Southeastern Game Notes / SFA Game Notes
           
HAMMOND, La. – The No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana football team will look to protect its spot atop the Southland Conference standings when it travels to face league foe Stephen F. Austin on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Homer Bryce Stadium.
 
Southeastern (6-2, 4-0 Southland) and the host Lumberjacks (5-2, 2-1 Southland) will be meeting in the Southland Conference Game of the Week. 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 Lions will be looking for their 15^th straight victory versus Southland competition. To do so, SLU will have to defeat a SFA team that is celebrating its Homecoming and has made great strides under first-year head coach Clint Conque.
 
"We're playing another very good opponent on the road this week, but that's the nature of Southland Conference football," Southeastern head coach Ron Roberts said. "It's Stephen F. Austin's Homecoming, so we will be entering a hostile environment against a talented, well-coached team. We have executed well in the past couple of games and that high level of execution will have to continue on Saturday for us to be successful."
 
Behind senior quarterback and Walter Payton Award candidate Bryan Bennett, the Lion offense has averaged nearly 50 points per game in its four Southland contests. Bennett has thrown for 1,598 yards and 10 touchdowns this season with senior Devante Scott (29 catches, 614 yards, 3 touchdowns), junior Jeff Smiley (20-271-2 TD) and junior Xavier Roberson (18-201) serving as his top targets.
 
The Lions have continued to be effective on the ground, averaging 249.1 yards per game rushing. Bennett leads the team with 563 yards and 12 touchdowns, while the trio of junior Kody Sutton (395 yards, 3 touchdowns), Roberson (314-4 TD) and junior Rasheed Harrell (257-1 TD) have bolstered the rushing attack.
 
The SLU offense will be matching up with a Lumberjack defense that is holding opponents to 27.3 points and 387.3 yards per game. Senior Collin Garrett leads the league with 72 tackles, while senior Ishmiah Miles has a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Garrett, junior Alex Miller and senior Keavon Madison have two interceptions apiece.
 
Southeastern counters with a defense that is allowing 317.6 yards and 20.4 points per game. Senior Tyler Stoddard leads the team with 61 tackles, followed closely by fellow seniors Drew Misita (53 tackles), Isiah Corbett (51 tackles) and Kaleb Muse (46 tackles). Corbett, who was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List, also leads the team with 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
 
SLU enters Saturday's contest with a league-high 14 interceptions. Junior Denzel Thompson shares the Southland lead with four picks, followed by Corbett with three. Stoddard, Misita, junior Jordan Batiste, senior Marice Sutton, sophomore Derrick Raymond, junior Harlan Miller and freshman Ryan Sigers each also have interceptions. Junior Micah Eugene leads the team with two fumble recoveries, while Thompson has forced a team-high two fumbles.
 
Southeastern will be looking to slow down a Lumberjack offense that is averaging 510.9 yards and 38.1 points per game. SFA features the league's top running back in senior Gus Johnson, who enters Saturday's game with 986 yards and 16 touchdowns. Sophomore Zach Conque has thrown for 1,498 yards and eight touchdowns, while also rushing for nine scores. Senior Tyler Boyd (40 catches, 421 yards, 2 touchdowns) and junior Aaron Thomas (26-417-2 TD) are Conque's top targets.
 
For the Lions to win Saturday in Nacogdoches, SLU will need continued strong play on special teams. Senior Ryan Adams is 13-for-14 on field goals this season, having made his last nine attempts. Roberson continues to be dynamic on kickoff returns, averaging 31.5 yards per return.
 
Following Saturday's game, Southeastern will finally have its first week off of the season. The Lions will then return home to host Houston Baptist on Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium. The game will be televised on tape delay by the Southeastern Channel (Charter Channel 18) and LionVision subscribers will be able to access a live video stream at LionSports.net.
 
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 game with HBU will be the annual Hall of Fame game and 2014 Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Wade Miley and Emilija Arnaudovska will be recognized at halftime.