Even in a state that’s filled with popular college football programs, the Southeastern Louisiana Lions are not to be overlooked. The Lions are the most prestigious program in the deep south, which is why it’s easier to find cheap Southeastern Louisiana football tickets than some other programs. But since they ended an 18-year hiatus in 2003, the Lions have been on a quest to become kings of the Southland Conference. Slowly but surely, they have raised the profile of the program, creating tons of demand for last-minute Southeastern Louisiana football tickets and making the Lions an FCS team to watch closely in the years to come.

The Early Days

Southeastern Louisiana football has been around since 1930, although the Lions have mostly been at the lower levels of college football. That being said, Southeastern Louisiana enjoyed a period of sustained success under head coach Stan Galloway during the 1950s and early 60s. During his 15 seasons with the Lions, Galloway had a record of 84-42-4, guiding the Lions to six conference championships, including an undefeated season in 1954. Unfortunately, that success couldn’t be sustained. The program was shut down after the 1985 season and ceased to exist for 18 years.

Born Again

In 2003, the Lions were back by popular demand, joining the FCS level as an independent and finding a full-time home in the Southland Conference two years later. A decade later, in 2013, head coach Ron Roberts led Southeastern Louisiana to the program’s first conference title in over 50 years. With that, the Lions earned their first-ever appearance in the FCS Playoffs, even earning a playoff victory that season over Sam Houston State. Since then, the Lions have been regular contenders in the Southland and made several more appearances in the FCS Playoffs. In a relatively short period of time, Southeastern Louisiana became one of the most consistent programs at the FCS level, setting the stage for a bright future.