Southeastern Welcomes Defending Southland Champion UCA to Open Home, League Schedules
A weather delay of over an hour did not prevent the Bears from evening their record at 1-1 on the season with the win over the Racers. UCA limited the visitors to 11 first downs and 265 total yards, while sophomore quarterback Breylin Smiththrew for 301 yards to pace the Bear offense.
Southeastern is averaging 345.5 yards per game after playing two FBS foes to open the season. Juniors Chason Virgil and Lorenzo Nunez have split time at quarterback for the Lions. Virgil has completed 70.8 percent (51-of-72) of his passes for 547 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, while Nunez is the team’s leading rusher with 86 yards through the first two games.
Virgil has spread the ball around, as 10 different Lions have caught multiple passes this season. Junior Juwan Petit-Frerehas been SLU’s leading pass catcher through the first two contests, hauling in 10 passes for 208 yards.
Central Arkansas is yielding 367.5 yards per game heading into Saturday’s contest. Junior defensive back Juan Jacksonleads the Bears with 20 tackles and an interception, while senior linebackers Raphael Garner and Reggio Dean have three tackles for loss apiece.
Opponents are averaging 444.5 yards per game versus the Lions through the first two games. Senior linebacker Tamarcus Russell paces Southeastern with 24 tackles, followed closesly by junior defensive back Matthew Wright with 23 stops.
Sophomore linebacker Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund and junior defensive back Dejion Lynch follow with 16 tackles each and lead the team with four and three pass breakups, respectively. Adeyemi-Berglund also leads SLU with 1.5 tackles for loss.
Smith has been efficient running a Central Arkansas offense that is averaging 345.5 yards per game. The first-year starter has completed 73.2 percent (41-of-56) of his passes for 466 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Senior Lester Wells (11 catches, 169 yards) has been Smith’s top target. Junior Carlos Blackman (119 yards, 2 TD) and sophomore Kierre Crossley (53-1 TD) are the top rushers for the Bears.
The Lions special teams is led by Petit-Frere and junior punter Ivy Wall. Petit-Frere averages 27.6 yards per kickoff return for the Lions heading into Saturday’s game. Wall has averaged 42.5 yards per punt to highlight the SLU kicking game in the opening two weeks.
Central Arkansas senior kicker Matt Cummins is 5-for-7 on field goals through the first two games, while senior Cedric Battle has 31.3 yards per kickoff return.
Southeastern is 8-5 in conference openers since becoming a full football-playing member of the Southland Conference prior to the 2005 season. Last season, UCA beat the Lions, 38-6, in the league opener – Southeastern’s first loss to open conference play since 2011.
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