Game 8 | SLC Game 5 | No. 23/24 Southeastern (4-3, 2-2 SLC) at No. 2 SFA (7-0, 4-0 SLC)
Oct. 24, 2026 | 5 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium (14,575) | Nacogdoches, Texas
Series History: SFA leads, 11-10-1
Last Meeting: Southeastern 24, SFA 23 (Oct. 19, 2024 | Hammond, La.)
Television: ESPN+
Radio: Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, The Boss 97.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM
            Announcers: Mark Willoughby, Robbie Mahfouz, Allen Waddell and Robbie Rhodes
 
HAMMOND, La. – The No. 23/24 Southeastern Louisiana University football team will face its second straight nationally-ranked opponent Saturday, when it travels to No. 2 SFA for a 5 p.m. Southland Conference contest at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas.
 
The matchup, which is one of three FCS games this week featuring two ranked teams, will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 97.7 FM)/WFPR 1400 AM).
 
Southeastern (4-3, 2-2 SLC) vaulted back into the Stats Perform and AFCA Coaches FCS Top 25 polls thanks to a 34-31 win over then-No. 8/10 Lamar last Saturday for Homecoming. The victory was SLU's first over a ranked opponent since a 45-42 win over then-No. 18 Idaho in the first round of the NCAA FCS playoffs.
 
Kyle Lowe (1,162 yards, 10 TD, 6 INT) is the leader of a Lion offense that is averaging 28.4 points per game. Dkhai Joseph (32 catches, 325 yards, 2 TD), Tristan Goodly (16-152-1 TD) and Lonnie Shinn Jr. (15-195-4 TD) have been the top targets in the passing game.
 
Deantre Jackson (303 yards), Chad Elzy Jr. (282-3 TD), Kyree Paul (222-2 TD), Lowe (209-3 TD) and Calvin Smith Jr. (152-5 TD) have all been a part of a strong Southeastern rushing attack.
 
Opponents are averaging 28.3 points per game versus the Lion defense. Carter Hanberry leads SLU with 60 tackles, followed by Trace Carter (53), Kenneth Ford Jr. (42), Carter Byrd (40), Richard McKneely (35) and Jordan Okoye (35). McKneely has a team-high 5.5 tackles for loss.
 
CJ Fraser paces SLU with seven pass breakups, while Byrd leads the team with two interceptions.
 
Joseph is currently third in FCS with 22.0 yards per punt return, while Jack Hunter would be ninth nationally with a 45.2 punting average, but he doesn't have enough attempts to qualify for the national rankings.
 
SLU kicker Drew Talley is the reigning SLC Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting two key fourth quarter field goals versus Lamar Saturday.
 
SFA (7-0, 4-0 SLC) is one of three undefeated teams left in FCS and is coming off a dominant 56-0 road win at Nicholls last Saturday. The Lumberjacks will be the highest-ranked opponent Southeastern has faced in a Southland Conference game. In 2003, the Lions took on SLC member and No. 1 McNeese, but SLU was not a Southland member in its first season back after an 18-year hiatus.  
 
The high-powered Lumberjacks are averaging just over 40 points per game under the direction of quarterback Gavin Rutherford (1,721 yards, 19 TD, 6 INT). Walter Payton Award candidate Bugs Mortimer (29 catches, 467 yards, 7 TD) is Rutherford's top target, while the trio of Jeffrey Jones (429 yards, 2 TD), Jaylen Jenkins (415-3 TD) and Preston Alford (339-3 TD) has paced the ground game.
 
SFA has held opponents to 13.0 points per game. Malachi Williams (37 tackles), Lowote Jurkin (7.5 TFL) and Makai Frisby (4 INT) are among the statistical standouts on a stout Lumberjack defense.
 
Saturday will be the 23^rd all-time meeting between the two schools with SFA holding an 11-10-1 advantage in the all-time series. SLU has won the last three meetings and will visit Nacogdoches for the first time since 2016.
 
Saturday's game is the first of two straight in east Texas for the Lions. Southeastern heads to East Texas A&M for a 3 p.m. contest on Halloween in Commerce, Texas. The Battle of the Lions will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network (Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM, The Boss 97.7 FM/WFPR 1400 AM).
 
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. 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 X, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and follow @lionupfootball on Instagram.
 
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 observes a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.