Southeastern drops season opener at Tulane

NEW ORLEANS — The Southeastern Louisiana football team opened the 2024 season with a 52-0 loss to Tulane Thursday night in Yulman Stadium. Tulane (1-0) outgained Southeastern (0-1), 472-201, in the season opener for both teams. The shutout loss was the first for the Lions since a 31-0 loss at LSU in the 2018 season.

Southeastern drove into Green Wave territory five times, but could not come away with points. Eli Sawyer handled the majority of the snaps under center for the Lions, finishing 14-for-19 for 99 yards and an interception. Darius Lewis was Sawyer’s top target, finishing with five catches for 44 yards.



In his Lion debut, Antonio Martin Jr. led SLU with a game-high 68 yards on 13 carries. Kaleb Proctor led Southeastern with six tackles, while Coryell Pierce, Donte’ Daniels and KK Reno were each credited with four stops apiece.

Brandon Hayes led SLU on special teams, averaging 29.9 yards per kickoff return. Darian Mensah got the start at quarterback for Tulane, finishing 10-for-12 for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Mario Williams finished with four catches for 124 yards to lead the Green Wave, while Makhi Hughes rushed for a team-high 59 yards and a score. Bailey Despnaie led Tulane with eight tackles. Rayshawn Pleasant returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter – one of two turnovers forced by the Green Wave.

A promising opening drive for Southeastern ended with a turnover in Tulane territory. After SLU was forced to punt, the Green Wave ran into SLU punter Jack Hunter. The Lions drove inside the 30-yard line, but Kameron Hamilton stripped Harlan Dixon and Sam Howard pounced on the loose ball to end Southeastern’s threat.

The Green Wave answered with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring march to take the lead. Mensah found Yulkeith Brown from 11 yards out to give Tulane a 7-0 advantage with 3:30 left in the opening quarter. Hayes took the ensuing kickoff back 48 yards and a Green Wave penalty tacked on to the end of the return set SLU up at the Tulane 35-yard line.

A couple of passes from Sawyer to Jaylon Domingeaux set Southeastern up with a goal-to-go situation. However, a sack and a Lion penalty stalled the drive out for the Lions. On the first play of the second quarter, Riley Callaghan pushed a 45-yard field goal wide left to keep SLU off the board.

Tulane marched 72 yards on 10 plays on the ensuing drive. Hughes raced around left end from two yards out to put the Green Wave up, 14-0, with 9:45 remaining in the opening half. After the two teams traded punts, SLU had another promising drive cut short.

The Lions moved down to the Tulane 18-yard line, but Pleasant intercepted a Sawyer pass at the goal line and took it back 100 yards for a touchdown to send the Green Wave into the break with a 21-0 lead. Tulane took the opening drive of the second half 75 yards on seven plays. Backup quarterback Ty Thompson bulled in from eight yards out to extend the Green Wave lead to 28-0 with 11:40 remaining in the third quarter.

Southeastern took its first drive of the second half into Tulane territory, but Lewis was tackled just short of the sticks on a fourth-down catch to end the Lion drive. Tulane answered with a six-play, 57-yard scoring march to extend its advantage. Arnold Barnes III powered in from a yard out to cap the drive and give the Green Wave a 35-0 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter.

After a Southeastern punt, Tulane scored on the first play of the fourth quarter. Mensah found Alex Bauman from 12 yards out to give the Green Wave a 42-0 lead seven seconds into the final period. Southeastern was forced to punt again, then Tulane padded its lead.

Thompson scored from four yards out to give Tulane a 49-0 cushion with just over 10 minutes left. A 38-yard field goal by Jacob Barnes in the final minutes provided the final margin for Tulane. Thursday’s game was the first of two versus FBS competition to open the year for the Lions.

SLU will head to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Sept.7 for a 6 p.m.

game at Southern Miss. The contest against the Golden Eagles will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network..