HAMMOND, La. (Interstat) — Cutter Stewart threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 95 yards, helping Houston Christian open its season with a 34-28 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday night at Strawberry Stadium.

The Huskies used a 20-point burst across the second and third quarters to seize control, then withstood a late rally by the Lions. Stewart completed 10 of 18 passes, including scoring strikes to Keith Wheeler and Jamaal Hall II, and carried 15 times. Houston Christian won its season opener while Southeastern Louisiana fell to 0-1.

Southeastern Louisiana struck first, marching 75 yards in the closing seconds of the opening quarter. Calvin Smith Jr. capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run with 9 seconds left in the period, and Drew Talley’s extra point gave the Lions a 7-0 lead. The Lions had controlled the possession for most of the quarter, but Houston Christian’s defense stiffened after the score.

Houston Christian answered in the second quarter. After a 30-yard field goal by L. Smolen cut the deficit to 7-3, the Huskies took the lead on a 4-yard run by C. Dozier. Stewart then connected with Wheeler on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 2 seconds remaining in the half, sending Houston Christian into the break ahead 17-7.

The Huskies kept rolling in the third quarter. J. Middleton scored on a 1-yard run at the 8:24 mark, extending the lead to 24-7. After Southeastern Louisiana’s Kyle Lowe broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown run to make it 24-14, Stewart answered with a 66-yard touchdown pass to Hall II, and Houston Christian carried a 31-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

Smolen added a 32-yard field goal early in the final period, pushing the lead to 34-14. Southeastern Louisiana then mounted a furious comeback. Lowe threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Lawson Dixon with 8:35 remaining, then found Dixon again on an 18-yard scoring strike with 3:29 left. The Lions pulled within 34-28 but could not get the ball back with enough time after Houston Christian recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.

The decisive sequence came in the final minutes. After Dixon’s second touchdown, Southeastern Louisiana attempted an onside kick, but Houston Christian recovered at its own 46-yard line. The Huskies then converted a key third-down pass from Stewart to Hall II, and the running game took over. Dozier picked up back-to-back gains of 2 and 4 yards, and Stewart knelt down on the final snap to seal the win.

Stewart was the engine for Houston Christian. He completed passes to six different receivers and consistently extended drives with his legs, picking up 95 yards on the ground. Wheeler caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. Hall II added two receptions for 71 yards, including the long touchdown. Middleton and Dozier shared the rushing load, with Dozier scoring once.

Defensively, Houston Christian was led by Javon Bejarano with 10 tackles. Darius Bean and Jayven Anderson each had nine tackles, and Anderson added a sack. Trent Zappe also recorded nine stops, and Rufus Toe recovered a fumble. The Huskies forced three Southeastern Louisiana fumbles, losing one, and intercepted one pass.

Southeastern Louisiana’s Lowe had a busy night, completing 17 of 27 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 54 yards and a score. Dixon was his primary target, catching four passes for 46 yards and both touchdowns. Tristan Goodly added four receptions for 33 yards, and Kyree Paul ran for 70 yards on eight carries and returned three kickoffs for 67 yards.

Defensively, Trace Carter recorded nine tackles for the Lions, with Jordan Okoye adding eight. Peyton Anderson had seven stops, and Carter Hanberry and CJ Fraser each made six. Zay Franks intercepted a pass in the first quarter. The Lions also blocked a field goal attempt in the second quarter, but the offense could not capitalize before halftime.

The game also saw several momentum swings beyond the score. Southeastern Louisiana appeared poised to extend its lead early in the second quarter, but a 43-yard field goal attempt by Talley was blocked by Anderson. Houston Christian turned that into its first touchdown drive. Later, with the Huskies leading 10-7, an interception by M. Henderson gave the offense possession near midfield, and Stewart engineered a drive that ended with the Wheeler touchdown just before halftime.

In the third quarter, Southeastern Louisiana’s offense showed signs of life after Lowe’s 55-yard touchdown run, but Houston Christian answered immediately. On the next possession, Stewart found Hall II deep downfield for the 66-yard score, restoring a 17-point cushion. The Huskies then forced a fumble on the Lions’ next series, with Bejarano stripping Chad Elzy Jr. and Toe recovering at the Southeastern Louisiana 40-yard line. That led to a field goal early in the fourth quarter that made it a three-possession game.

Southeastern Louisiana never stopped pushing in the final period. Lowe directed a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by the first Dixon touchdown. After forcing a punt, the Lions drove 98 yards in eight plays, with Dixon catching the 18-yard touchdown with 3:29 remaining. The ensuing onside kick failed, however, and Houston Christian’s offense controlled the clock.

Houston Christian’s win came despite a slow start offensively. The Huskies managed only two first downs in the first quarter and were intercepted by Franks on their second possession. But the offense found rhythm behind Stewart’s scrambling and the passing game. Stewart’s 39-yard completion to J. Wallace in the second quarter set up the go-ahead touchdown, and his 17-yard run on a third-quarter drive helped extend the lead.

The victory was the first of the season for Houston Christian, which plays at Rice on Sept. 5. Southeastern Louisiana will look for its first win at South Alabama on the same date.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a 42-26 win for Southeastern Louisiana, and Interstat’s ELO system gave the Lions a 96.8 percent probability of winning. Houston Christian was a 24.5-point underdog entering the game. The combined 62 points went over the 51.5-point over/under line.