Southeastern football traveled to New Orleans to face Tulane at Yulman Stadium Thursday night (Aug. 29) for its season opener. 

Despite a more competitive first half than the score would suggest, the Lions were outclassed in the second half, as the Green Wave rolled to a 52-0 victory. 

SLU got the ball first and drove as far as the Tulane 25-yard line, but the drive stalled after senior running back Harlan Dixon fumbled and the Green Wave pounced on the loose ball. 

In his first career start, redshirt freshman quarterback Darion Mensah orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped off by an 11-yard touchdown strike to Texas A&M transfer receiver Yulkeith Brown. 

Jacob Barnes tacked on the extra point and Tulane led 7-0 with 3:30 to go in the first quarter. 

On the ensuing kickoff, Southern Miss transfer wide receiver Brandon Hayes found a crease and returned the kick 46 yards to midfield before a personal foul penalty against the Green Wave moved the Lions up an additional 15 yards. 

Suddenly, SLU set up shop at the Tulane 35-yard line before its offense had even trotted onto the field. 

In three plays, the Lions had first and goal at the Green Wave six-yard line, highlighted by two consecutive Eli Sawyer completions to Jaylon Domingeaux for 11 and 14 yards. 

However, that proved to be the closest the Green and Gold would get to paydirt all night as a sack and a costly penalty pushed Southeastern outside the redzone. 

SLU ultimately had to settle for a 45-yard field goal on fourth-and-goal from the Tulane 28. 

Riley Callaghan’s kick drifted wide left on the first play of the second quarter and the Lions came up empty-handed, a common theme of the first half. 

Tulane marched downfield for a 10-play, 72-yard drive punctuated by a two-yard scoring plunge from running back Makhi Hughes. 

Barnes’ PAT made it 14-0 Green Wave with 9:45 to play in the first half. 

The two sides would trade punts following a pair of three-and-outs before SLU regained possession at their own 36. 

Blinn College and Georgia Tech transfer running back Antonio Martin showed impressive power, gaining 27 yards on just four carries during the drive.

Sawyer connected with preseason First Team All-Southland selection Darius Lewis for a 16-yard completion down to the Tulane 18, as the Lions reached the red zone with under a minute to play before intermission. 

Faced with a second and ten following an incompletion on first down, Sawyer underthrew Hayes in the end zone as Tulane defensive back Rayshawn Pleasant intercepted the ball at the goal line, returning it 100 yards to the house as Yulman erupted. 

Barnes’ third PAT of the half made it 21-0 Green Wave with 42 seconds left in the second quarter, and Pleasant’s impact play proved to be the killer blow for the Lions, who never seemed to recover. 

The second half was a Tulane onslaught, as the home team outscored Southeastern 31-0 over the final half of action for a lopsided final score. 

“It was a good experience. I’ve never been here before [Yulman Stadium] but it was bittersweet the way the game turned out,” SLU Head Coach Frank Scelfo said.

Scelfo coached as an assistant at Tulane for 11 seasons (1996-2006) and his son Anthony Scelfo, who is now SLU’s offensive coordinator, played football and baseball for the Green Wave.

Another connection between the two south Louisiana schools is Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall’s father, George, who lettered as a tight end for Southeastern from 1970-71. 

“At the end of the day, mistakes cost you. It’s the little things that get you. We have to clean that up and get better for next week,” senior linebacker and preseason Second Team All-SLC selection Donte’ Daniels said. 

The Lions will hope to regroup and be more competitive against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg next Saturday, Sept. 7. 

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at M.M. Roberts Stadium and fans who are unable to make the two-hour trip to the Magnolia State can catch the game live on ESPN+.

As always, for all things Southeastern sports, stay posted to The Lion’s Roar.