PIGSKIN SCRAMBLE—Southeastern safety Tommy Connors (19) and McNeese State quarterback Derrick Fourroux (4) scramble after a fumbled snap by Fourroux Saturday night. Fourroux recovered in the Cowboys’ 24-14 victory. By John Lenz

It's quite a party the Southland Conference is having this fall. And if Southeastern's Lions find themselves on the outside looking in, they will have only themselves to blame.

    Up there are the top are two teams with one league loss - one of them, Northwestern State, wearing a loss the Lions hung on them.

Right behind are three more teams hot on their heels with one loss apiece.

Southeastern (4-5, 1-3), alas, is not one of them following a 24-14 loss to McNeese State Saturday that bore an unsettling resemblance to the previous week's 28-21 loss at Central Arkansas.

Once again, the Lions did some good things, most especially on defense. But their suicidal tendencies rose again - another week of double-digit penalties (11 for 74 yards) by the far and away most-penalized team in the Southland.

“Are we in Conway or Hammond?” asked an incredulous Lions acting head coach Tommy Condell afterwards. “Déjà vu.”

Condell said the coaching staff spent the week harping on penalties. So what happened?

First half: False start Josh Bridges (1st-and-15 after successful onside kick). Defensive offside Devin Boutwell (gives McNeese 1st-and-5). Defensive personal foul Tommy Connors (erasing a successful stop on 3rd-and-goal from the 5). Illegal block on kickoff Stephen Moreaux (pushing SLU back to its own 11). False start Brent Blazevich (2nd-and-15). Holding Cole Wardell (wipes out Jay Lucas first-down run). False start Brad Bardy (1st-and-15). Delay of game (ahead of a punt that then went 29 yards to the McNeese 30).

 Second half: Illegal shift (erases 3rd-and-1 first-down carry by Tyler Beatty; Lions then stopped on fourth down). False start Willie Pritchett (on 3rd-and-4, Lions eventually have to punt). Unsportsmanlike conduct Tony Johnson (while McNeese is trying to kneel the ball and kill the clock).

No wonder the Lions went five straight series without moving the chains (including one turnover) in the first half to fall into a 21-7 hole.

“We just lost the momentum there,” said Lions linebacker Ryan Godare. “We stalled out, and they took it over there.”

Not good, admitted wide receiver Andre Cryer, the former Kentwood Roo who accounted for both Lion scores with a pair of touchdown pass receptions.

“We just couldn't get it together,” Cryer said. “Everybody wasn't on the same page, making too many mental mistakes. We've got to all do the right thing.”

“I think we had a penalty almost every single drive,” Condell said. “When you're playing behind the chains and you don't get a rhythm and your not getting the first down efficiency, when you're playing behind those chains and you're 2nd-and-15 - I'll even let you call a play.

“We have got to learn to do the little things. You cannot make yourself an opponent. I alluded to that, unfortunately, a week ago.”

The other major difference Saturday beside poise and discipline was McNeese State's offensive line - big nasties, as Godare called them. The Cowboys start four seniors and a sophomore, and there's a reason why the Cowboys lead the league in rushing yards, are tied for the fewest sacks allowed and average a league-high 5.2 yards per rushing attempt.

Southeastern, with three sophomores and two seniors (only one a returning starter), meanwhile, is second-to-last in the league in total offense and rushing offense. The Lions' 2.5 yards per carry average is the worst in the league. And remember, this is a team that has All-SLC Jay Lucas at running back.

And with five more sacks on Saturday, Southeastern has surrendered 33 this season - not just the most in the league, but almost twice as many as the next team (SFA with 18).

    Condell knows that the veteran upperclass offensive line remains the goal. In the meantime, there must be growing pains.

    “We're on our way (to that),” Condell said. “(McNeese) is a heavy, senior-laden football team, on both sides of the ball.

“But there is still no asterisk next to that,” Condell said. “We are not only in these football games; we're supposed to be. We need to learn to win. How long does that process take? Well, I promise you, I'm jumping on their back and kicking them down that road.

“It's like a child. You have to discipline it, scold it, correct it and improve it. That's what we're doing.”

Looks like another week in time out with no video games or dessert for the Lions.