HAMMOND – The two-time reigning Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana football team will open the 2015 season on Thursday, facing Southland Conference rival Northwestern State at 6 p.m. at Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches.
 
The game between the No. 19 Lions and the Demons will mark the first meeting between Southland Conference schools in a season opener since 1992. The Lions have not opened the season with a conference game since they defeated UT Martin, 28-12, in a Gulf South Conference game to open the 1976 season.
 
"We're looking for this to be a very tightly-contested game," Southeastern head coach Ron Roberts said. "We have a great deal of respect for (NSU head) Coach (Jay) Thomas and the Northwestern State program and we'll have to be at the top of our game to win."
 
The game will be televised by the Southland Conference's new television partner, the American Sports Network (ASN). In the Hammond area, the game will be carried on New Orleans' MyNetwork affiliate WUPL (Charter channel 16, Direct TV 54, Dish Network 54, U-Verse 2). In the Baton Rouge area, the game will be carried by WBTR (Cox 19, Eatel 144, U-Verse 19). Cox Sports Television will air the game on a tape delay on Friday at noon.
 
Fans nationwide with the Direct TV Sports package can watch the game on Altitude 2 (682-1) and MASN 2 (641-1). A full list of nationwide affiliates is available at http://southland.org/asn. A live video stream will also be accessible for free at www.Southland.org/watch or via the Southland Conference app.
 
The Voice of the Lions, Mark Willoughby, along with Robbie Rhodes and Allen Waddell, will have the call from Natchitoches on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. The game can also be heard on affiliates and Northshore Broadcasting stations Kajun 107.1 FM (WHMD) and The Highway 104.7 FM (WJSH). Live stats, provided by the Demons, will be accessible at LionSports.net.
 
The LAA will host a tailgating event in Natchitoches starting at 3 p.m. The event will run until 5:30 p.m. and will be located in the open area adjacent to the Lady Demon Softball Diamond. An aerial map with the SLU tailgating area highlighted is available at LionSports.net. Food and drinks will be available at the tailgate. Parking on campus will be $10.
 
For those fans not able to make it to Natchitoches, the St. Tammany Chapter of the Southeastern Alumni Association will host a watch party at the Mellow Mushroom (1645 Hwy 190) in Covington starting at kickoff.
 
The Lions will be looking to open Southland Conference play with a victory for the fourth straight season. Southeastern has won its last 10 games versus in-state Southland Conference rivals.
 
SLU will feature a new starting quarterback in junior D'Shaie Landor. Landor, a Lafayette native, will have plenty of returning weapons to work with as the team's top four running backs return, along with two-time All-Southland Conference senior wide receiver Jeff Smiley.
 
Landor and company will be facing off against a Northwestern State defense that, though it only returns three full-time starters, has several other talented returners on the roster. Defensive back Adam Jones and defensive end Leroy Armstrong are both All-American candidates.
 
Defensively, the majority of a talented secondary that helped Southeastern lead FCS in pass efficiency defense. STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year candidate Harlan Miller is one of four All-Southland defensive backs returning, along with seniors Denzel Thompson, Micah Eugene and Jordan Batiste.
 
The Lion secondary will need to be at its best on Thursday against a talented receiving corps led by senior All-American Ed Eagan, a STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year candidate. The big question for the Demons is who will replace multi-year starter Zach Adkins under center, as senior Stephen Rivers, junior Daniel Hazelwood, sophomore Joel Blumenthal and sophomore J.D. Almond are all vying for playing time.
 
The series between the Lions and Northwestern State is tied, 29-29. Southeastern has won the past three meetings, but all three have been tightly contested. Last season, the Lions had to hold off a fourth-quarter rally on the way to a 30-22 victory in Hammond.
 
Following Thursday's opener, Southeastern will return home to host Florida Tech at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12 in Strawberry Stadium. The game will be broadcast on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. The game can also be heard on affiliates and Northshore Broadcasting stations Kajun 107.1 FM (WHMD) and The Highway 104.7 FM (WJSH).

LionVision subscribers will be able to access a live video stream of the home opener at LionSports.net, where live stats will be available. The matchup with Florida Tech will also be televised on tape delay by the Southeastern Channel.