The 2022 football season is underway, and the Southeastern Lions look to have a successful season. 

Last season, the Lions made it to the second round of the FCS playoffs with a 9-4 record. Quarterback Cole Kelley led the team with an impressive year, putting up 5,124 yards with 44 touchdowns. 

After his remarkable season, Kelley graduated and the Lions welcomed a new quarterback, Cephus Johnson III. Johnson made his debut in the Sept. 3 season opener versus ULL. The team found themselves down 17-0 early on in the game, and they were never able to recover. The Lions ultimately lost the contest 24-7. 

Johnson posted 149 yards through the air, 48 on the ground and one interception in the season opener, but this was a tough road game against a stout opponent. On Sept. 10, the Lions will travel again to face off against another FBS opponent, Florida Atlantic. 

The Owls had a 5-7 record last season, missing out on bowl eligibility. The Lions will look to take advantage of this opportunity to get a road win. 

After starting the season with two straight road games, the Lions will play the next four games at home. They will look to take advantage of this home stand as the team went 5-1 in home games last year. The opponents SLU will face during their four-game Hammond stay went a combined 27-19 last season, so the green and gold will be tested on their home turf. The toughest game will be against the Incarnate Word Cardinals, who had a 10-3 record last season and won the Southland Conference. 

In the season’s last five games, the Lions play four of them on the road. Last year, they ended the season playing four games at home and one away. This year’s schedule will play a part in determining if the Lions make the FCS playoffs, as they will not have the home field advantage during the last few games of the season. 

The Lions were 5-3 on the road last year and lost in the second round of the playoffs. Getting crucial road wins this season will ultimately decide the fate of this year’s team. 

This coming season offers new challenges for the Lions with a new quarterback and a tougher schedule, but this team is resilient and they’re up for the challenge. The roster is filled with talented players, led by an experienced coaching staff. They were picked first in the Southland Conference Pre-Season Poll for a reason. Stay tuned for coverage of what looks to be an action-packed season.