The 47th season of Southland Conference football gets underway Thursday with a pair of league teams in action. Central Arkansas plays host to Elizabeth City State and Southeastern Louisiana visits Tulane. Both games are at 7 p.m.
Elizabeth City State (1-0, 1-0 CIAA)
at Central Arkansas (0-0, 0-0 Southland)
Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 • 7 p.m., CDT
First Security Field at Estes Stadium • Conway, Ark.
Series: First Meeting
On the web:
Elizabeth City St.: www.ecsuvikings.com
Central Arkansas: www.ucasports.com
On twitter:
Elizabeth City St.: @ecsu
Central Arkansas: @ucasports
Central Arkansas Notes: Central Arkansas will be trying to bounce back from a 5-7 season overall and a 2-5 finish in the Southland Conference ... the 2010 campaign gets underway Thursday against Elizabeth City State, a Division II school, which is already 1-0 after beating Johnson C. Smith 45-27 last Saturday ... the Bears, which have completed their transition into Division I, become fully eligible for the conference championship and NCAA playoffs ... last season, the Bears averaged 26.2 points and 391 yards per game and limited opponents to just 17.1 points and 298.0 yards ... the Bears will have to find replacements for 23 seniors from 2009, including defensive end Larry Hart and running back Brent Grimes, the school's all-time scoring leader ... with a 73-43 record in 10 seasons at UCA, coach Clint Conque is one win away from tying the school record ... a win Thursday would tie him with Harold Horton ... the Bears have five new assistant coaches.
Southeastern Louisiana (0-0)
at Tulane (0-0)
Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 • 7 p.m., CDT
New Orleans Superdome • New Orleans, La.
Series: Tulane leads 4-0
Last Meeting: 2007, Tulane won 35-27
On the web:
Southeastern La.: www.lionsports.net
Tulane: www.tulanegreenwave.com
On twitter:
Southeastern La.: @sluathletics
Tulane: @GreenWaveFB
Southeastern Louisiana notes: The Lions finished 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the Southland Conference ... it was the first winning season for Southeastern since 2004 ... coach Mike Lucas earned coach of the year honors by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association ... the Lions return 51 lettermen and 19 starters from that squad, which lost quarterback Brian Babin, who threw for 7,400 yards and 62 touchdowns in his three-year career ... Southeastern opens the season Thursday night at Tulane, marking the fourth time to open on a Thursday since the school reinstating its program in 2003 ... receiver Simmie Yarborough needs 55 catches to become the school's all-time leader in receptions ... linebacker Mark Newbill ranks third in school history with 293 tackles and needs 76 stops to become the record holder ... Andre Cryer enters the season ranks fourth in school history in both kickoff returns (56) and kickoff return yards (1,157) and ranks eighth with 82 receptions.
Saturday Games
Northwestern State at Air Force, 1 p.m.
Sam Houston State at Baylor, 6 p.m.
No. 8/8 Stephen F. Austin at Texas A&M, 6 p.m.
Lamar at No. 11/12 McNeese State, 7 p.m.
Texas State at Houston, 7 p.m.
Nicholls at San Diego State, 7 p.m.