# 2021 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team

The 2021 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team represented Southeastern Louisiana University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Lions were led by fourth-year head coach Frank Scelfo and played their home games at Strawberry Stadium.

## Preseason
### Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll in July 2021. The Lions were picked to finish first in the conference. In addition, sixteen Lions were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 48 (8) |
| 2 | Nicholls | 43 (4) |
| 3 | Incarnate Word | 32 |
| 4 | McNeese State | 26 |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 21 |
| 6 | Houston Baptist | 10 |

### Preseason All–Southland Teams
## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 6:00 p.m. | at North Alabama* | No. 15 | Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, AL | ESPN3 | W 49–28 | 3,433 |
| September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | at Louisiana Tech* | No. 13 | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | ESPN3 | L 42–45 | 15,328 |
| September 18 | 11:00 a.m. | at Central Connecticut* | No. 15 | Arute FieldNew Britain, CT | | W 56–10 | 3,117 |
| October 2 | 12:00 p.m. | at McNeese State | No. 14 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ESPN+ | W 38–35 | 6,044 |
| October 9 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 25 Nicholls | No. 14 | John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA (River Bell Classic) | ESPN+ | W 58–48 | 7,402 |
| October 16 | 4:00 p.m. | Houston Baptist | No. 11 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA | ESPN+ | W 61–24 | 7,389 |
| October 23 | 3:00 p.m. | at Northwestern State | No. 9 | Harry Turpin StadiumNatchitoches, LA (rivalry) | ESPN+ | W 51–14 | 6,523 |
| October 30 | 6:00 p.m. | McNeese State | No. 8 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA | ESPN+ | W 23–20 | 4,185 |
| November 6 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 22 Incarnate Word | No. 6 | Gayle and Tom Benson StadiumSan Antonio, TX | ESPN+ | L 52–55 | 3,220 |
| November 13 | 6:00 p.m. | Northwestern State | No. 14 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA (rivalry) | ESPN+ | W 56–28 | 4,137 |
| November 18 | 6:00 p.m. | Nicholls | No. 15 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA (River Bell Classic) | ESPN+ | L 42–45 | 6,057 |
| November 27 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 22 Florida A&M* | No. 18 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA (FCS Playoffs First Round) | ESPN+ | W 38–14 | 4,125 |
| December 4 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 2 James Madison* | No. 18 | Bridgeforth StadiumHarrisonburg, VA (FCS Playoffs Second Round) | ESPN+ | L 20–59 | 11,743 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||
* ↑ Southeastern Louisiana's game against North Alabama was originally scheduled to be played as a home game, in Hammond, but the game was moved to Florence, Alabama on August 31, 2021, due to safety concerns related to Hurricane Ida.
* ↑ Southeastern Louisiana's home game against Northwestern State was originally scheduled to be played on September 25, but the game was moved on November 13, 2021, due to safety concerns related to Hurricane Ida.

## Game summaries
### at North Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 15 SLU Lions | 7 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 49 |
| UNA Lions | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Statistics | Southeastern Louisiana | North Alabama |
| First downs | 30 | 23 |
| Total yards | 495 | 404 |
| Rushing yards | 232 | 54 |
| Passing yards | 263 | 350 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 36:49 | 23:11 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | Cole Kelley | 30/41, 263 yards, 3 TD |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing | Taron Jones | 11 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving | CJ Turner | 3 receptions, 52 yards |
| North Alabama | Passing | Jaylen Gipson | 23/46, 350 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT |
| North Alabama | Rushing | Jaylen Gipson | 7 carries, 22 yards |
| North Alabama | Receiving | Takairee Kennebrew | 7 receptions, 132 yards, 3 TD |

### At Louisiana Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 Lions | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| • Bulldogs | 14 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Statistics | Southeastern Louisiana | Louisiana Tech |
| First downs | 32 | 23 |
| Total yards | 598 | 448 |
| Rushing yards | 103 | 198 |
| Passing yards | 495 | 250 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:48 | 27:12 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | Cole Kelley | 44/59, 495 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing | Cole Kelley | 14 carries, 42 yards, 2 TD |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving | C. J. Turner | 8 receptions, 131 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 19/27, 217 yards, TD, INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 18 carries, 99 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Tre Harris | 4 receptions, 72 yards, TD |

### At Central Connecticut

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| No. 15 Lions | | | 0 |
| Blue Devils | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |
| Central Connecticut | Passing |
| Central Connecticut | Rushing |
| Central Connecticut | Receiving |

### At McNeese State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 14 Lions | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |

### At No. 25 Nicholls

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 14 Lions | 7 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 58 |
| No. 25 Colonels | 7 | 7 | 21 | 13 | 48 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-1 | 72.5 |
| Statistics | Southeastern Louisiana | Nicholls |
| First downs | 32 | 26 |
| Total yards | 573 | 507 |
| Rushing yards | 167 | 209 |
| Passing yards | 406 | 298 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 37:51 | 22:09 |
| Team | Category |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |

### Houston Baptist

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Huskies | | | 0 |
| No. 11 Lions | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Houston Baptist | Passing |
| Houston Baptist | Rushing |
| Houston Baptist | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |

### At Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| No. 9 Lions | | | 0 |
| Demons | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |
| Northwestern State | Passing |
| Northwestern State | Rushing |
| Northwestern State | Receiving |

### McNeese State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
| • No. 8 Lions | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 23 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |

### At No. 22 Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 6 Lions | 7 | 10 | 21 | 14 | 52 |
| • No. 22 Cardinals | 7 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 55 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Statistics | Southeastern Louisiana | Incarnate Word |
| First downs | 44 | 29 |
| Total yards | 774 | 711 |
| Rushing yards | 127 | 95 |
| Passing yards | 647 | 616 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 42:22 | 17:38 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | Cole Kelley | 50/68, 647 yards, 3 TD |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing | Taron Jones | 10 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving | Austin Mitchell | 9 receptions, 169 yards, 1 TD |
| Incarnate Word | Passing | Cam Ward | 34/52, 610 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing | Kevin Brown | 6 carries, 65 yards |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving | Taylor Grimes | 12 receptions, 193 yards, 2 TD |

### Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Demons | | | 0 |
| No. 16 Lions | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Northwestern State | Passing |
| Northwestern State | Rushing |
| Northwestern State | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |

### Nicholls

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Colonels | 21 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 45 |
| No. 15 Lions | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 42 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| SEL –7.5 | 78 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | Southeastern Louisiana |
| First downs | 28 | 26 |
| Total yards | 556 | 496 |
| Rushing yards | 292 | 111 |
| Passing yards | 264 | 385 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 33:29 | 26:31 |
| Team | Category |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |

## FCS Playoffs
### Vs. No. 22 Florida A&M – first round

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 22 Florida A&M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| No. 18 Lions | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |

### At No. 3 Dukes – second round

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 18 Lions | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| No. 3 Dukes | 14 | 24 | 21 | 0 | 59 |