Southland Conference: Week 2 Recap

Lamar 20, No. 4/6 South Dakota 13

Lamar’s Big Red held South Dakota to just three points in the second half to secure a 20-13 victory in its 2025 home opener, marking the highest-ranked win in program history. While South Dakota edged Lamar in total yards, 243-204, 158 of those yards came in the first half. Lamar’s defense dominated the second half, limiting the Coyotes to 85 yards and forcing three turnovers—two fumbles and one interception. A critical play came on the LU 1-yard line with seconds left in the first half: Christian Booker stripped the ball, and Jaden Maronen recovered it in the end zone. In the fourth quarter, Joshua Robinson scored his first touchdown for Lamar on a 5-yard plunge, giving the Cardinals a lead they would not relinquish.

UTRGV 27, Prairie View 21

UTRGV celebrated its first-ever Division I road win as defensive back Alijah Prosser forced a fumble in the final minutes, recovered by Elijah Graham. After Prairie View jumped ahead 21-20 with 13 minutes remaining, UTRGV’s defense held firm, forcing a late three-and-out and returning the ball to the offense with 5:25 left. Graduate RB Nathan Denney powered the offense down to the 10-yard line, then followed a key block from freshman TE Brendon Ray to score a 7-yard go-ahead touchdown with 2:21 remaining.

Southeastern Louisiana 45, Murray State 24

Southeastern Louisiana overcame Murray State with a dominant second quarter, outscoring the Racers 21-3 to break open the game. The Lions led 28-10 at halftime and never looked back. QB Carson Camp (18-of-25, 173 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and Kyle Lowe (6-of-8, 45 yards passing) split time under center, while Lowe also rushed for 97 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries. Southeastern finished with 480 total yards and 31 first downs. Defensively, KK Reno led with eight tackles, while Khamron Ford and Shakespeare Louis recorded interceptions. Peyton Anderson forced a fumble that Khalid Moore returned for a touchdown.

No. 16/17 Abilene Christian 28, No. 25/23 SFA 20

Abilene Christian capitalized on a fast start and a late surge to defeat Stephen F. Austin 28-20. SFA started with 130 yards on 18 plays and two touchdowns on its first two possessions, but could not overcome ACU’s consistency. A 52-yard punt return touchdown in the final minute gave SFA a late spark, but it fell short. ACU established momentum early with two touchdowns on consecutive drives, including a direct snap to Jordan Nabors for a 7-yard TD, set up by a 47-yard connection between Vidlak and Kylon Harris.

Eastern Kentucky 20, Houston Christian 10

Houston Christian outgained EKU and nearly doubled its first downs but fell 20-10. HCU finished with 248 total yards to EKU’s 177. Freshman WR Tamarcus Gray Jr. caught 10 passes for 80 yards, while Ja’Ryan Wallace added five receptions for 57 yards. QB Weir completed 21-of-44 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Evans led with 40 yards on 15 carries. Defensively, safety Norey Johnson had eight tackles, Rodney Dansby added seven, and Georges recorded his first interception at HCU, along with 1.5 tackles for loss.

Louisiana 34, McNeese 10

McNeese stayed competitive against Louisiana but could not overcome the Cajuns’ depth, falling 34-10 in front of 26,071 fans. McNeese trailed 17-10 after three quarters, but Louisiana scored 17 points in the final quarter, including 14 in the last 3:48. Joshua Jackson caught four passes for 83 yards, while Jake Strong threw for 191 yards.

RV West Georgia 34, No. 22/25 Nicholls 10

Nicholls struggled in a 34-10 loss to West Georgia. The Colonels forced three first-half turnovers but managed just three points, trailing 14-3 at halftime. West Georgia extended the lead to 34-3 early in the fourth quarter, before Jackson Dufrene caught a 44-yard touchdown pass for Nicholls’ only score. The Colonels allowed 342 rushing yards, the most since their 2021 opener at Memphis, with Latrelle Murrell (170 yards) and QB Davin Wydner (103 yards) each surpassing 100 yards.

Minnesota 66, Northwestern State 0

Minnesota scored on the first play from scrimmage and never looked back, leading to a 66-0 victory. The game ended with 6:15 remaining due to weather and travel concerns. Northwestern State’s defense was unable to contain Minnesota’s speed and size.

No. 14/19 Florida State 77, East Texas A&M 3

Florida State dominated in front of 65,430 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles improved to 2-0 with wins over nationally ranked Alabama and ETAM. ETAM’s only points came on a 21-yard field goal by Ozlo Rigby. Florida State outgained ETAM 729-197 yards.

Week 3 Preview

• Houston Christian @ Nebraska – 11:00 A.M., Lincoln, Neb., FS1
  HCU faces a significant step up against the Big Ten Huskers; defensive resilience and disciplined offense will be key.

• Northwestern State @ Cincinnati – 2:30 P.M., Cincinnati, Ohio, ESPN+
  The Demons look to regroup after back-to-back tough losses against FBS opponents.

• UIW @ UTSA – 2:30 P.M., San Antonio, Texas, ESPN+
  Road matchup tests UIW’s balance against a strong UTSA squad.

• Mississippi Valley State @ Southeastern – 6:00 P.M., Hammond, La., ESPN+
  Southeastern’s efficiency and big-play ability should give them an edge.

• Weber State @ McNeese – 6:00 P.M., Lake Charles, La., ESPN+
  McNeese looks to rebound and establish offensive rhythm.

• Lamar @ Texas Southern – 6:00 P.M., Houston, Texas, ESPN+
  Lamar hopes to maintain momentum and continue dominating defensively.

• Langston @ UTRGV – 7:00 P.M., Edinburg, Texas, ESPN+
  UTRGV will aim to showcase its high-powered offense and strong red-zone performance.

• Sul Ross State @ SFA – 7:00 P.M., Nacogdoches, Texas, ESPN+
  SFA looks to recover after a close loss to Abilene Christian and rely on big special teams plays.

Weekly Honors

• Team of the Week: UTRGV Vaqueros — explosive offense paired with a signature first Division I road win.

• Offensive Player of the Week: Nathan Denney (RB, UTRGV) — scored the lifetime-defining go-ahead touchdown.

• Defensive Players of the Week: Alijah Prosser and Elijah Graham (UTRGV DBs) — created and recovered the fumble that set up the winning score.

• Special Teams Player of the Week: Ben Woodard (K, Lamar) — perfect on field goals and kept Lamar in contention during their upset.

Week 3 Preview – Matchups to Watch

• Houston Christian at Nebraska (11 AM, FS1)

• Northwestern State at Cincinnati (2:30 PM, ESPN+)

• Incarnate Word at UT San Antonio (2:30 PM, ESPN+)
• Mississippi Valley State at Southeastern Louisiana