Lumberjacks, Bearkats Renew Rivalry in Houston
10/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
No. 23/24 Stephen F. Austin (6-2, 3-1 SLC) vs. Sam Houston State (4-4, 3-1 SLC)
Saturday, November 1st • 3 p.m.
NRG Stadim • Houston, Texas
TV: Southland TV Network (full affiliate list)
Video: ESPN3
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats: GoBearkats.com
Twitter Updates: @SFA_Football
OPENING KICK
Stephen F. Austin renews its longest-standing rivalry, getting set to face off against Sam Houston State in the 89th installment of the Battle of the Piney Woods Saturday, November 1st. The second-oldest active rivalry in the state of Texas and oldest in the Southland Conference, the Lumberjacks and Bearkats will meet at NRG Stadium in Houston, the fifth-straight year the rivalry game has been staged at the neutral site.
BATTLE OF THE PINEY WOODS TAKES CENTER STAGE AS SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE GAME OF THE WEEK
NRG Stadium in Houston, home of the NFL's Houston Texans, will be the backdrop for the Southland Television Network Game of the Week this week as SFA and Sam Houston State renew the annual Battle of the Piney Woods. Randy McIlvoy will have the call of the game with Shea Walker serving as color analyst and Brooke Bentley working the sidelines. The game will kick at 3 p.m. Saturday and will air across the Southland TV affiliates, which includes Suddenlink channel 8 in Nacogdoches, DirecTV channel 18 and Dish Network channel 54. The game will also be streamed live online at ESPN3. For a complete listing of Southland TV Network affiliates, visit Southland.org.
LUMBERJACKS ON THE WEB
SFA fans unable to make it to Houston for this weekend's rivalry game against Sam Houston State can still stay up to date on every Lumberjack play. Live video of the game can be seen by logging on to ESPN3 or Southland.org, as well as downloading the Southland Conference app. Fans can also listen online as Rob Meyers will have the call on Q107.7 FM as well as online at Q1077.com. Live stats will be available online at GoBearkats.com with in-game Twitter updates @SFA_Football.
BATTLE OF THE PINEY WOODS HISTORY
Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State tangle for the 89th time Saturday at NRG Stadium in the annual Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry game. The two schools, which were both named for one of the fathers of Texas, began the series in 1923 with SFA earning the 19-6 victory. Heading into Saturday's game, Sam Houston State holds a 51-35-2 (.591) record in the all-time series and have won the last three meetings between the two rivals, including outlasting SFA 56-49 in last year's thriller, and eight of the last 10. 2014 marks the fifth year the rivalry game will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston as Sam Houston State is 3-1 against SFA on the neutral site. The game is the second-oldest rivalry in FCS football, trailing only the Maine-New Hampshire rivalry as the two schools have battled for the Brice-Cowell Musket 104 times since 1903.
LUMBERJACKS CRACK THE TOP-25 IN BOTH FCS COACHES, MEDIA POLLS
On the heels of its 27-17 victory over previously eighth-ranked Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin has cracked the top-25 in both the FCS coaches and media polls. The Lumberjacks check in at 23rd in the latest FCS coaches poll while sitting 23rd in the FCS Sports Network media poll. It marks the first time since Sept. 24, 2011 that the Lumberjacks have been ranked in either poll as SFA was ranked 22nd before a 35-26 loss to Texas State. It marks the 140th week in program history the Lumberjacks appear as one of the top-25 teams in the country since making the jump to the Division I level as SFA is 90-46-3 (.658) all-time in games in which it is nationally ranked.
#GusForPayton
Senior RB Gus Johnson was named to the 2014 Walter Payton Award Watch List on September 30th and has continued to show why he is among the top players in the country. Entering this week's game against Sam Houston State, Johnson leads the nation with 18 rushing touchdowns while ranking second nationally in both yards per carry (7.99) and scoring (13.5 ppg), fifth in rushing yards (1,102) and ninth in rushing yards per game (137.8), leading the Southland Conference in each category. He has surpassed the 100-yard mark six times this season with two 200-yard performances and has scored at least three touchdowns on three separate occasions. The Gilmer native has rushed for an SLC-best 1,102 yards this season, making him just the second rusher in SFA history to notch back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, while upping his career rushing total to 3,326, moving into eighth all-time in Southland Conference history.
