Stephen F. Austin
#21 McNeese State
'Jacks Stumble Against #21 Cowboys, 28-14
9/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
#21 McNeese State 28, Stephen F. Austin 14
Homer Bryce Stadium | Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (0-3, 0-1 SLC); McN (2-0, 2-0 SLC)
Up Next: at Abilene Christian | Saturday, Sept. 26 | 11 a.m.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin’s offense struggled to find a rhythm over the final three quarters and McNeese State took advantage of some key plays, handing the Lumberjacks a 28-14 loss at Homer Bryce Stadium. The ‘Jacks fall to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in Southland Conference play with the Cowboys improving to 2-0 in both categories.
“We don’t know why things happen the way they do sometimes,” said head coach Clint Conque. “Obviously the fumble in the first quarter was a huge play – a 14-point swing. We had time to bounce back but McNeese made the big plays and we didn’t. We’ve lost to three really good football teams to start the year, so now our character is going to be tested. We still have an awful lot to play for.”
The fumble Conque mentioned came on the Lumberjacks’ first drive of the game. After a 66-yard rush by Joshawa West got the Lumberjacks inside the red zone, Fred Ford looked as if he had scored from 12-yards out, giving SFA the 7-0 lead. Upon review, Ford was ruled down at the one-yard line, setting up the ‘Jacks with a first and goal.
Zach Conque made one push but was stuffed on first down, then on second down tried to leap over the McNeese State defensive front for the score. But the attempt turned disastrous as the Cowboys’ Bo Brown forced a fumble, which was scooped up and returned 97 yards for McNeese’s first touchdown, courtesy of Wallace Scott.
SFA answered back in its next possession as Hunter Taylor, making his first career start, connected with Aaron Thomas in the corner of the endzone from 14-yards out, tying the game at 7-7. Taylor then struck again late in the quarter, hitting Braxton Bearden who then took it the distance for a 55-yard touchdown score, giving SFA it’s first lead of the season at 14-7 late in the first quarter.
The Cowboys answered in the second, using an extended 13-play, 75-yard drive that burned over six minutes off the clock, punching it in from 22 yards out to tied the game at 14-14 with 10:17 left in the half. McNeese State then used another extended drive, covering 64 yards in 10 plays to take the 21-14 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the half.
With the half winding down, SFA found new life when Tarrin Mitchell, making his first career start, intercepted a Daniel Sams pass at the Cowboy 45 yard line with 19 seconds remaining, giving the Lumberjacks a chance for a late score.
SFA nearly made good on the opportunity as Taylor connected with De’Quann Ruffin, who raced down the far sideline as time expired. Ruffin had one man to beat, but unfortunately was run out of bounds at the one-yard line with no time remaining, leaving the ‘Jacks one-yard short of a score for the second time in the half.
Defense ruled the third quarter as neither team was able to find its offensive groove as the Cowboys maintained their 21-14 lead heading into the fourth. McNeese then put the proverbial nail in the coffin as Sams broke a 76-yard touchdown run on third and six with 6:05 remaining, then the Cowboys thwarted SFA’s final chances to preserve the 28-14 victory.
After dominating the first quarter, holding a 235-40 edge in total yards, SFA’s offense struggled for the final 45 minutes as SFA finished the game with a slim 406-400 edge in total yards, 247 of which came through the air. Taylor had a strong showing in his first career start, completing 19 of his 33 passes for 187 yards and the two touchdowns, while Conque went 7-for-11 for 60 yards playing the final three possessions for the ‘Jacks.
Aaron Thomas led the SFA receiving corps with six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown while Aaron Piper added seven catches for 31 yards. Robert Sylvester notched five catches for 45 yards as well with Bearden’s 55-yard touchdown reception registering as the second-best yardage total of the night.
On the ground, SFA had its way in the first quarter as West (66 yards) and Ford (51 yards) both had extended runs. The duo finished with 72 rushing yards each on the night as Loren Easly finished with 11 yards on four carries, helping the ‘Jacks rack up 247 rushing yards on the night.
Defensively, Justin Owens had a career night for the Lumberjacks, finishing with a personal-best 14 tackles, including eight solo stops. Mitchell also made the best of his first career start, notching a pair of interceptions, becoming the first ‘Jack to record multiple interceptions in a game since Keavon Madison last season. Mitchell finished with four tackles as well.
Demundre Freeman and Patrick Martin each recorded six tackles on the night as once again SFA struggled to make stops behind the line, finishing with just four tackles for loss and once sack, courtesy of John Franklin. Punter Nick Bruno also had another good performance, averaging 43.1 yards over his 10 punts with a long of 54 and three downed inside the 20, pinning the Cowboys inside their five yard line twice.
But the night belonged to Daniel Sams of McNeese State who finished with 308 yards of total offense. Sams rushed for 164 yards on 17 carries, including the 76-yard touchdown score, while completing 14 of his 28 passes for 134 yards.
With the loss, head coach Clint Conque falls to 0-3 for the first time in his career as SFA is now 14-19-2 all-time against McNeese State.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for SFA as the Lumberjacks now hit the road for a date with Abilene Christian on Saturday, September 26th. The Wildcats knocked off the Lumberjacks 37-35 last season at Homer Bryce Stadium and defeated Houston Baptist 49-21 Saturday in Abilene. Kickoff against the Wildcats is set for 11 a.m. as the game will be aired on the American Sports Network.
-SFA-
