Stephen F. Austin
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Baylor
1-0
Self's Touchdown Scamper Highlights SFA's Season Opener at Baylor
8/31/2019 8:16:00 PM | Football
Junior's three-yard scoring rush in the first provides SFA with program's first points against Baylor
WACO, Texas - By orchestrating an 11-play, 75-yard first-quarter scoring drive that culminated with his three-year touchdown scamper, sophomore quarterback Trae Self helped the SFA football team cut Baylor's early lead to 14-7 but the Bears scored 42 of the game's final 52 points and ran away with a 56-17 victory Saturday night at McLane Stadium in the 2019 season opener for both squads.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• After forcing a three-and-out on SFA's first possession of the night, Baylor wasted little time in taking a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Junior quarterback Charlie Brewer marched his troops 45 yards into the endzone in just 1:34 and put the hosts up 7-0 with a 16-yard touchdown strike to Trestan Ebner.
• On the Bears' ensuing drive, Brewer found R.J. Sneed from 11 yards out to extend Baylor's lead to 14-0.
• After absorbing a pair of quick strikes from the Bears, the 'Jacks embarked on a methodical march down the field in order to throw their counterpunch.
• Self directed much of the drive, beginning it with a 26-yard strike downfield to freshman wide receiver Xavier Gipson for the visitors' first first down of the season.
• Thomas Hutchings and Josh McGowen rumbled down the field for 13 and 14 yards respectively during the drive and Self hooked up with Remi Simmons for a 15-yard strike that pushed the 'Jacks into the red zone for the first time.
• A six-yard rush from Hutchings put the ball at the Bears' three yard line and Self did the rest, scrambling three yards into the endzone for SFA's first touchdown in program history against the Bears.
• SFA's 11-play, 75-yard drive chewed up 4:56 and allowed the 'Jacks' defense to get a much-needed breather.
• From there, however, the Bears took control for good. Baylor scored three more first-half touchdowns with runs of 21, 11 and 19 yards to take a 35-7 lead into its locker room at the half.
• Brewer and Sneed worked together again to push the Bears' lead to 42-7 in the third. The 21-yard hookup was followed up with another touchdown drive led by Baylor backup quarterback Gerry Bohanon in the third.
• SFA tacked on its final points of the game in the fourth when Preseason All-Southland Conference kicker Storm Ruiz split the uprights on a 32-yard field goal try with 11:16 left that made matters 49-10.
• Baylor went over the 500-yard mark by embarking on an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive that culminated with a nine-yard scoring run by Abram Smith to make matters 56-10 with 4:26 remaining.
• Putting the finishing touches on a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive was junior runningback Josh McGowen who found the endzone for the first time in 2019 with a one-yard plunge with 1:04 remaining that cut the Bears' lead down to 56-17.
KEY PERFORMANCES/STATISTICS OF NOTE
• Freshman wide receiver Xavier Gipson hauled in three balls for a game-high 61 receiving yards. He was one of four SFA receivers who finished with multiple catches and was one of only two players in the game to amass 50 or more receiving yards.
• Self's three-yard touchdown run in the first marked the first time in program history in which the 'Jacks scored against Baylor. Coming into Saturday's season opener, SFA had been outscored 201-0 in the previous four meetings between the two programs.
• In his SFA debut, Self finished with 140 yards through the air in addition to his touchdown run.
• Hutchings wrapped up the first game of his senior year with a team-high 68 yards on the ground. His biggest gainer was a 35-yard run down to the Bears' one yard line on the 'Jacks' final scoring drive of the game.
• Defensively, senior linebacker Quin Jones came up with a game-high 10 tackles to go along with a forced fumble.
• Baylor enjoyed some fine field position on a number of their first-half scoring drives to get an jump on the 'Jacks. Four of the Bears' five touchdown drives in the opening half started in SFA territory and each of those excursions into the endzone lasted no longer than 3:11.
• The Bears rolled up over 500 yards of total offense including 250 through the air. Starting quarterback Charlie Brewer threw for a trio of touchdowns and finished with 199 yards to pace Baylor's passing attack. On the ground, John Lovett led a Baylor rushing attack that piled up 265 yards by rumbling for 108 and one of the Bears' four touchdowns via land.
COMING UP NEXT
• SFA returns to Nacogdoches Saturday, Sept. 7, for its first home game of the Colby Carthel coaching era. At 6:00 p.m. that evening, the 'Jacks welcome NCAA Division II and in-state combatant Tarleton State to Homer Bryce Stadium. The clash will be carried nationwide on ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
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Team Stats
SFA 0, BU 7
BU - Ebner,Trestan 16 yd pass from Brewer,Charlie (Mayers,John kick) 6 plays, 45 yards, TOP 1:34
SFA 0, BU 14
BU - Sneed,R.J. 11 yd pass from Brewer,Charlie (Mayers,John kick) 5 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:51
SFA 7, BU 14
SFA - Self, Trae 3 yd run (Ruiz, Storm kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:56
SFA 7, BU 21
BU - Ebner,Trestan 21 yd run (Mayers,John kick), 6 plays, 34 yards, TOP 2:20
SFA 7, BU 28
BU - Ebner,Trestan 11 yd run (Mayers,John kick), 7 plays, 81 yards, TOP 2:34
SFA 7, BU 35
BU - Lovett,John 19 yd run (Mayers,John kick), 8 plays, 45 yards, TOP 3:11
SFA 7, BU 42
BU - Sneed,R.J. 21 yd pass from Brewer,Charlie (Mayers,John kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:20
SFA 7, BU 49
BU - Thornton,Tyquan 9 yd pass from Bohanon,Gerry (Rauschenberg,N. kick) 6 plays, 63 yards, TOP 2:39
SFA 10, BU 49
SFA - Ruiz, Storm 32 yd field goal 7 plays, 15 yards, TOP 3:37
SFA 10, BU 56
BU - Smith,Abram 9 yd run (Rauschenberg,N. kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 6:50
SFA 17, BU 56
SFA - McGowen, Josh 1 yd run (Ruiz, Storm kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:22