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
2014: 4-4 overall, 3-1 SLC. Receiving votes in the FCS Sports Network media poll this week
Last Three Games: W vs. Abilene Christian (38-21), L at Northwestern State (31-27), W vs. McNeese State (38-22)
Head Coach: K.C. Keeler. First season at Sam Houston State (4-4, .500), 21st season overall (178-77-1, .697)
Key Offensive Players:
• #15 Jared Johnson (So., QB): 151-of-269 (56.1%) for 1,635 yds., 9 TDs, 6 INTs; 96 rushes for 516 yds., 4 TDs
• #3 Keshawn Hill (Sr., RB): 90 rushes for 524 yds., 4 TDs; 17 catches for 215 yds., 2 TDs
• #10 Jalen Overstreet (So., RB): 49 rushes for 323 yds., 1 TD
• #9 Yedidiah Louis (R-Fr., WR): 41 catches for 444 yds., 1 TD
• #85 LaDarius Brown (Jr., WR): 22 catches for 300 yds., 1 TD
Key Defensive Players:
• #2 Michael Wade (Sr., S): 62 tackles (35 solo), 1.0 TFL, 2 INTs
• #22 Tristan Eche (Jr., LB): 48 tackles (20 solo), 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks
• #92 P.J. Hall (R-Fr., DE): 47 tackles (23 solo), 13.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 1 INT, 4 PBU
• #11 Myke Chatman (So., LB): 44 tackles (26 solo), 4.0 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 QBH
• #46 A.J. Davis (Fr., LB): 40 tackles (14 solo), 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR
Synopsis: Sam Houston State enters Saturday's game with a 4-4 record and are 3-1 in the Southland Conference, joining the five-team logjam at the top of the standings. Under first year head coach K.C. Keeler, the Bearkats are averaging 31.5 points per game while allowing 32.9 defensively. SHSU has comparable stats to SFA this season, averaging 216.0 yards per game on the ground and 217.8 yards per game through the air, led by sophomore QB Jared Johnson's dual threat capability. Defensively, the Bearkats are allowing 188.2 yards per game rushing and 265.0 yards per game passing with 17 sacks, anchored by senior S Michael Wade's 62 tackles and redshirt freshman DE P.J. Hall's 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks.
LUMBERJACKS TOPPLE EIGHTH-RANKED LIONS ON HOMECOMING
SFA notched the signature win head coach Clint Conque was looking for Saturday, defeating eighth-ranked Southeastern Louisiana 27-17 at Homer Bryce Stadium on Homecoming. Facing the reigning Southland Conference champions and a potent Lion team that was averaging 40.1 points per game, the Lumberjacks held SLU to no points in the first half and a season-low 17 points, snapping Southeastern's 14 game conference winning streak. RB Gus Johnson ran for two touchdowns and K Jordan Wiggs added a pair of field goals, helping SFA build a 20-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter. A 77-yard interception return by S Patrick Martin in the waning minutes set up QB Zach Conque's touchdown run with 3:23 remaining, sealing the victory for the Lumberjacks. It is the second-straight year SFA has knocked off a top-10 team, taking down second-ranked Montana State 52-38 in 2013.
JOHNSON CONTINUES TO REWRITE SFA RECORD BOOK
It seems with each passing week, senior RB Gus Johnson rewrites a handful of SFA records. With his two touchdowns against Southeastern Louisiana Saturday, Johnson now sits at 18 touchdowns on the season, which breaks Paul Hood's previous record of 17 rushing touchdowns in 1979. The 18 scores gives Johnson 108 points on the season, which is third all-time in single-season scoring in SFA history, meaning he needs just one more touchdown to be SFA's single-season points leader. With his 116 rushing yards against the Lions, Johnson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark (1,102 in 2014), making him just the second player to rush for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He also upped his career total to 3,326, which is 446 yards shy of surpassing Leonard Harris' (1992-95) 3,771 career yards to become SFA's all-time rushing leader, meaning Johnson would need to average roughly 112 yards per game for the final four games of the season to accomplish the feat.
