SFA Hosts Incarnate Word on Homecoming
10/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. Incarnate Word Cardinals
Saturday, October 31 | 3:00 p.m.
Homer Bryce Stadium | Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (2-5, 2-3 SLC); UIW (4-3, 3-2 SLC)
Online: ESPN3 (available on WatchESPN app)
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats: SFAJacks.com
Twitter Updates: @SFA_Football
Stephen F. Austin Game Notes 
OPENING KICK
Stephen F. Austin returns to Homer Bryce Stadium this Saturday, October 31, as the Lumberjacks play host to Incarnate Word, kicking at 3 p.m. The game against the Cardinals marks SFA's Homecoming game for 2015 as the game will be streamed worldwide on ESPN3.
LUMBERJACKS ON THE WEB
Fans unable to make it to Homer Bryce Stadium for SFA's Homecoming tilt against Incarnate Word can still watch every Lumberjack snap as the game will be streamed live online at ESPN3.com as well as through the WatchESPN app. Rob Meyers will once again broadcast the game live on radio at Q107.7 FM as fans can listen online at Q1077.com. Live stats will be available through SFAJacks.com with in-game Twitter updates available @SFA_Football.
SATURDAY WEATHER FORECAST
Saturday's Homecoming festivities could be somewhat dampened due to projected rain in the forecast for this weekend. Heavy thunderstorms are predicted for the duration of the weekend with thunderstorms possible. Winds could also be a factor with gusts up to 15 mph expected.
LUMBERJACKS ON HOMECOMING
Saturday's game marks the 76th Homecoming game in program history as the Lumberjacks are 39-35-1 (.527) all-time in Homecoming games. SFA has won its last four games on Homecoming, and five of its last six, including last season's 27-17 victory over then-eighth-ranked Southeastern Louisiana. This is the first time Incarnate Word will serve as the Lumberjacks' Homecoming foe as Sam Houston State's 18 appearances marks the `Jacks most frequent opponent, followed by Texas State (nine games) and Sul Ross State (eight games).
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
2015: 4-3 overall, 3-2 Southland Conference
Last Three Games: W vs. Abilene Christian (25-20), L at Sam Houston State (59-7), W vs. Northwestern State (45-31)
Head Coach: Larry Kennan (LaVerne, 1966). Fourth season at UIW (14-26, .350); Eighth season overall (38-44-3, .465)
Key Offensive Players:
• #4 Trent Brittain (So., QB): 113-of-223 (50.7%) for 1,475 yards, 7 TDs, 8 INTs; 59 rushes for 257 yds. (4.4 avg.), 4 TDs
• #26 Junior Sessions (Jr., RB): 70 rushes for 350 yds. (5.0 avg.), 2 TDs
• #2 Jordan Hicks (Jr. WR): 23 catches for 251 yds. (10.9 avg.), 2 TDs
• #81 Kody Edwards (So., WR): 22 catches for 328 yds. (14.9 avg.), 2 TDs
• #45 Cole Wick (Sr., TE): 22 catches for 272 yds. (12.4 avg.), 1 TD
Key Defensive Players:
• #8 Myke Tavarres (Sr., LB): 77 tackles (49 solo), 18.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 4 PBU, 5 QBH, 1 FF
• #9 Josh Zellars (Jr., LB): 53 tackles (21 solo), 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack,
• #35 Padyn Giebler (Sr., LB): 52 tackles (26 solo), 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 PBU
• #12 Robert Johnson (Sr., S): 37 tackles (16 solo), 1.0 TFL, 3 INTs, 3 PBUs, 1 FF
• #99 Alex Jenkins (Jr., DE): 21 tackles (7 solo), 3.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 3 QBH, 1 BK
Synopsis: Incarnate Word is 4-3 on the year and 3-2 in Southland Conference play, coming off a 25-20 comeback victory against Abilene Christian Sunday in San Antonio. The Cardinals are perfect at home this season (4-0) but are still seeking their first road win of the season (0-3). UIW's offense is led by dual-threat QB Trent Brittain, who has thrown for 1,475 yards and rushed for 257, accounting for 11 touchdowns on the year, as the Cardinals average 19.7 points and 366.1 yards per game, including 22.1 yards through the air. Defensively, UIW is giving up 29.4 points and 393.0 yards per game, allowing 166.6 rushing and 226.4 passing yards per game. Senior LB Myke Tavarres has spearheaded the Cardinal defensive unit, leading the team with 77 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, entering the game as the SLC's reigning Defensive Player of the Week after posting 11 tackles and 4.5 TFL in the win over Abilene Christian.
SERIES INFORMATION
Stephen F. Austin and Incarnate Word meet for just the second time Saturday as the Lumberjacks' are 1-0 all-time against the Cardinals, handing UIW a 38-3 loss at Homer Bryce Stadium in 2014. Gus Johnson rushed for 252 yards, the second-best rushing performance in program history, and four touchdowns as the Lumberjack defense held the Cardinals to just 236 total yards on the night.
