The first weekend of October didn’t feature many college football games in Louisiana, but Saturday did provide a historic level of Southeastern Louisiana defense.
The Lions (4-2, 2-0) won its sixth straight against in-state Southland Conference rival McNeese State (1-5, 0-2) with a dominant 38-0 road performance to become the first opponent to shut out the Cowboys at home since 2016.
Southeastern Louisiana held its familiar foe to 189 total yards on just 5-for-18 passing for 37 yards and 36 rushes for 152 yards, a 4.2-yard average.
Senior defensive back Ian Conerly-Goodly, the former Covington standout, kicked off the scoring with an early, 33-yard pick-six that would’ve proven enough scoring for the victory.
Senior linebacker K.K. Reno (Catholic-New Iberia) led all players with 11 tackles, including a sack, and sophomore linebacker Jirrea Johnson Jr. (Warren Easton) added seven stops.
Both junior defensive lineman Peyton Anderson (St. Amant) and senior defensive lineman Joshua Randall (Edna Karr) recorded sacks, and senior defensive back Khamron Ford intercepted a pass.
Meanwhile the Lions kept cashing in touchdowns from both near and far to blow open the most lopsided victory in the series by either team since their 58-20 home win in 2003.
Former Edna Karr running back Deantre Jackson rushed five times for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns — a goal-line carry in the first and a 45-yarder in the second — and caught four passes for 48 yards.
Quarterbacks Carson Camp (10-for-12 for 173 yards) and Kyle Lowe (5-for-8 for 94 yards) finished a combined 15-for-20 for 267 yards, a touchdown each and no interceptions.
Lowe connected with former Comeaux standout Jaylon Domingeaux for a 2-yard touchdown, and Camp hit senior receiver Brandon Hayes for a 69-yard catch-and-run exclamation point and 38-0 lead before the even reached halftime.
Hayes finished with a game-high 79 yards and the score on two catches, and Domingeaux had three receptions for 37 yards and the touchdown.
Southeastern Louisiana is one of four remaining undefeated teams early in the Southland Conference race, along with Stephen F. Austin (4-2, 2-0), Lamar (4-1, 1-0) and East Texas A&M (1-4, 1-0).
The Lions will enjoy a bye week before hosting Northwestern State (1-4, 0-1) on Oct. 18.
McNeese State will also rest next week before a home game Oct. 18 against Houston Christian (1-4, 0-1).
ULM, NICHOLLS, NORTHWESTERN STATE FALL
The rest of Louisiana’s teams in action were not so fortunate.
ULM, the state’s lone FBS program with a Week 6 game, struck first in Evanston, Ill., before home Northwestern would rattle off the remainder of the points in a 42-7 victory.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Armenta finished 10-for-19 for 129 yards and a touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Nic Trujillo, who caught two passes for 61 yards.
Nicholls State battled FCS-ranked Lamar back and forth on the road before ultimately falling, 24-17, on a late 88-yard punt-return touchdown by Kyndon Fuselier.
Senior defensive back Ty Marsh had 11 tackles and two pass breakups, and junior linebacker Jake Dalmado (Archbishop Hannan) had 10 tackles, including one for loss.
Redshirt freshman running back Shane Lee, the former Destrehan standout, carried three times for 109 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown — marking his career-high rushing total, first career score and longest career run.
Graduate student quarterback Deuce Hogan rushed for a touchdown and finished 21-for-38 for 166 passing yards with true freshman Amari Clayton (Catholic-Baton Rouge) leading the Colonels’ receivers with three catches for 39 yards.
Northwestern State fell, 40-10, at home to East Texas A&M.
