HAMMOND, La. –  The Southeastern Louisiana University football team climbed to 14^th in the latest AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25, which was released on Tuesday.
 
SLU (1-0) was 17^th in the preseason AFCA poll and moved up three spots after the opening week. On Monday, Southeastern rose to 13^th from 15^th in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25.
 
The Lions opened the season with a 49-28 victory over North Alabama on Saturday in Florence, Alabama. Southeastern racked up 495 yards of total offense and 30 first downs, controlling the ball for nearly 37 minutes and converting 10-of-15 third-down situations.
 
Walter Payton Award winner and SLU quarterback Cole Kelley, the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week, connected with 11 different receivers, finishing with 263 yards on 30-for-41 passing, while also finding Nolan Givan, Austin Mitchell and Cephus Johnson III on scoring throws. Taron Jones helped Southeastern to its highest rushing output under fourth-year head coach Frank Scelfo (232 yards), leading the Lions with 85 yards and a touchdown on 11 carriers. Jones, Kelley and Johnson III all found the end zone on the ground.
 
Alphonso Taylor led SLU with nine tackles, as the Lions held UNA to just 54 yards rushing. Mike Mason, Arlen Williams and Tainano Gaulua all recorded sacks for the Lions. Buck Buchanan Award candidate and Southland Defensive Player of the Week Ferlando Jordan returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown – his Southland Conference-record fifth pick six of his career.
 
Southeastern is the only Southland team ranked in the AFCA coaches poll this week. Nicholls is among those receiving votes.
 
On Saturday, SLU travels to Louisiana Tech for a 6 p.m. game in Ruston. The game will be televised on ESPN3 and can be heard in the Hammond area on Kajun 107.1 FM, Tangi 96.5 FM and WFPR 1400 AM, as well as online on kajun107.net and tangiradio.net.
 
Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes)                   Record            Points  Prv.
1. Sam Houston (32)                           1-0                   681      1
2. James Madison (1)                          1-0                   655      2
3. South Dakota State (3)                    1-0                   649      4
4. North Dakota State                         1-0                   583      3
5. Montana (1)                                    1-0                   573      9
6. Delaware                                         1-0                   537      5
7. North Dakota                                  1-0                   477      7
8. Eastern Washington                        1-0                   474      14
9. Southern Illinois                              1-0                   415      10
10. Weber State                                  0-1                   387      6
11. Villanova                                       1-0                   362      15
12. UC Davis                                      1-0                   348      21
13. Montana State                               0-1                   334      11
14. Southeastern                                1-0                   298      17
15. Northern Iowa                              0-1                   293      16
16. Central Arkansas                           0-1                   271      13
17. Jacksonville State                         0-1                   258      8
18. Austin Peay                                   1-0                   218      25
19. East Tennessee State                    1-0                   202      NR
20. VMI                                              1-0                   194      19
21. Monmouth                                    0-1                   188      12
22. Richmond                                     1-0                   145      22
23. Kennesaw State                            1-0                   144      20
24. Chattanooga                                  0-1                   59        18
25. Missouri State                               0-1                   58        NR
 
Others receiving votes: Samford 54, Holy Cross 32, Furman 31, Murray State 28, Alabama A&M 24, New Hampshire 24, Rhode Island 16, South Dakota 16, Nicholls 12, Jackson State 10, Stephen F. Austin 8, Eastern Kentucky 7, Gardner-Webb 7, Charleston Southern 6, Sacramento State 5, Youngstown State 4, Illinois State 3, Southern Utah 3, Florida A&M 2, Sacred Heart 2, Yale 2, Harvard 1.    
 
2021 opponents in bold italics
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2021-22 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.
 
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.