Conference Leaders Clash in Annual Battle of the Piney Woods
10/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 20, 2010
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -
Sam Houston State (4-2/2-0 SLC) vs. #4/5 Stephen F. Austin (5-1/2-0 SLC)
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 • 2 p.m.
Reliant Stadium (26,000) • Houston, Texas
Radio: Q107.7 KTBQ FM
Stephen F. Austin Game Notes
Sam Houston State Game Notes
CONFERENCE LEADERS CLASH IN ANNUAL RIVALRY GAME: The annual Battle of the Piney Woods takes on a new look this season as the second-oldest FCS rivalry in the state of Texas moves to Houston's Reliant Stadium. The 85th meeting between two rivals pits a nationally ranked Stephen F. Austin (5-1/2-0) team that has won five-straight, and nine of its last 11, against a Sam Houston State football team that is also riding a wave of momentum. The Bearkats are 4-2 overall, and 2-0 in Southland Conference play, and enter Saturday's contest riding a four-game win streak after starting the year 0-2. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. kickoff, and will be televised on the Southland Television Network.
SFA vs. the BEARKATS: The Lumberjacks trail the all-time series, 34-48-2 (.417), against Sam Houston State, but ended a five-game slide with their 42-3 victory over the Bearkats in Nacogdoches last season. The win marked the largest margin of victory in the series, and SFA's 42-point outing was the sixth-highest point total in series history.
SFA in TELEVISED GAMES: Saturday's contest will mark the third time this season that SFA has played in a televised game. The Lumberjacks are 11-15 (.423) in televised games dating back to the 1998 season. SFA has won four of the last five televised games, and is 2-0 in televised games this season.
WIN STREAK: The Lumberjacks have won five consecutive games on the season.
NEEDING ONE MORE: SFA needs one more win to guarantee its second consecutive winning season.
OFFENSIVE DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS: The Lumberjacks are using more than their high-octane offense to score points. SFA blocked a punt against Central Arkansas which was scooped up by Romeo Robinson and returned 23 yards for a touchdown. It was the sixth non-offensive touchdown of the season. The 'Jacks have blocked two punts for a score, returned two interceptions for touchdowns and returned a kick and a punt for a score this season. All six scores have come at home.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: The conference's all-time leader in completions and passing yards, Jeremy Moses broke another conference mark Saturday. He became the league's all-time leader in touchdown passes with first scoring strike against the Bears. Moses needs only nine yards of total offense (10,985) to set a new league standard.
AMONG THE FCS ALL-TIME BEST: Senior quarterback Jeremy Moses is among the all-time greatest quarterbacks in FCS history. The 'Jacks' gunslinger is 18th all-time at the FCS level in total offense (10,985), 12th all-time in passing yards (11,268), tied for ninth all-time in touchdown passes (103) and fifth all-time in completions (1,012 - completions list created from FCS all-time passing yard statistics).
THE COACHES:J.C. Harper became the 18th head coach of the SFA Lumberjack football team in December 2006, following two seasons as the team's defensive coordinator. Harper was named the 2009 SLC Coach of the Year after guiding SFA to it's first conference crown in 10 years. The title came only two years following an 0-11 season. Harper is 19-23 (.452) in three seasons as a head coach. Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz is 101-49 (.673) in 12 seasons as a head coach. He is 4-2 (.667) in his first season with the Bearkats.
