After facing two back-to-back losses on the road, the Lions started Southland Conference play on the right foot this weekend. The No. 11 Southeastern football team took the lead in the first quarter and surged forward to win the game against the University of the Incarnate Word.
The Lions (3-2, 1-0) took on the Incarnate Word Cardinals on Saturday night at Benson Stadium, earning a 63-7 conference win on the road.
The team earned the most points the Lions have ever posted against a league opponent by scoring a single-game school record with seven rushing touchdowns. The Lions rushed for 337 yards, which is the third highest single-game total in Lion history.
Southeastern jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the opening drive of the game when junior running back Rasheed Harrell completed a 75-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown.
After the Lion defense held back the Cardinals, the Lion offense made a quick six-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Senior quarterback Bryan Bennett ran 21-yards to complete the second Lion touchdown. Bennett, a Walter Payton Award candidate, rushed for 89 yards, and his second touchdown of the game gave the Lions a 21-0 lead with 9:50 left in the first half.
A short punt gave the Cardinals the ball deep in Lion territory, and a wide receiver pass by Cardinal freshman Kody Edwards to junior Cole Wick from 24 yards out gave the opponent their only touchdown of the game, bringing the score to 21-7 with 1:40 remaining on the clock.
This left just enough time for the Lions to squeeze in their fourth touchdown. Junior wide receiver Jeff Smiley caught a four-yard pass from Bennett, bringing the score to 28-7 seconds before halftime.
Junior running back Kody Sutton was another standout of the game, rushing for a career-high 104 yards and scoring a touchdown on the Lions’ first drive of the third quarter.
The Incarnate Words were unable to stop the Lions’ offense and defense from powering through the second half. Continuing the third quarter, Bennett connected with senior wide receiver Devante Scott for a 29-yard touchdown, and then senior quarterback Jordan Barnett rushed for a one-yard touchdown.
Incarnate Word’s offense struggled to move the ball on nearly every drive of the game, and the Cardinals defense proved to be no match for the Lion offense. Upon getting the ball back, Lion freshman running back Eugene Bethea made a 10-yard run, recording the Lions’ eighth touchdown and bringing the score to 56-7 at the end of the third quarter.
Last but not least, senior wide receiver Marquis Hayes made a 19-yard run, bringing the score to 63-7 and sealing the Lion win in the fourth quarter.