SE Louisiana alone atop standings

SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA 41, UCA 24

Central Arkansas entered the fourth quarter in a tight game with FCS No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday night, but it didn’t stay that way.

Quarterback Bryan Bennett ran for two touchdowns and Xavier Roberson added another touchdown run in the fourth quarter as Southeastern Louisiana pulled away for a 41-24 victory at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, La.

The victory made Southeastern Louisiana (6-2, 4-0) the first Southland Conference team with four league victories, and with Sam Houston State’s loss the Lions are now in sole possession of first place in the league standings.

The Bears were in position for all of that entering the fourth quarter before Bennett scored from 2 yards out to put the Lions ahead 27-17 with 13:22 left. Willie Matthews recovered a blocked punt in the end zone to pull UCA within 27-24, but Bennett scored on the next series on a 75-yard run and the Lions capped the scoring on Roberson’s 30-yard run that made it 41-17.

Bennett, the conference’s player of the year last season, completed 11 of 19 passes for 170 yards and rushed for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns as Southeastern Louisiana gained 459 yards of offense.

Taylor Reed started for UCA (4-4, 3-1) but completed only 7 of 13 passes for 86 yards and threw 2 interceptions, his first two of the seasons. Ryan Howard completed 16 of 25 passes for 171 yards and 1 interception, which came in the fourth quarter.

Matthews gave the Bears a 7-0 lead on an 18-yard run in the first quarter, then Eddie Camara made it 10-7 with a 23-yard field goal later in the quarter.

UCA trailed 17-10 at halftime and 20-10 after Ryan Adams’ 43-yard field goal early in the third quarter. Reed’s 1-yard run pulled the Bears to within 20-17 before the Lions ran away in the fourth quarter.

Southeastern Louisiana ran for 289 yards, with 144 coming in the fourth quarter, and UCA was held to 113 yards rushing.

LAMAR 63, NICHOLLS STATE 21

THIBODAUX, La. — Kade Harrington ran for 123 yards and four touchdowns to lead Lamar to a rout of Nicholls State (0-8, 0-4) on Saturday.

Harrington had scoring runs of 19, 8 and 4-yards in the first half as Lamar (5-3, 2-2 Southland Conference) built a 42-7 lead at the break. Harrington added a 3-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.

Caleb Berry threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Mark Roberts, and hit Reggie Begelton for a 4-yard score. Berry was 27 of 32 for 330 yards, and his performance broke John Evans’ school record for career completions, yards passing, and total offense set in 1989.

Carl Harris added 116 yards rushing and a touchdown for Lamar.

Keenan Canty returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown, and Beaux Hebert and Kalen Henderson threw touchdowns passes to lead Nicholls State.

McNEESE STATE 31, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 20

LAKE CHARLES, La. — Daniel Sams threw for three touchdowns and 184 yards to lead McNeese State to a victory over Abilene Christian on Saturday night.

McNeese State (4-2, 2-1 Southland), which was upset by Sam Houston State 38-22 last week, bounced back to defeat the Wildcats. The Cowboys finished with 507 total yards, rolling up 304 on the ground, while limiting Abilene Christian (4-4, 2-2) to 351 total yards.

Sams finished with 296 total yards, rushing for 112 yards on 13 carries.

Leading 24-6 at the half, the Cowboys had a 31-6 lead in the fourth quarter. Abilene Christian (4-4, 2-2) mounted a comeback as De’Andre Brown scored from the 23 and Parker McKenzie passed to Demarcus Thompson from the 8 to make the score 31-20 with 5:47 remaining.

NORTHWESTERN STATE 31, SAM HOUSTON STATE 27

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Zach Adkins threw a pass into the left corner of the end zone and De’Mard Llorens ran under it to give Northwestern State (4-3, 2-1 Southland) its first lead with 5:48 remaining as the Demons went on to defeat Sam Houston State.

On the ensuing drive the Bearkats, trailing by one, had a first down on NSU’s 43 when Tyler Roussel forced a fumble and Imoan Clairborne picked it up, returning it 28 yards to Sam Houston’s 42.

Seven plays later Chris Moore, who had missed two previous attempts, kicked a 30-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining for the final score.

Adkins threw for four touchdowns and 296 yards for Northwestern.