CONQUE RUSHES INTO LUMBERJACK RECORD BOOK
QB Zach Conque has already made quite an impact for SFA in his first season, and not just through the air. With his eight-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter against Southeastern Louisiana, Conque now has 10 rushing touchdowns in 2014, which is the most in a single season by a Lumberjack quarterback. The sophomore ranks 10th all-time in season rushing touchdowns and is already just four shy of cracking the top-10 for career rushing touchdowns as he would be the only quarterback among the top-10.
WARD JOINS SFA ALL-TIME RECEPTION LEADERS
WR DJ Ward has been a constant in the SFA lineup for the past three seasons and that consistency has pushed him into the list of SFA all-time greats. With his three catches against Southeastern Louisiana, Ward upped his career total to 144 receptions, moving into 10th all-time in program history and surpassing Aaron Rhea's 142 receptions from 2006-09. Ward is poised to join another exclusive list as his 1,922 career receiving yards is just 34 yards shy of cracking the Lumberjack top-10.
JOHNSON, WIGGS AMONG SLC ALL-TIME GREATS
RB Gus Johnson and K Jordan Wiggs have not only established themselves as all-time SFA greats, but are among the Southland Conference all-time leaders as well. Johnson ranks among the top-10 in three different categories, including fourth all-time in rushing touchdowns (46) and eighth in rushing yards (3,326). Wiggs, SFA's all-time point leader, is sixth all-time in SLC history in points with 323 while currently sitting as the conference's all-time leader in field goal percentage at 73.61%. He also ranks second in both PAT kicks made (164) and attempted (171) and is fifth all-time in field goals made (53).
LUMBERJACKS MAKING NATIONAL NOISE
Heading into the home stretch of the 2014 season, SFA continues to rank among the nation's best in a handful of statistical categories. As a team, the Lumberjacks rank 10th in total offense (488.4 ypg), 13th in first downs (197), 15th in scoring offense (36.8 ppg), 16th in passing offense (270.3 ypg), 17th in completion percentage (63.7%) and 20th in rushing offense (218.1 ypg). Individually, in addition to the exploits of RB Gus Johnson, who ranks among the top-10 in five different statistical categories and is 19th in all purpose yards (151.75), CB Keavon Madison ranks sixth nationally in passes defended (1.7), LB Chance Barney is 11th in fumbles recovered (two) with QB Zach Conque sitting 14th in rushing touchdowns (10) and 19th in points responsible for (110).
STARTING FAST
One of the keys to SFA's success thus far in 2014 has been its ability to start fast. The Lumberjacks have outscored their opponents 80-23 in the first quarter this season, recording the first points in each of their last seven games. SFA has notched 11 touchdowns in the first quarter this season, seven of which have come courtesy of Gus Johnson. Zach Conque has helped account for the other four, tossing touchdown passes to Jayson Clements and Aaron Thomas while rushing for a pair himself.
LUMBERJACKS IN THE SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
SFA is currently in its 28th season as a member of the Southland Conference, joining the league prior to the 1987 season. The Lumberjacks have compiled an 89-84-3 (.514) record in conference play, thanks in part to 2014's 3-1 start. SFA has won four Southland Conference championships (1989, 1999, 2009, 2010) while making six NCAA postseason appearances.
LOOKING AHEAD
Stephen F. Austin heads on the road for the final time in 2014, making the trek to Lake Charles, La. for a showdown with eighth-ranked McNeese State. The Lumberjacks and Cowboys both sit with just one conference loss heading into this week's games, setting up what could be a crucial game for both teams next Saturday at Cowboy Stadium. Opening kick against McNeese State is set for 6 p.m.
-SFA-
