No. 24 Southeastern Louisiana (7-4) vs. No. 8/10 Villanova (9-3)
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019 | 3:04 p.m. | Hammond, La. | Strawberry Stadium (7,408)
Series History: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Television: ESPN3
            Announcers: Shawn Kenney and Dustin Fox
Radio: Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU 90.9, Kajun 107.1, The Highway 104.7, The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM WFPR)
            Announcers: Mark Willoughby, Robbie Rhodes and Allen Waddell
Live Video
Live Audio
Southeastern Game Notes
Villanova Game Notes
 
HAMMOND, La. – Playoff football returns to Hammond for the first time since 2013 on Saturday, when No. 24 Southeastern Louisiana hosts No. 8/10 Villanova in the first round of the NCAA FCS playoffs Saturday at 3:04 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium.
 
The first round contest between the Lions (7-4) and the visiting Wildcats (9-3) will be televised on ESPN3. The game can also be heard on KSLU-FM (90.9), Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and the Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM WFPR, online at www.LionSports.net/live and via the TuneIn Radio and Lions Game Day Experience apps.
 
Southeastern is making its third playoff appearance in program history. The Lions earned back-to-back appearances in the postseason in 2013 and 2014. The winner of the SLU-Villanova meeting will advance to face sixth-seeded Montana on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. in Missoula, Montana.
 
Southeastern enters the postseason ranked among the national leaders in total offense (473.8), scoring offense (36.6) and passing offense (330.2). The Lion quarterback tandem of Chason Virgil (2,881 yards, 18 TD, 10 INT) and Cole Kelley (751-10 TD-1 INT) has shared duties under center.
 
Virgil and Kelley have spread the ball around to 15 different receivers. The quintet of CJ Turner (58 catches, 642 yards, 4 TD), Devonte Williams (55-482-3 TD), Austin Mitchell (45-794-8 TD), Bransen Schwebel (42-467-3 TD) and Javon Conner (39-422-4 TD) are the top targets for SLU.
 
Williams (487 yards, 7 TD) also leads the Lion rushing attack. Kelley leads the Lion ground game with eight rushing touchdowns.
 
The Lion defense is allowing 389.5 yards and 24.1 points per contest. Alexis Ramos leads the way with 71 tackles, followed by Xavier Lewis (56), Tre' Spann (55), Donniel Ward-Magee (51) and Trae Drake (50).
 
Southeastern ranks among the FCS leaders with 39 sacks and 96 tackles for loss. Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund (15.0 TFL, 7.5 sacks), Josh Carr Jr. (14.5 TFL, 6.0 sacks), Ronald Cherry III (10.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) and Ramos (10.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks) lead the Lion pass rush.
 
SLU also enters the postseason with 16 interceptions. Ferlando Jordan leads the team with five interceptions, while Lewis and Shawntrez Spates have three picks apiece. Spann and Ward-Magee have chipped in two interceptions each.
 
Austin Dunlap has been the leader of the SLU special teams unit, as the freshman punter has averaged 40.7 yards per punt in his debut season.
 
Villanova opened the season with six consecutive victories, before losing three straight. The Wildcats have righted the ship over the past three weeks and heads to Hammond on a three-game winning streak.
 
A balanced Villanova offense is averaging 36.8 points and 451.0 yards per game. Daniel Smith (2,991 yards, 31 TD, 10 INT) engineers the Wildcat attack, as Changa Hodge (59 catches, 1,020 yards, 12 TD), Jaaron Hayek (41-565-7 TD), Zac Kerxton (30-417-2 TD) and Todd Summers (30-305-4 TD) are Smith's top targets.
 
Justin Covington (727 yards, 3 TD), DeeWil Barlee (669-6 TD) and Smith (367-11 TD) pace the Villanova ground attack.
 
Opponents are scoring 24.5 points and accumulating 389.5 yards per game versus the Wildcats. Forrest Rhyne leads Villanova with 105 tackles and 6.5 sacks, while Jaquan Amos leads the team with four interceptions.
 
Saturday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Southeastern Louisiana and Villanova.
 
2019 NCAA FCS Playoffs Schedule (All Times Central)
 
First Round – Saturday, Nov. 30 (All Games on ESPN3)
North Dakota at Nicholls – 3 p.m.
Illinois State at Southeast Missouri State – 1 p.m.
Central Connecticut State at Albany – 12 p.m.
Furman at Austin Peay – 12 p.m.
Kennesaw State at Wofford – 12:30 p.m.
Villanova at Southeastern Louisiana – 3 p.m.
San Diego at Northern Iowa – 1 p.m.
Holy Cross at Monmouth – 11 a.m.
 
Second Round – Saturday, Dec. 7 (All Games on ESPN3)
Nicholls-North Dakota winner at No. 1 North Dakota State – 2:30 p.m.
Southeast Missouri-Central Arkansas winner at No. 8 Central Arkansas – 3 p.m.
Albany-Central Connecticut State winner at No. 5 Montana State – 2 p.m.
Austin Peay-Furman winner at No. 4 Sacramento State – 8 p.m.
Wofford-Kennesaw State winner at No. 3 Weber State – 2 p.m.
Southeastern Louisiana-Villanova winner at No. 6 Montana – 2 p.m.
Northern Iowa-San Diego winner at No. 7 South Dakota State – 1 p.m.
Monmouth-Holy Cross winner at No. 2 James Madison – 12 p.m.
 
INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN FOOTBALL WITH FRANK SCELFO
Inside Southeastern Football With Frank Scelfo will air every Monday through Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering (113 East Thomas Street) in downtown Hammond. Hosted by Scelfo, the Lions' second-year head coach, and Allen Waddell, the hour-long show will air on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU-FM (90.9), Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM WFPR). Fans can also listen live at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Game Day and TuneIn Radio apps. A live video stream of the show will be available at www.youtube.com/sluathletics.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @LionUpFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.