SFA Opens SLC Play Hosting McNeese State
9/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Stephen F. Austin vs. #21 McNeese State
Saturday, September 19 • 6:00 p.m.
Homer Bryce Stadium • Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (0-2, 0-0 SLC); McN (1-0, 1-0 SLC)
Watch: ESPN3 or WatchESPN app
Listen: 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 begins its 2015 Southland Conference schedule hosting 21st-ranked McNeese State Saturday, September 19th on Parents’ Day. It will be a “Black Out” for SFA as the Lumberjacks will be wearing their new all-black jerseys, designed specifically for the team from Under Armour.
LUMBERJACKS ON THE WEB
SFA fans can keep up to date with every Lumberjack play throughout the 2015 season. Saturday’s Southland Conference opener against 21st-ranked McNeese State will be streamed live on ESPN3 as fans across the world can watch the game live via their computer or smart phone through by visiting ESPN3.com or the WatchESPN app. Rob Meyers will have the call of the game on Q107.7 FM as the game will also stream live online at Q1077.com. Live stats will be available at SFAJacks.com with in-game updates available through Twitter @SFA_Football.
‘JACKS ON PARENTS DAY
Since 1983, one SFA home game each season has tied in to the university’s Parents Day weekend with today’s game against McNeese State earning the honors for the 2015 season. SFA has been fairly successful on Parents Day games, posting a 21-10 (.677) record as the Lumberjacks have won two-straight Parents Day games, including last season’s 35-20 victory over Weber State. McNeese State will be making its second appearance as SFA’s Parents Day weekend opponent as the Lumberjacks defeated the Cowboys 40-14 in 1999.
SATURDAY’S WEATHER FORECAST
After a slight pre-fall dip in temperatures the heat is expected to return to East Texas in time for this weekend’s game between SFA and McNeese State. Temperatures are expected to hover around the mid-90s Friday and Saturday with sunshine and humidity in abundance as the real feel temperature is expected to be around 105. Winds and rain shouldn’t be a factor as the chances for both remain very low, providing a warm SFA game day.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
2015: 1-0 overall, 1-0 Southland Conference. Ranked 21st in this week’s FCS coaches poll; receiving votes in the FCS media poll
Last Two Games: W vs. Incarnate Word (43-6); Canceled at #13 LSU
Head Coach: Matt Viator (McNeese State, 1986). 10th season at McNeese State (69-32, .683)
Key Offensive Players:
• #4 Daniel Sams (Sr., QB): 12-of-21 passing (57.1%) for 181 yds., 1 TD; 13 rushes for 15 yds. (1.2 avg.), 1 TD
• #23 Derrick Milton (Sr., RB): 8 rushes for 75 yds. (9.4 avg.), 1 TD
• #6 Ryan Ross (So., RB): 12 rushes for 65 yds. (5.4 avg.)
• #32 David Hamm (So., RB): 8 rushes for 60 yds. (7.5 avg.), 1 TD
• #13 Tavarious Battiste (R-Fr., WR): 3 catches for 64 yds. (21.3 avg.)
Key Defensive Players:
• #7 Dominique Hill (So., DB): 5 tackles (2 solo), 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 PD
• #20 Wallace Scott (Sr., LB): 4 tackles (2 solo)
• #6 Brent Spikes (Sr., DB): 4 tackles (2 solo)
• #91 Cameron Smith (Sr., DL): 2 tackles (1 solo), 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack
• #55 Jammerio Gross (So., DL): 2 tackles (2 solo), 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack
Synopsis: McNeese State boasts a 1-0 record on the year, defeating Incarnate Word 43-6 in its season opener last weekend after its scheduled opener at 13th-ranked LSU was canceled after a lightning storm. The Cowboys had a balanced attack against the Cardinals, rushing for 225 yards and throwing for 181, averaging 5.6 yards a play. Known for its tough run defense, McNeese got off to a strong start in 2015, allowing just 12 Incarnate Word rushing yard while the Cardinals passed for 215 against the Cowboys. QB Daniel Sams returned to the helm of McNeese after missing the final few games of 2014 with an injury, throwing for 181 yards and rushing for 15, scoring two touchdowns in the victory over UIW.
SERIES HISTORY
SFA and McNeese State meet for the 35th time Saturday as the Cowboys hold an 18-14-2 (.559) edge in the all-time series. The first meeting was a 14-14 tie in 1951, leading up to last season’s 31-16 victory by SFA over then-sixth-ranked McNeese State in Lake Charles. SFA is 7-7 all-time against the Cowboys at Homer Bryce Stadium with McNeese taking a 69-38 victory in Nacogdoches in 2013, as SFA is 4-6 in the last 10 meetings against the Cowboys.
