For Immediate Release             Sept. 6, 2024
 
Cardinals Host MVSU in Home Opener
 
BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University came up just short in its comeback bid against Texas State in the 2024 season opener and now return home to kick off the home portion of its schedule against Mississippi Valley State. Both teams enter the contest looking for their win of the season as the Devils dropped a 20-point decision at Tennessee State in week 1. Saturday's game kicks off the first of three consecutive home games for the Red and White while it is the second of four-straight road games for Mississippi Valley.
  LU vs. the Devils
Saturday's contest will mark the second meeting between the two schools on the gridiron, and the first since the 2019 season. The Cardinals won the only other meeting in series history, 23-20, in a game that was decided in overtime. That game was also played in Beaumont.
 
LU in Home Openers
The Cardinals are 39-13-1 (.745) all-time in home openers (record as a four-year program), but Lamar has dropped consecutive home openers and three of its last four. The Cardinals enter Saturday looking for their first home-opening win against an NCAA Division I team since 2014 (Grambling State). Big Red has never lost a home opener in three consecutive seasons.
 
Century Mark
Junior receiver Kyndon Fuselier kicked off the 2024 campaign with a career night at Texas State. The Nederland, Texas native, hauled in a career-high six passes for a career-high 107 yards (17.8 ypr) with a long of 41. Several of his receptions kept drives alive as the Cardinals were rallying in the second half at Texas State. It was Fuselier's second 100-yard receiving game.
 
First Overall Pick (as a Cardinal)
Junior Codey Martin recorded Lamar's first interception of the 2024 campaign. The UAB transfer, and Slidell, La., native thwarted a Texas State drive with his interception at the Lamar University six-yard line with 11 seconds remaining in the third. The play would go on to set up an LU score to pull Big Red within four points. Martin finished the game with four tackles - three unassisted - and the interception.