HAMMOND, La.  – Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Chason Virgil tied a career high with four touchdown passes and led the No. 21/23 Lions to a 45-34 win over Lamar in the Southland Conference football opener for both teams Saturday night in Strawberry Stadium.
 
The Lions (2-1, 1-0 Southland) amassed 502 total yards of offense on the night and erased a halftime deficit, as Southeastern outscored the Cardinals, 21-3, in the third quarter to erase a three-point halftime deficit and open conference play with a win for the first time since 2016. Lamar, one of three schools to represent the Southland in last season's playoffs, fell to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in league play.
 
"This was a good win to start Southland Conference play against a very good football team," Southeastern head football coach Frank Scelfo said. "We played very well offensively throughout the game. Our defense busted some assignments in the first half, but they made the necessary adjustments at halftime and played a whole lot better in the second half."
 
Virgil completed 26-of-34 passes for 307 yards to go with four scores, matching his career-best total that he set in the 2018 season opener at ULM. Austin Mitchell (five catches, 136 yards) and Javon Conner (3-46) each caught a pair of touchdowns for the Lions, while CJ Turner caught a game-high six passes for 56 yards and a score.
 
Devonte Williams led the SLU ground game, rushing for 63 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Cole Kelley spotted Virgil in key moments, throwing a touchdown and rushing six times for 24 yards.
 
The Lion defense sacked Lamar quarterback Jordan Hoy five times, though Hoy threw for 303 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 14-of-33 passing. Miles Wanza (13 carries, 60 yards), A.J. Walker (8-44) and Hoy (17-29) each rushed for a touchdown. Kirkland Banks was Hoy's favorite target, finishing with 112 yards on five catches, while Kenny Allen hauled in a touchdown pass.
 
Southeastern, which came into the game leading FCS with 12.0 tackles for loss per game, added 10 more behind the line of scrimmage on Saturday. Josh Carr led SLU with four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Issac Adeyemi-Berglund added 1.5 sacks of his own, while Mike Mason and Deijon Lynch each shared a sack. Mason also led the Lions with 10 tackles, while Xavier Lewis added an interception and a forced fumble.
 
Earlier in the day, Southeastern inducted the four newest members to the SLU Athletics Hall of Fame. The 2019 class of Bryan Bennett (football), Karin Smith Gadberry (softball), Stefan Lopez (baseball) and Simmie Yarborough (football) were recognized at halftime of Saturday's win.





 
First Quarter
After the two teams traded empty possessions, Lamar took the early lead. Hoy raced in from 19 yards out to cap a six-play, 64-yard drive and put the visitors on top, 7-0, with 5:26 remaining in the opening quarter.
 
Southeastern answered right back on its third drive of the game. Kelley converted a key fourth-and-two on a 11-play, 75-yard scoring march. Williams tied up the score with a 12-yard touchdown run to knot the score at 7-7.
 
On the final play of the quarter, Hoy found a wide open Case Robinson for a 56-yard catch-and-run that set up a first-and-goal scenario to open the second quarter.
 
Second Quarter
On the first play of the period, Walker scored from six yards out to put Lamar up, 14-7.
 
The lead would be short-lived. Virgil found Mitchell on a short pass along the Cardinal sideline. The speedster from Plaquemine shook a LU defender and was off to the races, scoring untouched from 58 yards out to knot the score at 14-14 just over a minute into the second quarter.
 
After the two teams traded three-and-outs, Southeastern forced the first turnover. With Lamar moving into Lion territory, Lewis made a great break on a short out route and picked off Hoy's pass, returning the ball to the LU 46-yard line.
 
Southeastern moved the ball inside the Cardinal 30-yard line, but were stopped on a fourth-and-five to give Lamar the ball back. The Cardinals took advantage, as a scrambling Hoy found a diving Allen in the back corner of the end zone to put LU back ahead, 21-14, with 5:44 left in the half.
 
The Lions were forced to punt on their next possession, but Jacq'co Price was able to down Austin Dunlap's 43-yard effort at the Cardinal two-yard line. Lamar failed to make a first down and Lorenzo Nunez blocked the ensuing punt to give the Lions the ball at the LU 18-yard line. Three plays later, Virgil found Turner on a quick slant from three yards out to tie the score at 21-21.
 
Lamar answered to close the half. A 38-yard field goal by Bailey Giffen sent the Cardinals into the break with a 24-21 cushion.
 
Third Quarter
Derek Turner II and Mason combined to stop Hoy on a third-and-short to force a three-and-out. Southeastern took the lead for good on the ensuing possession. Conner grabbed a short Virgil pass, slid past a Lamar defender and danced down the sideline from 24 yards out to put SLU up, 28-24, with 9:59 left in the third quarter.
 
The Lion defense again forced a three-and-out on the next possession and took over at midfield. On the first play, Mitchell got behind the Cardinal defense and scored from 50 yards out to put Southeastern ahead, 35-24, with 8:51 remaining in the third quarter.
 
Lamar moved into the SLU red zone on its next drive. But on third-and-two from the Lion 20-yard line, Adeyemi-Berglund sacked Hoy for a 10-yard loss, holding the Cardinals to a 47-yard Giffen field goal that cut the Southeastern cushion to 35-27 with 3:56 remaining in the period.
 
Southeastern extended the lead with a nine-play, 75-yard march. Kelley rolled out and found Conner in the left corner of the end zone from 14 yards out to give the Lions a commanding 42-27 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter
Lamar took the final period's first possession and made it a one-score game again. Wanza took a pitch around the right end from three yards out to pull the Cardinals closer at 42-34 with 11:47 remaining.
 
The two teams traded punts when Southeastern embarked on the drive that would ice the game. The Lions methodically moved 87 yards on 15 plays, taking nearly six minutes off the clock. While SLU was stopped from finding the end zone, newcomer Bryce Broussard connected on a 19-yard field goal to give SLU a 45-34 lead with 1:48 remaining.
 
Lamar had one last chance, but Carr and Mason sacked Hoy on fourth down to secure the SLU victory.
 
Up Next
Southeastern will open up the road portion of its Southland Conference schedule in Natchitoches, facing league foe Northwestern State at 6 p.m.. The game will air on Cox Sports Television and ESPN3 (outside of the CST viewing area). It also can be heard 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), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Radio FX and TuneIn Radio apps.
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. The Lions' remaining home schedule includes visits from Southland Conference foes UIW (Oct. 12), Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 2) and Nicholls (Nov. 21).
 
2019 PROMOTIONS
For full details on promotions surrounding the Southeastern Louisiana football team's 2019 home schedule visit www.LionSports.net/FootballPromos.
 
INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN FOOTBALL WITH FRANK SCELFO
Inside Southeastern Football With Frank Scelfo, hosted by Scelfo and Allen Waddell airs every Monday through Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering in downtown Hammond, located at 113 East Thomas Street. The 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 Radio FX 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.