Battle of Reigning Co-Conference Champions Upcoming
10/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 7, 2010
#5 Stephen F. Austin (3-1/0-0 SLC) @ McNeese State (2-2/1-0 SLC)
Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 • 7 p.m.
Cowboy Stadium (17,410) • Nacogdoches, Texas
Radio: Q107.7 KTBQ FM
Stephen F. Austin Game Notes
McNeese State Game Notes
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - After a week off, the fifth-ranked Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team returns to action Saturday when they travel to Lake Charles, La., to open Southland Conference play against McNeese State (2-2/1-0 SLC). The Lumberjacks enter the game riding a three-game win streak after a season-opening loss at Texas A&M, while McNeese State ended a two-game slide with their conference opening win over Northwestern State last week. Saturday's contest is set for a 7 p.m. kick off at Cowboy Stadium.
SFA vs. the COWBOYS: The Lumberjacks trail the all-time series to McNeese State, 11-16-2 (.414), but are coming off a 16-13 victory over the Cowboys last season. The 2009 victory over McNeese State ended a four-game skid against the Cowboys. McNeese State has won six of the last nine games. The 'Jacks are 4-8-1 (.385) against McNeese State in Lake Charles dating back to the 1954 season.
WIN STREAK: With their 71-3 win over Lamar, the Lumberjacks have now won eight consecutive games in Homer Bryce Stadium dating back to the 2009 home opener. It is the team's longest home streak since it won eight-straight between the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
SFA in SLC OPENERS: The Lumberjacks are 14-8 (.636) all-time in Southland Conference openers, and are coming off a 16-13 victory over nationally ranked McNeese State to open the 2009 conference season. The 'Jacks have now won four of their last five league openers, and head coach J.C. Harper is 2-1 (.667) in SLC opening games. SFA is 2-2 (.500) all-time against McNeese State in conference openers. Saturday's game marks the second-straight season SFA has opened conference play against McNeese State.
MILESTONES: Senior Jeremy Moses reached two more career milestones against Lamar. The SLC all-time leader in completions, surpassed the 10,000-yard mark for total offense and became the league's career leader in passing yards.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: The conference's all-time leader in completions and passing yards, Jeremy Moses needs only five more touchdown passes (96), and 657 yards of total offense (10,336) to set a new league record.
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: The 'Jacks have done a great job of not turning the football over in their past four games. SFA has not lost a fumble in the past four games, which is the first time the 2002 season it hasn't lost a fumble in four-straight games. SFA has not recorded a turnover in its last two games.
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 17-23 (.425) in three seasons as a head coach. Matt Viator is 35-12 (.745) in his fifth season with McNeese State. Viator is a two-time Southland Conference Coach of the Year who has guided the Cowboys to the playoffs three of the last four years.
