The Red Flash football team dropped a 29-0 decision at FBS-member Louisiana Monroe in its season-opener on Thursday.
The game marked the fourth time in the last five years that SFU opened the season against an FBS program.
Kickoff of the game between the Flash and Warhawks was delayed an hour and 43 minutes due to lightning in the area.
The Warhawks scored a touchdown in the first quarter and added a field goal in the second to carry a 10-0 lead into the half.
ULM quarterback Aidan Armenta led a Warhawks offense that piled up 434 total yards, including 311 on the ground. Braylon McReynolds led all players in rushing with 113 rushing yards on 11 carries.
SFU redshirt junior quarterback Nick Whitfield completed nine of 16 passes for 36 yards, with one interception. Redshirt sophomore Jeff Hoenstine came on in relief of Whitfield and completed three of four passes for 14 yards.
Redshirt junior running back Raphael Ekechi led the Flash on the ground with 37 yards on 10 carries. Jahmil Perryman recorded 25 rushing yards on three carries.
Sophomore linebacker Geno Calgaro led SFU with 12 tackles, seven of those solo stops. The Canonsburg native and preseason All-NEC selection recorded at least nine tackles for the fifth time in the last seven games.
The SFU defense also blocked two PAT attempts, with senior Andrew Vines and freshman Shamar Jones blocking the kicks. Vines made a career-high eight tackles and one-and-a-half sacks.
The Red Flash will play a second straight FBS opponent on the road next week when they travel to Buffalo to take on the Bulls on Sept. 6 at 3:30 p.m.
Louisiana-Monroe plays at Alabama next weekend.