CONQUE vs. THE COWBOYS
SFA head coach Clint Conque has posted a 5-3 (.625) career record in eight previous meetings with McNeese State. Conque is very familiar with the tradition and history of McNeese, having served as an assistant coach for the Cowboys for three seasons from 1987-89 as McNeese State is one of four Southland schools Conque has ties to (Nicholls, Central Arkansas and SFA).
NO. 3 TCU RACES PAST SFA, 70-7
Third-ranked TCU had little trouble against SFA Saturday as the Horned Frogs raced out to a 35-0 halftime lead and never looked back, defeating the Lumberjacks 70-7 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. TCU controlled the tempo all afternoon, racking up 627 yards of total offense while holding SFA to just 167, including just 21 through the air, the lowest passing total for SFA since a 14-yard performance against Northern Iowa in 1998. The ‘Jacks managed just eight first downs on the afternoon and were 2-of-16 on third down as the 63-point loss goes down as the third-worst loss in program history and the worst since joining Division I.
EASLY RUNS FREE IN DEBUT
One of the few bright spots for SFA Saturday in Fort Worth was the play of true freshman Loren Easly, who rushed for 93 yards on six carries against the Horned Frogs in his first collegiate game. On the fourth carry of his career, Easly broke a 75-yard touchdown run up the middle, outracing the Horned Frog defense to the endzone, marking the eighth-longest run in program history and accounting for over 55 percent of SFA’s total yards against TCU.
CONQUE TURNING HEADS
Quarterback Zach Conque continues to make his mark as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Since the start of the 2014 season, he is just one of three quarterbacks at both the FBS and FCS level that have both passed for 15 touchdowns and rushed for 15 touchdowns, joined by Chattanooga’s Jacob Huesman and Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott. Conque already ranks 10th all-time in program history in career completions (288) and is tied for ninth in career rushing touchdowns (15) while his 3,039 career passing yards and 3,733 yards of total offense are both on the cusp of cracking the program’s all-time top-10 list.
THOMAS MAINTAINS CONSISTENCY
Wide receiver Aaron Thomas has quietly established himself as one of the anchors of the Lumberjack football team for the past four seasons. He has ranked second on the team in receiving yards during the last two seasons which gives him a unique title as the nation’s leading receiver at the FCS level to never lead his team in receiving yards, sitting ahead of Eastern Washington’s Shaq Hill (1,661). Thomas has accumulated 1,816 career receiving yards on 131 catches during his time as a Lumberjack, sitting just outside the program’s all-time top-10 in both categories.
NEW FACES
One of the bright spots that came out of the TCU game Saturday was the big-time collegiate experience gained by a number of Lumberjacks. 11 players saw their first appearances in an SFA uniform against the Horned Frogs, including running back Loren Easly, wide receivers Darrion Ardoin and Reggie Daniels, tight end Barrett Cain, offensive linemen Devonte Jones and Hayden Scott, defensive tackle Bubu Alvarez, linebacker Ryan Woods, cornerback Jimmie Houston, safety Trevon Smith and kicker Caleb Lewallen.
LUMBERJACKS AMONG NATION’S BEST
SFA has established itself as one of the nation’s top offensive and passing teams in the country over the past several seasons as the Lumberjacks lead the nation with a pair of impressive extended streaks. Entering the 2015 season, SFA has averaged at least 30 points per game for seven-straight years, which is tops among FCS programs, ahead of Eastern Washington (six) and Montana State (five). SFA has also made it’s mark as one of the nation’s top passing teams as the Lumberjacks have averaged 337.1 passing yards per game since the start of 2008, which is also tops in the FCS ahead of Eastern Washington (318.0), Fordham (288.0) and Idaho State (280.8).
REMEMBERING CALLY
Today’s game against McNeese State is more than just a big Southland Conference game for SFA as it marks the second annual Cally Belcher game. Belcher was an all-SLC defensive back for the Lumberjacks from 1991-93 before tragically having his life cut short after passing following a spring practice in 1994. His number 16 jersey has been permanently retired but is brought out of retirement for one game each year, worn by the player who was named football’s Cally Belcher Award winner from the previous season. Today, junior running back Joshawa West has the honor of wearing Cally’s number 16.
LOOKING AHEAD
SFA hits the road for a pair of key Southland Conference games over the next two weeks. The Lumberjacks open up the road swing by making their first trip to Abilene since 1984 when SFA faces former Lone Star Conference rival Abilene Christian at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 26th, airing on American Sports Network.
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