HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana University football team is ranked 15^th in the 2023 Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 released Monday.
 
Southeastern is one of three schools nationally to be ranked in the final FCS top 25 in each of the past four seasons. The entire poll is available at https://theanalyst.com/na/2023/08/defending-champ-jackrabbits-voted-a-unanimous-no-1-in-the-fcs-preseason-top-25-poll/.
 
SLU topped the Southland Conference preseason poll and placed a league-high 17 student-athletes on the preseason All-SLC teams released last month. The Lions are one of two conference teams in the preseason poll, as UIW is ranked seventh. McNeese is among the programs receiving votes.
 
Both of Southeastern's 2022 FCS playoff opponents – Samford (No. 9) and Idaho (No. 8) – are represented in the preseason poll. Reigning national champion South Dakota State tops the poll and is joined by North Dakota State, Montana State, William & Mary and Holy Cross in the top five.  
 
Southeastern will be looking to advance to the FCS playoffs for the third straight season for the first time in program history. The Lions have advanced to the second round in the postseason three times in the past four seasons.
 
The Lions opened the opening week of fall camp Monday with its first full team workout after the opening week of split-squad practices. SLU will return to the practice field Tuesday at 9 a.m.
 
Southeastern opens the 2023 season with three straight nonconference road contests, beginning with a Sept. 2 trip to Mississippi State. The game versus the Bulldogs kicks off at 3 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi and will be televised on SEC Network and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, The Boss 103.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM).
 
Season and single-game tickets for the 2023 home football season, which includes visits from HCU (Sept. 23), Tarleton State (Sept. 30), Lamar (Oct. 14), McNeese (Nov. 4) and Nicholls (Nov. 18) are available online at https://vivenu.com/event/2023-football-2klkar.
 
2023 Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
Rk. Team (First-place votes) | Points
1. South Dakota State (56) | 1,400
2. North Dakota State | 1,329
3. Montana State | 1,294
4. William & Mary | 1,172
5. Holy Cross | 1,113
6. Furman | 1,035
7. UIW | 935
8. Idaho | 932
9. Samford | 885
10. Sacramento State | 881
11. New Hampshire | 798
12. Southeast Missouri | 768
13. Weber State | 744
14. Montana | 711
15. Southeastern | 710
16. UC Davis | 513
17. North Dakota | 479
18. Richmond | 387
19. North Carolina Central | 330
20. Mercer | 293
21. Rhode Island | 169
22. Delaware | 166
23. Northern Iowa | 155
24. Eastern Kentucky | 137
25. Gardner-Webb | 129
 
Others Receiving Votes: Central Arkansas 110, Chattanooga 84, Jackson State 71, Southern Illinois 66, Youngstown State 66, FAMU 65, UT Martin 65, Elon 61, Austin Peay 40, Fordham 28, Yale 18, Villanova 8, McNeese 7, Abilene Christian 6, St. Thomas 6, Saint Francis 5.
2023 Southeastern opponents in bold italics.
 
Southeastern Football Preseason Practice Schedule
Aug. 8 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 9 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 10 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 11 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 12 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 14 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 15 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 16 – 3:45 p.m. (First day of classes)
Aug. 17 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 18 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 19 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 21 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 22 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 23 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 24 – 3:45 p.m.
Aug. 25 – 9 a.m.
Aug. 26 – 9 a.m. (Season Ticket Pickup Party – 10 a.m.)
 
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 2023-24 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.
 
INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN FOOTBALL WITH FRANK SCELFO
The 2023 season of Inside Southeastern Football with Frank Scelfo will debut Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at its new home – Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux (305 CM Fagan Dr) in Hammond. Hosted by Scelfo and Allen Waddell, the hour-long radio show will air Monday throughout the football season on Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 103.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM.
 
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.