HAMMOND, La. – In the Southland Conference opener, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team fell 21-9 to the Southeastern Louisiana Lions on Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.
A&M-Commerce falls to 0-5 on the season and Saturday was the first time the Lions came up short in the conference opener since joining the Southland. Southeastern is now 2-4 on the season and 1-0 in SLC play.
Both teams exchanged in the first quarter for a scoreless first 15 minutes of the game. SLU had 87 yards of total offense on 15 plays in the first half, while A&M-Commerce had 72 yards on 14 plays.
After an A&M-Commerce fumble on the first drive of the second quarter gave SLU the ball in A&M-Commerce territory,
Jaden Rios (Frisco – Lone Star) came up with an interception to stall the SLU scoring chance.
Antonio Martin Jr. broke away in for a 58-yard touchdown with 7:17 left in the second quarter for the only score of the first half, as SLU led 7-0 at the half. In the second quarter, SLU had the 123-33 edge in total yards, despite just running five more plays.
With four seconds left in the first half, SLU attempted a 43-yard field goal to add to its lead, but the kick went wide right. A&M-Commerce was held to seven punts and a turnover in the first half.
The first points of the game for A&M-Commerce came with 9:25 left in the third on a 21-yard field goal by
Luke Jackson (Bensalem, Pa.). It was the first points scored by the Lions since 8:56 left in the third quarter against Grambling.
LUKE JACKSON FIELD GOAL HIGHLIGHT
The 61-yard scoring drive for the Lions was their longest and second-longest overall of the game for either team in the game.
On the ensuing drive, A&M-Commerce defense forced a turnover on downs, but SLU held A&M-Commerce to a three-and-out and Eli Sawyer hit Cade Collier for a nine-yard touchdown to take a 14-3 lead with 35 seconds left in the third.
The Lions fumbled the kickoff, giving Southeastern the ball back at opposing 30-yard line, but A&M-Commerce forced another turnover on downs to bring the offense back on the field.
A&M-Commerce took full advantage of the defensive stop, putting together an eight-play 64-yard touchdown drive capped off by an eight-yard touchdown from
Ron Peace (Malakoff) to
Tyler Daniels (Hattiesburg, Miss.), but the two-point conversion attempt was no good.
TYLER DANIELS TOUCHDOWN HIGHLIGHT
Martin Jr. added another touchdown in the fourth quarter, running it in from a yard out. He totaled 185 yards along with his two touchdowns, while Darius Lewis had 111 of 194 receiving yards for Southeasterm.
For A&M-Commerce, Peace went 18 for 25, throwing for 161 yards and the lone touchdown of the game. Defensively,
Brandon Tucker (DeSoto) totaled 14 tackles, including two sacks.
A&M-Commerce has started 0-5 to start the season for the first time since 2011.
POST GAME INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
Next week, A&M-Commerce closes out the road swing at Northwestern State next Saturday at 2 p.m.
-TAMUC-
