SFA Travels To Abilene Christian Saturday
9/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Stephen F. Austin at Abilene Christian
Saturday, September 26 | 11 a.m.
Shotwell Stadium | Abilene, Texas
Records: SFA (0-3, 0-1 SLC); ACU (1-1, 1-0 SLC)
TV: American Sports Network (channel finder)
Online: Southland.org/Watch
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats: ACUSports.com
Twitter Updates: @SFA_Football
Stephen F. Austin Game Notes 
OPENING KICK
Stephen F. Austin continues its search for the first victory of 2015, heading to Abilene Christian this Saturday for an 11 a.m. kick against the Wildcats at Shotwell Stadium. SFA makes its first trip to Abilene since 1984 when the Lumberjacks and Wildcats were Lone Star Conference rivals as the game will be televised by American Sports Network.
LUMBERJACKS ON AMERICAN SPORTS NETWORK
SFA ‘s game at Abilene Christian will be televised live on American Sports Network with David Saltzman, N.D. Kalu and Chris Mycoskie on the call. My KLPN in Tyler will broadcast the game as it will be available over the air on channels 47.1 and 51.2, on Suddenlink channel 133 in Nacogdoches and Suddenlink channels 9 and 109 in Tyler. A full list of ASN affiliates is available at Southland.org/ASN as the game will also be streamed live at Southland.org/Watch and on the Southland Conference 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 ACUSports.com with in-game Twitter updates available @SFA_Football.
LUMBERJACKS, WILDCATS MEET ON PEDIATRIC CANCER AWARENESS DAY
While it is a key Southland Conference game for both SFA and Abilene Christian, Saturday’s game will also take on extra significance as it marks “Pediatric Cancer Awareness Day” at ACU, benefitting the P4X Foundation. The Foundation was established following the passing of Rex Fleming, son of ACU Assistant Athletic Director Lance Fleming, three years ago from brain cancer and raises fund to assist families of children with pediatric cancer. Since its inception, the P4X Foundation has raised over $100,000, donating it to medical facilities in the Abilene area that treat these patients as well as providing medical assistance and items such as iPads and iPods to patients. Both SFA and ACU will be wearing helmet stickers in recognition of the event and Saturday’s winning team will be presented with a trophy.
SATURDAY’S WEATHER FORECAST
Sunny and warm will once again be the name of the game Saturday as temperatures in Abilene are expected to be in the low to mid-80s by kickoff time. Winds shouldn’t be a factor with the forecast calling for around 8-10 MPH with gusts up to 15 MPH as precipitation chances are low as well, set at 10%.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
2015: 1-1 overall, 1-0 Southland Conference.
Last Two Games: W vs. Houston Baptist (49-21); L at Fresno State (34-13)
Head Coach: Ken Collums (Central Arkansas, 1994). Fourth season at ACU (20-16, .556)
Key Offensive Players:
• #14 Parker McKenzie (Jr., QB): 36-of-54 (66.7%) for 396 yds., 3 TDs, 2 INTs
• #22 De’Andre Brown (So. RB): 24 rushes for 125 yds. (5.2 avg.), 1 TD
• #23 Herschel Sims (Sr., RB): 17 rushes for 83 (4.9 avg.), 3 TDs
• #2 Jonathan Epps (Sr., WR): 14 catches for 141 yds. (10.1 avg), 2 TDs
• #82 Cedric Gilbert (Sr., WR): 10 catches for 103 yds. (10.3 avg.), 1 TDs
Key Defensive Players:
• #34 Sam Denmark (So., LB): 20 tackles (18 solo), 2.0 TFL
• #7 Lynn Grady (Sr., LB): 9 tackles (8 solo), 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 PBU
• #16 Cedric Dale (R-Fr., CB): 8 tackles (7 solo)
• #20 Quentin Bryant (So., DB): 8 tackles (7 solo), 1 PBU
• #29 Jabari Butler (Fr., CB): 3 tackles (3 solo), 2 INT, 3 PD
Synopsis: Abilene Christian enters the weekend with a 1-1 record and is 1-0 in Southland Conference play after defeating Houston Baptist 49-21 this past weekend in Abilene. ACU led HBU 21-14 at half time before pulling away in the second half behind a 228-yard, three-touchdown performance from Parker McKenzie. ACU opened up the season with a 34-13 loss at FBS foe Fresno State as the Wildcats trailed the Bulldogs 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. ACU is averaging 31.0 points and 337.0 yards through its first two games of the season while allowing 27.5 points and 362.0 yards per game. Led by McKenzie, ACU has put up 227.5 passing yards per game and has been tough against the pass, allowing just 145.5 ypg through its first two games. The Wildcats’ rushing defense has been questionable, allowing 216.5 yards per game while managing just 109.5 yards on the ground of its own, led by running back De’Andre Brown. Linebacker Sam Denmark has emerged as ACU’s top defensive threat, recording 20 tackles, including 18 solo stops, through two games.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 16th meeting all-time between SFA and Abilene Christian with the Wildcats holding a 9-6 (.600) edge in the all-time series. Former Lone Star Conference rivals, ACU won last year’s meeting 37-35 in Nacogdoches, thanks in large part to De’Andre Brown’s 256-yard, three-touchdown performance. The Lumberjacks will be making their first trip to Abilene since 1984 as SFA is 2-5 (.286) all-time on the road against the Wildcats, earning a 37-21 victory in 1984 in its last trip to Abilene.
