Southeastern Game Notes / UCA Game Notes
         
HAMMOND, La. – The outright Southland Conference lead will be decided when the No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana football team hosts Central Arkansas for Homecoming on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium.
 
SLU (5-2, 3-0 Southland) and the visiting Bears (4-3, 3-0 Southland) are two of three teams yet to suffer a conference loss, along with Sam Houston State. 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.
 
Southeastern is coming off an impressive 61-34 Southland Conference victory at Lamar to extend its winning streak over league competition to 13 games. The Lions pulled away in the second half thanks to a single-game school record 484 rushing yards. Senior quarterback and Walter Payton Award candidate Bryan Bennett packed the SLU rushing attack with a season-high 125 rushing yards and a career-high tying three rushing touchdowns.
 
The Lion defense limited Lamar to 349 total yards, as SLU finished the game with a season-high five sacks. Junior Reggie Lesueur was credited with a forced fumble, which junior Denzel Thompson recovered.
 
The Southeastern offense enters Saturday's contest averaging 40.3 points and 456.7 yards per outing. Bennett leads the Lions, having thrown for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Devante Scott (27 catches, 572 yards, 3 touchdowns), junior Jeff Smiley (18-230-2 TD) and junior Xavier Roberson (16-184) are Bennett's top targets. Bennett also leads the team with 432 rushing yards. Junior Kody Sutton (315 yards, 3 TD), Roberson (271-2 TD) and junior Rasheed Harrell (252-1 TD) also contribute to a rushing attack that is averaging 243.4 yards per game on the ground.
 
The Lions will be facing a UCA defense that is allowing 28.4 points and 446.6 yards per game. Freshman George Odum leads the team with 43 tackles, while Buck Buchanan Award candidate and UCA junior Jonathan Woodard has a team-high six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore Bobby Watkins and freshman Tremon Smith share the team lead with two interceptions.
 
The SLU defense has held opponents to 310.1 yards and 19.9 points per game. Seniors Tyler Stoddard (50 tackles), Drew Misita (46), Isiah Corbett (42) and Kaleb Muse (37) are the top playmakers. Misita leads the team with four sacks, while Corbett has a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss.
 
Corbett also paces the squad with three interceptions. Thompson follows with two, while Stoddard, Misita, senior Marice Sutton, junior Jordan Batiste, sophomore Derrick Raymond and freshman Ryan Sigers also have picked off passes. Junior Micah Eugene leads the team with two fumble recoveries.
 
Southeastern will be charged with slowing down a Central Arkansas offense that is averaging 448.0 yards and 42.3 points per game. Senior Ryan Howard (998 passing yards, 11 touchdowns) and junior Taylor Reed (783-7 TD) split time under center. Senior Dezmin Lewis (32 catches, 483 yards, 4 touchdowns) and sophomore Desmond Smith (32-407-6 TD) provide the Bears with a top-notch receiving duo, while senior Willie Matthews leads the ground attack with 374 yards and six touchdowns.
 
SLU has received excellent play from several special team performers. Roberson continues to be one of the nation's top kick returners, averaging 33.5 yards per return. Senior Ryan Adams has been near perfect in his first season as starting place-kicker, having converted 11 of 12 field goals and all but one of his 32 PAT tries.
 
Following Saturday's contest, Southeastern will hit the road for a 3 p.m. game at Stephen F. Austin. The contest will televised on the Southland Television Network (Charter Channel 14 in the Hammond area), as well as online at www.Southland.org and ESPN3.  The contest will also 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).