BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University grabbed a seven-point halftime lead only to watch Southeastern Louisiana score 17 straight to open the second half and hold on for a 30-24 victory over the Cardinals to spoil Homecoming. It marks the fourth consecutive season the Red and White have dropped their homecoming contest.
 
The Cardinals (1-3/0-2 Southland) finished the night with 351 yards of total offense, including 180 on the ground. Unfortunately for the Cards, 269 of their 351 yards of offense came in the first half. Southeastern gained 494 yards on the ground, but LU's defense forced the Lions (1-3/1-1 SLC) into five turnovers (four fumbles and an interception).  
 
Penalties played an integral part in the contest on both sides of the ball. The two teams combined for 26 penalties for 225 yards. The Lions were flagged 15 times for 130 yards.
 
"This one hurts real bad," said LU head coach Mike Schultz. "Our kids did a great job of preparing for this game all week. We had a few things that didn't go our way, and we have to get the penalties corrected. I'm proud of the kids because they continue to fight, and because of that I know they're hurting. I'm hurting for them, but like I told them in the locker room, we're going to watch the film and get better from this."
 
Senior Darrel Colbert, Jr. ended the night completing 15-of-27 (.556) passes for 171 yards and a touchdown and carried the ball 21 times for 67 yards and a score. Junior A.J. Walker paced the Cardinals' ground attack with nine carries for a season-high 88 yards, including a season-long rush of 48 yards.
 
Senior Dorian Gaston once again led the Cardinals with four receptions, but Southeastern didn't allow him to roam free in the secondary like a week ago. Gaston ended the night with four receptions for 40 yards.
 
Senior Lane Taylor led the Cardinals' defensive effort with 11 tackles – 10 unassisted. Sophomore David Crosley finished the night with nine tackles, while his brother, Daniel, added seven stops, including two for a loss and a sack. Senior Davon Jernigan recorded the biggest highlight of the night with an interception and return it 53 yards for a score. He also recorded seven tackles, recovered a fumble and broke up a pass.
 
Similar to last week, the Cardinals got out to a slow start but unlike the Southland opener Big Red limited its guests to just one score in the first quarter. The Cardinals then turned to their defense to flip the momentum. On a third-and-seven from the LU 36, and leading 7-0, Southeastern's Chason Virgil was picked off by Jernigan and returned it 53 yards for the score. The impressive part about Jernigan's pick was that he was two yards away from Virgil when he let it go. LU was unable to tie the game as the snap on the ensuing PAT went wide of the holder.
 
It remained a one-point lead for the Lions until the 6:26 mark of the second quarter, and when the Cardinals were back on the move. After senior Tyler Rios stripped the ball from SLU's Juwan Petit-Frere on the Cardinals' 27, LU moved the ball 16 yards on five plays which ended with Colbert calling his own number. The senior carried the ball in from two yards out. To make up for the missed extra point earlier in the game LU lined for two and converted on a pass from Colbert to Case Robison.
 
Both teams tacked on a field goal to close out the half as the Red and White took a seven-point lead, 17-10, into the locker room. The Cardinals finished the half with 269 yards of total offense, while holding Southeastern to 196. LU's defense also did a great job of gaining extra possessions for the offense. The Cards went into the locker room forcing four fumbles (recovering three) and the one interception.
 
The Lions came out of locker room and tied the game on their first possession of the half. Virgil guided the Lions on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 26-yard pass to Austin Mitchell. SLU got the ball back and drove deep into Cardinals' territory aided by two roughing the passer calls, but the defense stiffened holding the Lions to a field goal. Unfortunately, the Lions weren't finished as LU turned the ball over on their first play of the next possession which led to a Lions' touchdown. The visitors grabbed a 10-point lead, 27-17.
 
"We were running the ball a little easier in the first half," said Schultz. "They came out in the second half and started stacking the box. We just didn't take care of the things we needed to take care of in the second half. Southeastern is a talented football team. They have a good quarterback and skill kids and can do some really good things offensively. We just did not take advantage of some situations like we needed to."
 
Despite surrendering 17 straight, the Cardinals still had some fight. LU got the ball back and Colbert guided the Red and White on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 5:01 off the clock – and was aided by a pass interference call that allowed the drive to continue. It ended with a 22-yard pass from Colbert to senior Dewan Thompson, Jr. in the back of the end zone to pull LU within three, 27-24.
 
The Lions took the next possession and drove the ball down inside the LU five going for what appeared to be the knock out. Twice the Cardinals gave their fans hope stripping the SLU ball carrier but both times they were denied the ball (SLU recovered one fumble and the second fumble was overturned following video replay). Two plays later SLU's Jonathan Tatum booted a 23-yard field goal for the game's final score.
 
"We now have to put this one behind us and get ready for a tough Nicholls team," said Schultz. "We've been fortunate to play three of the first four at home but now we go on the road. Nicholls is a very good team, and they're extremely tough at home."
 
The Cardinals will look to get in the win column next week when they travel to Nicholls to take on the nationally ranked Colonels. The game against Nicholls has been moved to a 2:30 p.m. start and will be televised on Eleven Sports (DirecTV Ch. 623). It can also be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.