SFA Set to Face Top-Seeded Montana
12/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 3, 2009
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - After their 44-33 opening-round win over Eastern Washington, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks will now hit the road to face their second consecutive Big Sky Conference opponent. SFA will be in Missoula, Mont., Saturday to face top seed, and Big Sky Conference champion, Montana (12-0/8-0 BSC). The Grizzlies advanced to the second round by way of a 61-48 victory over South Dakota State. The Griz scored 40-straight points in the final 20:25 of the game to slip by SDSU. Saturday's game is slated to begin at noon (1 p.m. Nacogdoches time) from Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
SFA vs. GRIZZLIES: The Lumberjacks trail the all-time series to Montana, 3-0. SFA is 1-0 all-time against Montana in the NCAA FCS Playoffs, dropping a 70-14 decision during the semifinals of the 1995 season. SFA is 0-2 against Montana in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
SFA vs. THE BRACKET: The 'Jacks are 2-4 (.333) all-time against the remaining teams in the 2009 NCAA FCS Playoffs. SFA is 0-3 against Montana, 1-0 versus Appalachian State and 1-1 (.500) all-time against New Hampshire.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: The Lumberjacks have won five conference titles in program history, including three Southland Conference Championships. The 'Jacks' five championship seasons are 1935 (Lone Star), 1985 (Gulf Star), 1989, 1999 and 2009 (Southland).
SFA IN SECOND-ROUND GAMES: The Lumberjacks are 2-1 (.667) in NCAA Playoff second-round matchups. The program's lone second-round loss came during the 1988 season when SFA dropped a 27-6 decision at Georgia Southern.
LAST TIME HERE: The Lumberjacks are making their first trip to the second round of the playoffs since the 1995 season. That season SFA scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to eliminate No. 2 Appalachian State, 27-17. The 'Jacks racked up 436 yards of total offense in the game, including 267 on the ground.
LONE CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE: The 1989 season saw SFA advance to the championship game against Georgia Southern, where it fell short by three, 37-34. The 'Jacks defeated Grambling State, Southwestern Missouri State and Furman on their way to the title game.
10-WIN SEASON: The 'Jacks' 10 wins are the most since SFA recorded 11 in 1995. SFA recorded a school-record 10 wins during the 1989 season. The Lumberjacks have recorded double-figure wins four times in school history (1988, 1989, 1995 and 2009).
THE COACHES: J.C. Harper became the 18th head coach of the SFA Lumberjack football team in December, 2006. Harper spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator before taking over as head coach. He is 14-21 (.400) during his time at SFA. Montana head coach Bobby Hauck is 78-16 (.830) in his seventh season with the Grizzlies. He has won the Big Sky Conference title, and advanced to the FCS playoffs every season in Missoula. Hauck has guided Montana to a 12-0 record, and the No. 1 overall seed in the 2009 playoffs.
