southeastern ahead comfortably.  
 
UCA quarterbacks Ryan Howard and Taylor Reed each threw two touchdowns for the Bears. Junior Damien Watts, sophomore Courtney Whitehead, freshman Desmond Smith and Dezmin Lewis each caught touchdown passes for UCA.
 
Southeastern jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to the top kickoff returner in school history. Roberson burst through a hole untouched, raced down the right sideline and ripped off a 90-yard kickoff return to give Southeastern the early advantage.
 
UCA answered with a nine-play, 66-yard drive. Watts covered the last 31 yards, hauling in a Howard pass to knot the score with 11:20 remaining in the opening quarter.
 
Bennett needed just over a minute to give Southeastern the lead back. Meyers got behind the UCA defense and ran under the throw, cruising in from 53 yards out to give the Lions a 14-7 lead with 10:18 left in the first period.
 
The Bears once again answered with a methodical 14-play, 77-yard drive that took over five minutes off the clock. Smith took in a short pass from Howard and dove in from 10 yards to tie the score at 14 with 5:13 remaining in a high scoring opening quarter.
 
The teams traded punts before the Lions reclaimed the lead early in the second quarter. Bennett sprinted for a season-long 69-yard drive to highlight a five-play, 80-yard scoring march. Fruge' capped the drive with a sliding 14-yard catch in the back corner of the end zone to put the Lions up, 21-14.
 
After the Lion defense held firm to force another UCA punt, junior Isaiah Kepley hauled in a 38-yard pass down the right sideline to start an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Senior Seth Sebastian capped the drive with a 35-yard field goal to put the Lions up, 24-14, with 8:02 left.
 
UCA was able to cut into the lead on its next possession, as junior Eddie Camara knocked in a 45-yard field goal with 4:55 remaining in the half.
 
UCA was able to force Southeastern to quickly punt, but the Lion defense came up with its biggest stand of the opening half. The Bears had third-and-goal at the Southeastern one-yard line, but the Lions stoned Howard and Willie Matthews on consecutive runs up the middle to turn the ball over on downs and maintain the touchdown lead going into the halftime break.  
 
The Lion defense came up big again to start the second half. Southeastern pressured Howard into a rushed throw that Miller picked off for his third interception of the season and the Kentwood native weaved in from 48 yards out to give the Lions a 31-17 lead just over a minute into the third quarter.
 
UCA moved deep into Southeastern territory on the ensuing drive, when sophomore Courtney Whitehead hauled in a 36-yard pass from Howard. However, the Lions forced a 34-yard field goal attempt by Camara. Hubert broke through to block the kick and sophomore Denzel Thompson brought it back to the UCA 46-yard line.
 
On the next play, Hayes raced untouched on an end around for a commanding 38-17 lead with 11:15 left in the third quarter. On the next drive, Newman pressured Howard into a fumble and Church fell on it to give the Lions the ball deep in UCA territory. Bennett capped the short scoring drive with a four yard run to put the Lions up, 45-17, with 9:07 remaining in the third quarter.
 
UCA answered quickly with a quick 69-yard scoring drive that took less than two minutes off the clock. Reed found Lewis wide open for a 39-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 45-24 with 7:11 left in the third quarter.
 
After the two teams exchanged punts, Southeastern was able to put the game away with a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive. A 36-yard catch by McCrea was the key play in the march that Bennett capped with a seven-yard scoring run. Sebastian missed his first kick of 2013, as his extra point attempt was blocked. The Lion lead was pushed to 51-24 near the close of the dominant third quarter and UCA could get no closer than 20 the rest of the way.
 
Next week's showdown will be televised live on the Southland Television Network. The game will also air on KSLU 90.9 FM, the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, as well as Northshore Broadcasting stations Kajun 107.1 FM and The Joint 104.7 FM. Fans can listen online at www.LionSports.net or on their smart phone using the TuneIn Radio app.