'Jacks Break Into Top 25 With Win
10/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2001
CONTACT: Rob Meyers
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team moved into the top 25 polls in Division I-AA this week by virtue of their 26-14 win over previously number four ranked McNeese State. The 'Jacks moved to number 23 in the nation in both the Sports Network Top 25 and the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls following the team's third straight win. The appearance marks the first time the 'Jacks have cracked the top 25 since an October 14 loss to Sam Houston last year. During the 2000 season, SFA moved to as high as number 10 in the country following the win over Louisiana Tech in week three of the season.
SFA is one of six schools from the Southland Football League to be among the top 25 in the nation this week. McNeese State remains the league highest ranked team, coming in at number 13 this week, dropping 11 spots from the previous week. Southwest Texas is the nation's seventeenth ranked team this week, followed by Sam Houston at number 19, Northwestern State at number 20, Jacksonville State at 21 and the Lumberjacks in the number 23 spot.
This marks the first time since The Sports Network took over the I-AA poll that the Southland Football League has had six teams ranked at one time. The league has had five teams in the top 25 together before, and six different teams among the top 25 during the season, but not at the same time.
SFA entertains Jacksonville State (4-0,1-0) this week in a 2:00 p.m. homecoming match-up. The game features the first contest between ranked teams in Homer Bryce Stadium since the Lumberjacks hosted Northern Iowa in 1998. Northern Iowa entered that game ranked number 20 in the country, while the 'Jacks were number 24. Northern Iowa won the game 14-10.
