Lumberjacks Take No.1 Sam Houston To The Wire in Pineywoods Thriller

Saturday, October 2

Houston, Texas (NRG Stadium)

4:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

3-2 , 1-1

#1 Sam Houston

4-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Sam Houston

Stephen F. Austin

Lumberjacks Take No.1 Sam Houston To The Wire in Pineywoods Thriller

10/2/2021 7:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas -- The SFA Football team led the 2021 Battle of the Piney Woods nearly wire-to-wire but came up just short of victory, as a game-winning field goal attempt carried wide in the game's final minute. The 'Jacks took it to the defending national champion Bearkats all night, outpacing SHSU 311-289 in total yardage and holding Sam Houston to just six points through three and a half quarters of play.

After stalling out the Bearkats' opening drive with some stout defense out of field goal range, the 'Jacks went on an eight-play, 63-yard drive to take the lead with a 49-yard field goal from Chris Campos for an early 3-0 lead.

Later, as SHSU drove to try and answer the Lumberjack score, an interception by Bruce Harmon got the 'Jacks back in position to add to their lead. SFA went 43 yards in five plays, capping off the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Trae Self to Xavier Gipson, who "Mossed" his defender by rising up to pluck the ball off his defender's back in the corner of the endzone. SFAwould lead 10-0 at the end of the first quarter of play.

A short catch and long run by Jacquarion Turner of 46 yards set the 'Jacks up in scoring position in the second quarter, and Campos' second field goal of the day, this time from 25 yards, extended SFA's lead to 13-0. Sam Houston's ensuing drive, kept alive by a targeting penalty called against SFA, culminated in a touchdown after traveling 77 yards on nine plays, trimming the lead to 13-6 with one minute remaining in the half after a missed PAT.

SFA's defense came through in spades late in the third quarter, as a bad snap by SHSU was recovered on the 10 yard line by Amad Murray. Self found Lawton Rikel on a quick pass one play later, and Rikel muscled his way into the endzone for the touchdown and a 20-6 SFA lead at the end of the third quarter.

Unfortunately, the Bearkats' offense came alive in the fourth quarter on a pair of scoring drives, the second of which was aided by a penalty on fourth and goal that gave Sam Houston a fresh set of downs. The resulting PAT on the seocnd touchdown pushed SHSU to its first lead of the game, 21-20.

Self finished with 215 yards and two touchdowns through the air and added another 44 yards on the ground on 11 carries. Wideout Xavier Gipson had a strong day, hauling in nine catches for 100 yards and a receiving score. The Lumberjack defense was stout throughout the game, recording eight tackles for loss, a sack and two turnovers. The 'Jacks held SHSU to a 3-13 performance on third down and 1-3 in fourth down conversions.