HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana kicker Mateo Rengifo drilled the game-winning 21-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give the No. 18 Lions a thrilling 27-24 victory over Northwestern State in Southland Conference football action Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.
 
The Lions (2-1, 2-1 Southland) scored the final 13 points of the game to erase a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. For the second straight week, NSU (0-2, 0-2 Southland) saw an upset bid of a nationally-ranked opponent fall just short, as the Demons fell to SLU for the ninth straight time.
 
The difference in the ball game came in the kicking game, as Rengifo was a perfect 3-for-3 on PAT's and knocked in both of his field goals. Meanwhile, NSU kicker Eddie Godina had three field goals blocked – two by Ferlando Jordan and one by Jack Henderson.
 
Southeastern finished with 477 total yards of offense in the victory. Cole Kelley threw for 338 yards and a touchdown on 28-for-39 passing, while also rushing for a touchdown and catching a touchdown.
 
CJ Turner was Kelley's top target, hauling in nine passes for 127 yards, while Javon Conner grabbed seven passes for 73 yards. Morgan Ellison highlighted the SLU ground game with 10 carries for 81 yards.
 
Defensively, Alexis Ramos paced SLU with 17 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Donniel Ward-Magee added 10 stops, while Justin Douglas recorded his first interception as a Lion.
 
Northwestern State did much of its damage on the ground, as Scooter Adams (19 carries, 100 yards, 1 TD), Aubrey Scott (15-68) and Kaleb Fletcher (12-59) fueled a rushing attack that accumulated 249 yards.
 
Jomard Valsin led the Demons with seven tackles, a forced fumble and one of the team's three sacks. Josh Landrum intercepted a pass, while PJ Herrington recovered a fumble for NSU.
 
Northwestern State opened the game with a 79-yard kickoff return by Donovan Duvernay for an instant red zone possession. Four plays later, NSU found pay dirt, as Bryce Rivers powered in from a yard out to put the Demons up, 7-0, less than 90 seconds into the contest.
 
Southeastern drove the field on its opening trip, but Landrum made a nice interception at the Demon one-yard line. The Lions seemingly stopped NSU after a couple of first downs, but a personal foul penalty extended the drive.
 
Northwestern State made SLU pay for giving it an extra chance, as the Demons marched the entire 99 yards on 15 plays. Adams bulled in from two yards out to give NSU a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.
 
Southeastern finally got on the board on its first possession of the second quarter. Facing a third-and-three from the NSU eight-yard line, the Lions dialed up a double reverse pass with wide receiver Terrell Carter throwing a touchdown to a wide open Kelley to pull SLU within, 14-7, with 11:20 left in the opening half.
 
Northwestern State promptly moved deep into Lion territory, but it was Southeastern's turn to thwart the Demons in the red zone. Douglas made a diving interception at the SLU seven-yard line to keep the deficit at 14-7.
 
The two teams traded punts until the Demons again threatened on the final possession of the first half. NSU worked its way all the way to the SLU one-yard line. On the final play of the half, Godina lined up for a 23-yard field goal, but Jordan came off the left edge for the block and kept SLU within one score going into the break.
 
The Lions took the opening kickoff of the second half 75 yards on 10 plays to knot the score. A 42-yard bomb from Kelley to Tim Wilson Jr. highlighted the drive that was capped by a nine-yard touchdown catch by Matt DeBlaiso.
 
After SLU forced a three-and out, Turner was stripped on the second play of the next Lion drive by Malik Williams and PJ Herrington pounced on the loose ball at the SLU 25-yard line. The Demons wasted no time capitalizing, breaking out a reverse pass of their own as wide receiver Gavin Landry threw a 25-yard scoring pass to Scott for a 21-14 Demon lead.
 
After Southeastern was forced to punt, Northwestern State drove into Lion territory again. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Godina drilled a 47-yard field goal to stake the Demons to a 24-14 advantage.
 
The Lions quickly answered, as Kelley found Turner for a 20-yard reception on third-and-17 to avoid a three-and-out. Ellison followed with consecutive runs of 15 and 40 yards to move into the red zone. Three plays later, Kelley dove in from a yard out to cut the NSU lead to 24-21 with 12:21 left in the contest.
 
Northwestern State moved into Lion territory on their ensuing possession, but the drive stalled and forced Godina into a 50-yard field goal attempt. Henderson busted through the middle of the line to block the field goal and keep the Lions within three.
 
A 16-yard Ellison run and a 14-yard catch by Conner set the Lions up in the NSU red zone, but they had to settle for a 26-yard Rengifo field goal that knotted the score at 24-24 with 3:33 left.
 
A 38-yard catch by Adams of a Fletcher bomb set up the Demons in Lion territory, but again the drive stalled with 39 seconds left. Godina's 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Jordan and Alphonso Taylor returned the loose ball to the Lion 47-yard line.
 
Kelley promptly found Turner for consecutive catches of 18 and 26 yards to set up Rengifo's game-winner. Duvernay was swarmed over by Donte' Daniels and Henderson on the ensuing kickoff as time expired.
 
Up Next
SLU will travel to face No. 25 UIW next Saturday at 2 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas. The game will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU 90.9 FM, Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM). Fans can also listen live at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Game Day Experience 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. Southeastern is implementing mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2020-21 season. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet. SLU is scheduled to host McNeese (March 6), Northwestern State (March 13) and Lamar (April 3) this coming spring. Current state and local health and safety regulations limit capacity at Strawberry Stadium to 3,050.
 
INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN FOOTBALL WITH FRANK SCELFO
Inside Southeastern Football With Frank Scelfo, presented by Louisiana's First Choice Auto Auction, will air every Monday through the end of the season at 7 p.m. on the patio at Pour House Pizza and Beer Garden (505 West Thomas Street) in downtown Hammond. Hosted by Scelfo, the reigning Southland Conference Coach of the Year, 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.
 
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.