BEAUMONT, Texas – The No. 9 Southeastern Louisiana football team rushed for a single-game school record 484 yards on the way to a 61-34 victory over Lamar in Southland Conference action Saturday night in Provost Umphrey Stadium.
 
Southeastern (5-2, 3-0 Southland) scored 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull away from the host Cardinals (4-3, 1-2 Southland). The Lions are off to a 3-0 start to Southland Conference play for the third straight season and extended their winning streak over Southland competition to 13 games.
 
The Lion offense rolled up 651 total yards behind senior quarterback and Walter Payton Award candidate Bryan Bennett. The Granada Hills, California native rushed for a season-high 125 yards and tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns. Junior Kody Sutton (86 yards, one touchdown), junior Xavier Roberson (84 yards, one touchdown), senior Marquis Hayes (58 yards, one touchdown) and junior Rasheed Harrell (64 yards) all contributed to Southeastern's record-breaking rushing performance.
 
Bennett also threw for 165 yards on 11-of-22 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions. Senior Devante Scott led the Lions with six catches for a season-high 126 yards, while sophomore Jarrell Bennett caught his first touchdown of 2014.
 
The Lion defense yielded 349 yards and finished with a season-high five sacks. Senior Isiah Corbett, senior Drew Misita, junior Aaron Price, senior Scott Korte, junior Dereck Robinson and senior Justin Church were all credited with at least partial sacks. Junior Herbert Harris led the Lions with 10 tackles. Junior Reggie Lesueur forced a fumble and junior Denzel Thompson recovered.
 
Lamar senior Caleb Berry threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-35 passing. Sophomore Kade Harrington and senior Mark Roberts each caught touchdown passes. Harrington also led the Cardinals with 54 rushing yards and a score, while junior Carl Harris also scored a rushing touchdown.
 
Lamar jumped out to a lead after junior Logan Moss stripped Bennett and senior Anthony Beard fell on the loose ball in Southeastern territory. Six plays later, Harris scampered in from 11 yards out to give Lamar the lead. Senior Marquel Combs blocked the extra point to hold it to a 6-0 lead with 10:14 left in the opening quarter.
 
Southeastern answered with a 10-play, 50-yard scoring drive. Senior Ryan Adams capped the drive with a 37-yard field goal to cut the lead to 6-3 with 5:30 left in the first quarter.
 
After the two teams traded empty possessions, Scott set the Lions up in Lamar territory early in the second quarter with a 27-yard punt return. 11 plays later, Bennett bulled in from a yard out to give Southeastern a 10-6 lead with 9:13 left in the second quarter. The march was keyed by a 10-yard strike from Bennett to senior Chris Malott on a fourth-and-nine.
 
Lamar answered quickly, however. Roberts hauled in a 38-yard pass from Berry to put the Cardinals up, 13-10, with 7:56 left in the first half.
 
The Lions answered with a quick drive of their own. A 42-yard catch and run by Scott highlighted a five-play, 51-yard scoring drive. Bennett raced in from three yards out to give SLU a 17-13 lead with 5:35 remaining in the second quarter.
 
Southeastern had an opportunity to add to its lead, moving into Lamar territory on the final drive of the half. However, sophomore Tommie Barrett stepped in front of a Bennett pass and his interception kept LU within 17-13 at the break.
 
The Lions didn't take long to add to their lead in the second half. On the second play from scrimmage, Roberson burst through the line for a 75-yard touchdown run. The longest run of the Atlanta, Georgia native's career put the Lions up, 24-13, with 14:10 left.
 
Lamar quickly moved into Lion territory, but sacks by Misita and Corbett allowed SLU to end the drive and take over on downs. Two plays later, Bennett raced in from 64 yards out to push the lead to make it 31-13 with 11:44 left in the third quarter.
 
The Cardinals cut into the SLU lead with a six-play, 50-yard scoring drive. Harrington scored from 12 yards out to cut the Lion advantage to 31-20 with 6:52 left in the third quarter.
 
The Lions would add to the lead on their ensuing drive. A 41-yard rush by junior Jeff Smiley on an end around set up a 23-yard field goal by Adams that put SLU up, 34-20, with 3:42 left in the third quarter.
 
After another stop by the Lion defense, Bennett threw his second pick of the game. Sophomore Xavier Bethany returned the interception 40 yards for a touchdown and cut the Southeastern lead to 34-27 with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter.
 
SLU answered with a five-play, 71-yard drive that moved into the third quarter. Bennett found Jarrell Bennett from 16 yards out to end the march and put the Lions up, 41-27, with 14:25 left in the contest.
 
After another stop, Bennett engineered another five-play, 59-yard drive. On his way to the end zone from 12 yards out, the Lion signal caller fumbled into the end zone, but junior Byron Johnson fell on the loose ball for a SLU touchdown and a 48-27 lead with 10:19 left.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Lesueur stripped LU junior Devonn Brown and Thompson returned the loose ball to the Lamar 12-yard line. Five plays later, Sutton bulled in from three yards out to give Southeastern a 54-27 lead with 7:41 left.
 
Southeastern forced another punt to regain possession. On the first play, Hayes raced in from 57 yards out to give SLU a 61-27 advantage with 6:13 remaining in the contest.
 
Lamar would cut into the final margin as Berry found Harrington on a 24-yard screen pass for a touchdown to finish  
 
Southeastern will return home to host Central Arkansas for Homecoming next Saturday in Strawberry Stadium. The contest will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on the flagship station of Southeastern Football, KSLU-FM (90.9), as well as affiliates and Northshore Broadcasting stations Kajun 107.1 FM (WHMD) and The Highway 104.7 FM (WJSH), along with LionSports.net.  LionVision subscribers will be able to access a live video stream of the game at LionSports.net.
 
The 2014 SLU Homecoming King and Queen will be announced at halftime of the SLU-UCA game. The Homecoming Parade is scheduled at 3 p.m. With the parade route including a trip through Friendship Circle, no parking will be allowed in Friendship Circle. Fans must drop off their tailgating items at their spot by 11 a.m. on game day. Fans with Friendship Circle parking passes will be allowed to park in Lot B.