CONQUE OFF THE BYE
Head coach Clint Conque has made the most of off weeks during his coaching career as the Lumberjacks' head man has posted a 7-2 (.778) record in games the week after a bye. Conque's UCA teams did not have bye weeks during its time as a Division II program as Conque is 4-2 in home games after a bye, including last season's 49-39 loss to Central Arkansas in Nacogdoches.
LUMBERJACKS STUN NO. 21 LIONS, 28-27
After falling behind 20-0 early in the second quarter to 21st-ranked Southeastern Louisiana, SFA found its spark as the Lumberjacks rallied to defeat the Lions 28-27 in Hammond, spoiling SLU's Homecoming festivities. The `Jacks were led by junior QB Hunter Taylor, who entered the game trailing 20-0 in the second quarter, and posted a career night, throwing for 214 yards and three touchdowns to help engineer the comeback. Taylor's threw two touchdown passes to De'Quann Ruffin, including a 34-yarder with two seconds left in the first half, and the SFA defense came up big in the second half, limiting the Lions to just 136 yards in the second half. With the ball on its own 28 and 5:38 remaining, Taylor engineered a 16-play, 72-yard drive, including five third down conversions, capped by QB Zach Conque rushing it in from one yard out with 38 seconds to go to give SFA the 28-27 lead. The `Jacks' defense then did its part, keeping SLU at bay in its final drive, highlighted by John Franklin's third sack of the night to help seal the victory for SFA.
TAYLOR'S CAREER DAY SPARKS COMEBACK
Junior QB Hunter Taylor posted his best game in a Stephen F. Austin uniform against Southeastern Louisiana, doing so in just three quarters of work. Entering the game in the second quarter with the Lumberjacks trailing 20-0, Taylor completed 20 of his 37 passes for a personal-best 214 yards and three touchdowns. He notched touchdown strikes of 14, 34 and 13 yards, then engineered a 16-play, 72-yard drive that burned five minutes off the clock late in the fourth quarter, capped by the game-winning touchdown rush with 38 seconds to play. For the season, Taylor has completed 41 of his 80 attempts for 413 yards and five touchdowns, throwing just one interception on the year.
RUFFIN UP THE SECONDARY
Junior WR De'Quann Ruffin provided a key offensive spark in the victory against Southeastern Louisiana as the transfer caught six passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns in the comeback win over the Lions. Ruffin caught a 34-yard TD pass with two seconds remaining in the half, breaking a tackle then outrunning the secondary to the endzone, then breezed past the SLU corner for a 14-yard TD snag in the third quarter, pulling SFA to within six at 27-21. He also notched a pair of crucial third down catches on SFA's game-winning final drive as his 98 yards is the most of any SFA receiver this season, becoming the first Lumberjack wide receiver with a multi-touchdown game since Aaron Thomas at Houston Baptist in 2014.
FRANKLIN EARNS SACK CITY HONORS
One of the key contributors to SFA's defensive presence against Southeastern Louisiana was sophomore DE John Franklin who had four solo tackles, all of which were for negative yards. Franklin finished with three sacks against the Lions, including one on third down to stop a drive in the fourth quarter and another with 14 seconds remaining on SLU's final drive. The 3.0 sacks is a new career-high and is tied for the fifth-most in a single game in program history, becoming the first player to log the sack hat trick since Lance Skyler's 3.5 sacks at McNeese State in 2014. Franklin's 4.0 tackles for loss is also tied for the fourth-most in a single game in SFA history, becoming the first Lumberjack to accomplish the feat since Devin Ducote in 2011. For his efforts, Franklin was named HERO Sports' FCS Defensive Player of the Week.
LUMBERJACKS ON HALLOWEEN
Playing on Halloween has been a scary experience for SFA as the Lumberjacks have posted a 2-8 all-time record in games played on October 31st. SFA has lost its last six games played on Halloween, the last of which was a 28-7 loss to Texas State in 2009. The `Jacks' last win on Halloween came in 1959 when SFA defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 24-7 in Nacogdoches as the Lumberjacks are 2-4 all-time at home on Halloween.
LUMBERJACKS AT HOMER BRYCE STADIUM
Since Homer Bryce Stadium opened in 1973, SFA has enjoyed a great deal of success between the hills. The Lumberjacks have compiled a 149-99-2 (.600) record at home, earning a win in the 250th game at Homer Bryce with a 28-24 victory over Nicholls on Oct. 10. The `Jacks have notched a winning home record in 28 of the 42 seasons Homer Bryce Stadium has served as the `Jacks' home field. SFA has been especially tough at home in recent years, posting a 29-10 (.744) record since the start of the 2009 season. The Lumberjacks have enjoyed six perfect home seasons at Homer Bryce (1979, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2009 and 2012) and are 4-1 (.800) at home in NCAA postseason games.
LOOKING AHEAD
Stephen F. Austin enters the final month of the 2015 season with the highly anticipated road trip to Conway, Arkansas, facing Central Arkansas on Saturday, November 7th. It marks head coach Clint Conque's first trip back to the stripes of Estes Stadium after spending 14 seasons as the head coach of the Bears from 2000-13. Kickoff against UCA is set for 2:30 p.m. as the game will be broadcast on the American Sports Network.
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