HAMMOND – Playing in his final regular season home game, Southeastern Louisiana senior quarterback Bryan Bennett threw for a career-high tying four touchdowns to back up another outstanding defensive effort, as the No. 10 Lion football team picked up a huge 28-9 victory over No. 11/13 McNeese State Saturday evening at Strawberry Stadium.
 
Southeastern (8-3, 6-1 Southland) jumped out to a 14-0 lead early and put the Cowboys (6-4, 4-3 Southland) away with 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The win was the ninth straight for the Lions over Southland in-state competition.
 
The Lions now sit a win at Nicholls on Thursday away from winning its second straight Southland Conference championship. SLU enters the final week of the regular season tied with Sam Houston State atop the Southland Conference standings. The Bearkats host Central Arkansas next Saturday in Huntsville, Texas.
 
Should the teams finish tied atop the Southland Conference standings, both teams will be considered Southland Conference champions. Since the two teams did not play during the regular season, the tie between the Lions and Bearkats would have to be broken by Southland tie-breaker rules to determine which team receives the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs.   
 
The tie is broken by the tied teams' won-loss results against the next highest-positioned team they both played. So, if SLU and SHSU wind up tied at 7-1 in Southland Conference, the automatic bid will be decided by next Saturday's Northwestern State at Stephen F. Austin contest in Nacogdoches, Texas.
 
If Northwestern State wins, the Lions will receive the league's automatic bid by virtue of its 30-22 win over the Demons that preceded NSU's 31-27 victory over Sam Houston State. However, if SFA wins, the Bearkats will earn the Southland's automatic bid due to its 42-28 victory over the 'Jacks the week after SFA upset SLU, 27-17.
 
Should Southeastern close the regular season with a victory at Nicholls, the Lions would be all but assured a playoff berth regardless of the automatic bid outcome. SLU put itself in that position with Saturday's win – the program's first victory over a ranked opponent this season.
 
Bennett, a Walter Payton Award candidate, was efficient, completing 10-of-18 for 185 yards and four scores. The four touchdowns match the career high he set in a 56-14 win over Stephen F. Austin. The Granada Hills, California native also rushed for a team-high 41 yards on nine carries.
 
Bennett's top target on Saturday was junior Jeff Smiley, who finished with three catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns – tying the career high he set in last Saturday's 76-7 victory over Houston Baptist. Senior Devante Scott and junior Trey Hallman each also hauled in touchdowns for the Lions in the win, as the Lions finished with 324 total yards.
 
Southeastern held MSU to 311 total yards on the day. Senior Marice Sutton and junior Harlan Miller each recorded their second interceptions of the season for SLU, while junior Aaron Price led the Lions with two sacks. Junior T.J. West added a sack and a blocked kick, while senior Tyler Stoddard finished with a team-high eight tackles.
 
The Cowboys saw juniors Tyler Bolfing (10-for-24, 136 yards, one touchdown) and Will Briscoe (7-for-18, 80 yards, two interceptions) split time under center. Sophomore Khalil Thomas caught a touchdown for McNeese, while freshman Dylan Long rushed for a game-high 54 yards on nine carries. Senior Aaron Sam led MSU with nine tackles.
 
After Southeastern forced MSU to punt on the opening drive, the Lions opened the game with a methodical 14-play, 81-yard drive to take the lead for good. Bennett capped the drive, hitting a crossing pattern to Hallman from eight yards out to put SLU ahead, 7-0, with 5:12 left in the first quarter.
 
The Lions quickly doubled its lead after again forcing the Cowboys to punt. After MSU junior punter Jean Breaux had to leap to grab a high snap, West stepped in front of his punt for a block that set up the Lions at the MSU 23-yard line.
 
Three plays later, Southeastern had a 14-0 lead. Bennett found Smiley in the left flat and the Flower Mound, Texas native juked a MSU defender to finish out an 18-yard touchdown reception that gave the Lions a two-score advantage with 35 seconds left in the opening quarter.
 
McNeese State answered on their first drive of the second quarter. Bolfing found Thomas from 28 yards out to cap a 13-play, 78-yard scoring march. However, Breaux's point after touchdown attempt banged off the right upright keeping the SLU advantage at 14-6 with 9:55 left in the opening half.
 
Southeastern went three-and-out on its next drive and McNeese again mounted a drive. However, Sutton stepped in front of a Briscoe pass in the red zone to keep the SLU lead to eight points. McNeese would eventually cut into the halftime lead with a Breaux 34-yard field goal that pulled the Cowboys to within 14-9.
 
There was no scoring in the third quarter, but the game's biggest play happened in the third period. Backed up to their goal line, Bennett found junior Dylan Bossier from 30 yards out to move the Lions to near midfield. Originally the play was ruled a fumble returned to the SLU one-yard line by MSU junior Gabe Hammer. However, replay ruled that Bossier was down by contact and the Lions maintained possession.
 
The Lions would add to their lead early in the fourth quarter. Facing a third-and-five at the McNeese 28-yard line, Bennett found Smiley on a quick slant against a MSU blitz and the SLU junior raced untouched for a 28-yard touchdown and a 21-9 lead with 11:35 left in the contest.
 
After the two teams traded empty possessions, McNeese State moved into Southeastern territory. With his team just past midfield, Briscoe took a shot against Miller, who leaped up for his second interception of the season to give the Lions the ball back at their own two-yard line.
 
The ensuing drive saw Bennett provide the final dagger. The Walter Payton Award candidate hit Scott in stride for a 55-yard touchdown to secure the 19-point final margin.
 
Thursday's finale is set for 6 p.m. in Thibodaux and will be for the River Bell trophy. The game will be televised live on WHNO (Charter Channel 14).  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).
 
A limited number of tickets for the game will be available at the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office through Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Fans can contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466.