HAMMOND, La. (Interstat) — Southeastern Louisiana defeated North Alabama 30-25 on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at Strawberry Stadium in an NCAA Football Championship Division game between two teams that share the Lions nickname. The home Lions earned their first victory of the season and improved to 1-2, while the visiting Lions dropped to 1-2. The game featured an early surge by North Alabama, a sharp second-quarter response by Southeastern Louisiana and a tense finish in which the home team did enough to protect its lead.

Southeastern Louisiana struck first in the opening quarter when Kyle Lowe completed a short pass to the right to Dkhai Joseph. Joseph caught the ball near the North Alabama 35 and raced the rest of the way for a 53-yard touchdown. Drew Talley made the extra point to give the home Lions an early advantage. North Alabama answered with 18 points in the first quarter, a burst that changed the pace of the game. Chris McMillian powered in on a 1-yard rush up the middle for a touchdown, and Eli Sisson completed a pass on the two-point conversion attempt. Destin Wade later found Xavier Johnson for a 17-yard touchdown pass, and Ian Vachon made a 39-yard field goal. The visiting Lions carried a lead into the second quarter.

Southeastern Louisiana responded with 16 points in the second quarter. Calvin Smith Jr. ran right for a 9-yard touchdown, and Talley added the extra point. The home Lions mixed runs and passes to keep North Alabama off balance, and their defense began to settle in after a difficult opening period. North Alabama had chances to extend its lead, but Southeastern Louisiana’s coverage tightened and the home crowd at Strawberry Stadium grew louder as the half progressed. By halftime, Southeastern Louisiana had erased most of the early deficit and put itself in position to take control after the break.

The third quarter brought more back-and-forth play. North Alabama scored seven points in the period when Jalen Fletcher rushed left for a 2-yard touchdown, and Vachon made the extra point. Southeastern Louisiana answered with seven points of its own when Lowe connected with Joseph again, this time on a 52-yard touchdown pass down the left side. Talley’s extra point was good, and the home Lions regained the lead. Talley also made a 41-yard field goal during the game, one of the key special-teams plays for Southeastern Louisiana. North Alabama’s Ian Vachon later attempted a 47-yard field goal, but the kick was no good, leaving points on the field in a game that remained close.

North Alabama kept pressing in the fourth quarter. The visiting Lions forced Southeastern Louisiana into a few difficult situations, but the home Lions managed the clock and avoided the costly turnover. Southeastern Louisiana’s defense came up with stops when needed, with Trace Carter, Jordan Okoye, Carter Hanberry and Evan Aubrey among the players listed as key performers. Carter Byrd, Kenneth Ford and Lawson Dixon also contributed on a defensive effort that did just enough to keep North Alabama from completing the comeback.

Offensively, Southeastern Louisiana leaned on Lowe’s passing and Joseph’s ability to turn short catches into long gains. Joseph’s two long touchdown receptions were among the most important plays of the night. Tristan Goodly, Zay Franks and Dkhai Joseph were among the receiving options, while Kyree Paul, Deantre Jackson and Calvin Smith Jr. handled carries in the running game. Jack Hunter punted for the home Lions, and Talley handled kicking duties. For North Alabama, Wade directed the offense at quarterback, with Ty Watkins also listed among the team’s key performers. Roderick Taylor Jr., Jalen Fletcher and Chris McMillian contributed in the running game, while Snap Reed, TJ Holmes and Noah Gregg were among the receiving targets. Xavier Johnson scored on a 17-yard reception, and Eli Sisson helped convert a two-point attempt.

North Alabama’s defense had its moments as well. Jyheam Ingram, Mond Cole, Tae Martin and Kanijal Thomas were listed among the key performers, and the visiting Lions made Southeastern Louisiana work for its points. The game was physical throughout, with both teams leaning on their linebackers and defensive fronts. Southeastern Louisiana’s Trace Carter, Jordan Okoye and Gabe Copeland were active at linebacker, while Peyton Anderson, Max Elkman, James Harris and Gabe Whittington helped along the defensive line. Mike Mitchell, Richard McKneely and CJ Fraser contributed in the secondary for the home Lions.

The result left both teams at 1-2 on the season. North Alabama opened the year with a 22-10 home win over Samford on Aug. 29 before falling 31-14 at Arkansas on Sept. 5. Southeastern Louisiana lost 34-28 to Houston Christian on Aug. 27 and dropped a 39-14 decision at South Alabama on Sept. 5 before breaking through against North Alabama. North Alabama will return home to face Alcorn State on Sept. 19, then host Western Illinois on Sept. 26 before traveling to Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 3. Southeastern Louisiana will visit Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 19, then travel to Northwestern State on Sept. 26 before a trip to UT Rio Grande Valley on Oct. 10.

Southeastern Louisiana’s win came in a game that had been expected to be far more one-sided. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Southeastern Louisiana 55, North Alabama 20. Interstat’s ELO system had given Southeastern Louisiana a 92 percent probability to win. Instead, North Alabama’s early offense and late touchdown made the contest competitive into the final minutes, and Southeastern Louisiana had to rely on its defense and special teams to secure the victory. The result was much closer than the pregame projection suggested. The home Lions improved to 1-2 with the win, while the visiting Lions also moved to 1-2.