HAMMOND, La. – After finishing the weekend as the only Southland Conference team yet to suffer a conference loss, the Southeastern Louisiana football team remained No. 8 in both the Sports Network FCS Top 25 and the FCS Coaches poll, which were released Monday.
 
In a battle for first place in the Southland, the Lions (6-2, 4-0 Southland) pulled away for a 41-24 victory over Central Arkansas last Saturday in Hammond. Long touchdown runs by senior quarterback and Walter Payton Award candidate Bryan Bennett and junior Xavier Roberson in the fourth quarter squashed the Bears' comeback hopes.
 
Bennett was selected as the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a season-high 131 yards and tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns. Roberson rushed for two scores of his own, as the Lions racked up 459 total yards – including 289 on the ground.
 
Defensively, junior Denzel Thompson led the Lions with two interceptions – his second multi-interception game of the season, while junior Harlan Miller intercepted his first pass of the season. Senior Isiah Corbett added two sacks for Southeastern, while junior Micah Eugene forced a fumble that junior Anthony Murphy recovered. Senior Tyler Stoddard led SLU with 11 tackles, while Eugene, Corbett and senior Kaleb Muse were credited with nine stops each.
 
Southeastern and McNeese State (No. 11) represent the Southland Conference in the Sports Network poll. SLU opponents Northwestern State, Central Arkansas, Jacksonville, Stephen F. Austin, Southeast Missouri and Lamar are all among those receiving votes.
 
The Lions and MSU (No. 10) are also the only Southland schools in the FCS Coaches poll. SFA, Northwestern State and Jacksonville are the Lion opponents receiving votes.
 
The Lions will be back in action on Saturday, facing Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. in Nacogdoches, Texas. The contest will be televised on the Southland Television Network (Charter Channel 16 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). 
 
The Sports Network FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes)                   Record            Points  Prv.
1. North Dakota State (152)               7-0                   3848    1
2. Eastern Washington (2)                  7-1                   3676    2
3. New Hampshire                              5-1                   3402    3
4. Coastal Carolina                              7-0                   3353    4
5. Villanova                                         6-1                   3304    5
6. Jacksonville State                            5-1                   2996    6
7. Montana                                          5-2                   2941    7
8. Southeastern Louisiana                6-2                   2683    8
9. Illinois State                                    6-0                   2448    10
10. Montana State                               6-2                   2432    9
11. McNeese State                              4-2                   2181    11
12. Fordham                                        6-1                   2129    12
13. South Dakota State                       5-2                   1759    18
14. Bethune-Cookman                        6-1                   2129    12
15. Chattanooga                                  4-3                   1584    17
16. Richmond                                     5-2                   1558    19
17. Youngstown State                        5-2                   1492    21
18. William & Mary                            4-3                   1191    15
19. Eastern Kentucky                         6-1                   1097    13
20. Southern Illinois                            5-3                   1014    14
21. Harvard                                         5-0                   711      25
22. Indiana State                                 4-3                   563      22
23. Northern Iowa                              3-4                   402      20
24. Sacred Heart                                 6-1                   390      NR
25. Albany                                          5-2                   221      NR
Others receiving votes: Bryant 119, Charleston Southern 114, Liberty 113, Missouri State 87, Western Carolina 56, Sam Houston State 40, Northwestern State 40, Grambling 37, Dartmouth 30, James Madison 29, Wofford 22, Alcorn State 22, Delaware 21, Central Arkansas 21, Bucknell 21, North Carolina A&T 21, Jacksonville 20, Stephen F. Austin 14, Tennessee State 14, Western Illinois 13, Presbyterian 13, Northern Arizona 12, Cal Poly 11, Yale 10, Southeast Missouri 10, Furman 9, South Carolina State 8, Samford 7, Idaho State 3, Monmouth 3, Duquesne 1, Lamar 1.
 
FCS Coaches Poll
Team (First-place votes)                   Record            Points  Prv.
1. North Dakota State (26)                 7-0                   650      1
2. Eastern Washington                        7-1                   623      2
3. Coastal Carolina                              7-0                   588      3
4. Villanova                                         6-1                   568      4
5. New Hampshire                              5-1                   550      5
6. Montana                                          5-2                   506      6
7. Jacksonville State                            5-1                   449      7
8. Southeastern Louisiana                6-2                   463      8
9. Illinois State                                    6-0                   443      9
10. McNeese State                              4-2                   410      10
11. Montana State                               6-2                   395      11
12. Fordham                                        6-1                   329      13
13. Bethune-Cookman                        6-1                   314      14
14. Chattanooga                                  4-3                   302      15
15. South Dakota State                       5-2                   294      16
16. Youngstown State                        5-2                   246      19
17. Richmond                                     5-2                   235      20
18. Eastern Kentucky                         6-1                   197      12
19. Southern Illinois                            5-3                   161      17
20. William & Mary                            4-3                   157      18
21. Harvard                                         5-0                   127      24
22. Sacred Heart                                 6-1                   73        NR
23. Northern Iowa                              3-4                   55        21
24. Indiana State                                 4-3                   46        23
25. Bryant                                           5-1                   34        NR
Others Receiving Votes: Alcorn State 31, Missouri State 29, Charleston Southern 23, Stephen F. Austin 15, Northwestern State 13, Western Carolina 12, Albany 10, Cal Poly 9, Jacksonville 9, Liberty 9, Idaho State 8, Presbyterian 5, Western Illinois 3, North Carolina A&T 2, Northern Arizona 2, Bucknell 1, Dartmouth 1, Eastern Illinois 1, Sam Houston State 1, Wofford 1.