Virgil has 4 TD passes, leads SE Louisiana over Lamar 45-34

HAMMOND, La. (AP) — Chason Virgil had four touchdown passes and threw for 307 yards to lead Southeastern Louisiana to a 45-34 victory over Lamar on Saturday night in a Southland Conference opener.

Lamar (2-2, 0-1) led 24-21 at halftime, but Southeastern Louisiana (2-1, 1-0) answered when Virgil threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Javon Conner and a 50-yarder to Austin Mitchell in under two minutes midway through the third quarter. Cole Kelley's 14-yard TD pass to Conner stretched the Lions' lead to 42-27.

Virgil was 26-of-34 passing. Mitchell had five catches for 136 yards with two touchdowns. CJ Turner also caught a touchdown pass and Devonte Williams ran for a score for the Lions.

Myles Wanza's 3-yard touchdown run pulled Lamar to 42-34 with 11:47 to play. The Lions used a 15-play, 87-yard drive, capped by Bryce Broussard's 19-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining, to put the game out of reach.

Jordan Hoy was 14 of 33 for 303 yards passing with a touchdown and interception for Lamar.