Football Schedule Features Seven Home Games
3/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 30, 2004
NACOGDOCHES, Texas-- Seven home football games highlight the 2004 season for the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks in a schedule released today by the university. The 'Jacks will play four non-conference games and three of five Southland Conference games in Homer Bryce Stadium. It marks the first time since 1997 SFA has played seven home games in a season.
"I'm very excited about the coming year's schedule. We will be at home seven times this season and play three of our first four games at home. Playing at home is such a huge advantage and the schedule this season gives this team another opportunity to be successful. Included among those seven home games are three Southland Conference games," said head coach Mike Santiago.
The season opens Labor Day weekend for SFA as the 'Jacks host Henderson State, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m. The Reddies last visited Nacogdoches in 2002, falling to the Lumberjacks, 55-7.
The 'Jacks will face three playoff teams from a year ago, including Northern Arizona of the Big Sky Conference and Northern Iowa of the Gateway Conference, as well as, McNeese State from the Southland Conference. Northern Arizona defeated McNeese State 35-3 in the first round of the I-AA playoffs a year ago. The battle of the Lumberjacks is set to take place Sept. 11, in Homer Bryce Stadium, with a 7:00 p.m. kick. SFA follows that with the first of only four road trips for 2004, traveling to Cedar Falls, Iowa to take on Northern Iowa. The Panthers were 10-3 in 2003, including a 38-24 win over the Lumberjacks in Homer Bryce Stadium. Northern Iowa lost to Delaware in the second round of the I-AA playoffs last season.
Southern Utah makes its second trip to Homer Bryce Stadium to close out the month of September with a Sept. 25 Parent's Day game at 7:00 p.m. SFA is 1-1 against the Thunderbirds claiming a 52-6 home win in 2001.
The 'Jacks take a week off to open the month of October and return to action against I-AA independent Florida International Oct. 9 at 7:00 p.m. SFA beat Florida International 35-13 last season in Miami. Following last season, FIU announced the program would move to the I-A level competing in the Sun Belt Conference beginning with the 2004 season.
The non-conference portion of the schedule closes the following the week as SFA makes its first ever trip to California to play football with an Oct. 16 game at UC-Davis. The Aggies are a I-AA independent and part of the University of California system in Davis, Calif., just outside Sacramento. The Aggies went 6-4 in 2003, winning five of their last seven games.
SFA opens Southland Conference play the following week in San Marcos against Texas State, Oct. 23. The 'Jacks host rival Sam Houston for Homecoming at 2:00 p.m. on Oct. 30, then go on the road for the final time in the regular season against Nicholls State, Nov. 6.
The season closes with back-to-back home games against McNeese State, Nov. 13 and the regular season finale against Northwestern State, Nov. 20. Both games will begin at 2:00 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin enters the 2004 season as one of only 17 I-AA programs in the nation to post winning records in each of the last five seasons.
