The Lions’ balanced approach was on full display once again, posting 378 yards of total offense, 195 through the air and 183 on the ground, while holding the Huskies to just 199 yards. Southeastern’s maturity and depth continued to shine as the team executed cleanly across all three phases of the game. The victory also moved the Lions up to No. 16 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and No. 21 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 this week.

Quarterbacks Carson Camp and Kyle Lowe shared time under center, combining to complete 15 of 25 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Camp finished an efficient 12 of 15 (80%) for 169 yards and a score, with two interceptions keeping the stat line from being otherwise near perfect. The ground game remained steady as Deantre “The Jet” Jackson led the way with 64 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown, while Calvin Smith Jr. powered in two touchdowns on nine carries. The Lions' mature offensive line was able to handle HCU’s shifting defensive looks and continued to control the trenches. Through the air, Jaylon “JD” Domingeaux made the most of his opportunities, hauling in three catches for 87 yards, including a 42-yard strike that set up a score.

Defensively, the Lions continued their dominant run of form. KK Reno led the charge with 10 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, a half sack, and a forced fumble. Reno was seemingly everywhere, helping the Lions hold HCU to 114 rushing yards and 85 passing yards. Khamron Ford added six tackles and two tackles for loss, once again proving his reliability up front. The Lions finished with seven tackles for loss, four sacks, and one forced fumble in another impressive all-around showing from Defensive Coordinator Bill D’Ottavio’s unit.

Coach Scelfo has emphasized all year the importance of getting sacks on defense and preventing them on offense. True to the Coach's statistic, the Huskies did not score once on the 4 drives where a sack was recorded for the Lions.

Special teams once again made a huge impact. Brandon Hayes electrified the crowd with an 85-yard kickoff return touchdown, his second consecutive week taking one to the house. He totaled 155 return yards on three attempts, setting up great field position and momentum throughout the game. Hayes’ breakout month earned him the Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his performance. Kicker Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez connected once for 3 from 22 yards out, while Alec Mahler averaged 62 yards per kickoff to consistently pin the Huskies deep.

Lion Up LeBlanc's Players of the Game

Offense - Jaylon “JD” Domingeaux:

3 receptions, 87 yards, 42-yard long.

Defense - KK Reno:

10 total tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 forced fumble.

Special Teams - Brandon Hayes:

3 returns for 155 yards and an 85-yard touchdown (also named Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week).

Looking Ahead

The Lions return home to Strawberry Stadium this Saturday for another important Southland Conference matchup against East Texas A&M (2-6, 2-2 SLC). This will be Military Night where all military members receive free admission to the game. This game carries major playoff implications as Southeastern looks to remain undefeated in FCS play and continue climbing the national rankings. I would love to see an electric gameday with a packed crowd in Hammond, America as the Lions aim to keep their momentum strong all the way to the end. 

Stay tuned for my pre-game report later this week!

Where to find me?

X: @LionUpLeBlanc

You can also see me on the weekly Louisian Gameday show, previewing all the College Football in Louisiana!

Lion Up!