CONQUE vs. THE WILDCATS
SFA head coach Clint Conque has posted a 3-1 (.750) record against Abilene Christian in his career as he will be going head-to-head against one of his closest friends. ACU head coach Ken Collums is a 1994 graduate of Central Arkansas and spent five seasons on Conque’s staff at UCA from 2000-04, serving as the Bears’ offensive coordinator from 2002-04 before taking the same position at Abilene Christian.
‘JACKS STUMBLE AGAINST 21st-RANKED COWBOYS, 28-14
A pair of critical plays at the one-yard line proved to be the difference as SFA fell to 21st-ranked McNeese State 28-14 at Homer Bryce Stadium Saturday evening. SFA outgained McNeese 235-40 in the first quarter, but then went scoreless over the final 46:35 and outgained 360-171 as McNeese rallied for the win. Early in the first quarter, after a 12-yard touchdown run by Fred Ford was ruled down at the one, Zach Conque was hit diving for the goal line by the Cowboys’ Bo Brown as the fumble was then returned 97 yards to give the Cowboys the 7-0 lead. SFA then struck with a pair of TD passes from Hunter Taylor to take its first lead of the season 14-7 after the first, but that was answered with a pair of Cowboy touchdowns to give McNeese State the 21-14 lead late in the first half. With three seconds remaining in the second quarter, De’Quann Ruffin tried to get the game-tying score as time expired, but was knocked out of bounds at the one yard line, thwarting the attempt to tie the game. McNeese’s Daniel Sams then reeled off a 76-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the win for the Cowboys.
TAYLOR TAKES ADVANTAGE OF FIRST CAREER START...
With Zach Conque banged up after the game at third-ranked TCU, junior Hunter Taylor logged his first career start in an SFA uniform Saturday against McNeese State. The Whitehouse native had a strong performance, completing 19 of his 33 passes for 187 yards and his first two collegiate touchdowns, connecting on a 14-yard strike to Aaron Thomas and a 55-yard catch and run by Braxton Bearden. Taylor set career highs in every category on the night, besting his previous career best of seven completions for 50 yards against Northern Iowa in 2014.
... AS DOES MITCHELL
Another player that made his first career start against McNeese State was redshirt freshman cornerback Tarrin Mitchell, and he made his first start a memorable one. Mitchell notched a pair of interceptions against Cowboy quarterback Daniel Sams, logging the first with 19 seconds remaining in the first half to set up the potential game-tying score for the Lumberjacks, and the second came early in the fourth quarter as the ‘Jacks were looking to make a comeback attempt. Mitchell finished the night with four tackles as well, including a pair of solo stops.
OWENS SHINES IN FRONT OF FAMILIAR FACES
Senior linebacker Justin Owens posted one of his best performance in a Lumberjack uniform Saturday evening, finishing with a game-high 14 tackles for SFA, including six solo stops and a pass breakup. Owens’ 14 tackles was one shy of his career-best 15 stops against Northwestern State in last season’s regular season finale as he became the first SFA defender to record a double-digit tackle performance in 2015. He did it with some familiar faces looking on as the Brea, California native had a handful of family members in attendance, making the trek to Nacogdoches from Southern California.
UNCHARTED TERRITORY
The loss to McNeese State Saturday night put head coach Clint Conque into uncharted territory as he now sits at 0-3 for the first time in his 16-year head coaching career. Conque started 0-2 in 2007 at Central Arkansas en route to a 6-5 season with the roughest start to his coaching career coming in a 1-5 clip after six games in 2000, his first season as head coach, as UCA finished 3-8 that season, one of only two seasons he has finished with a sub-.500 record.
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. Thomas has accumulated 1,880 career receiving yards on 137 catches during his time as a Lumberjack, sitting just outside the program’s all-time top-10 in both categories.
LOOKING AHEAD
Up next for SFA is the annual trip to Houston for the 90th installment of the Battle of the Piney Woods with rival Sam Houston State on Saturday, October 3rd. Being played for the sixth-straight year at NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans, SFA and Sam Houston State renew one of the oldest rivalries in the state of Texas, kicking off at 3 p.m. and airing nationally on ESPN3.
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