Lumberjacks Overpower Dixie State on Road, 37-20

Saturday, October 23

St. George, UT

8:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

4-3 , 2-1

Dixie State

0-7 , 0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Stephen F. Austin

Dixie State

Lumberjacks Overpower Dixie State on Road, 37-20

10/23/2021 11:14:00 PM | Football

Box Score

ST. GEORGE, UT – The SFA football team got back to its winning ways with a balanced team effort in a 37-20 win over Dixie State in St. George, Utah on Saturday night. SFA improves to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in WAC play with the victory.

The 'Jacks jumped out to a 20-0 lead before giving up a score to DSU, and outscored the hosts in the second half to stave off any hope off a comeback effort. Trae Self was 20-30 for 326 yards and three touchdown passes in the contest, while Miles Reed totaled 103 yards on the ground to pace SFA's multi-faceted offense. Wideout Xavier Gipson surpassed his previous career-high of 177 yards by hauling in eight receptions for 208 yards and a pair of scores.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After both teams went three and out on their first possession of the contest, the 'Jacks got the ball back deep in their own territory. The 'Jacks then engineered a 15-play, 86 yard scoring drive to take a 7-0 lead, courtesy of a one-yard scoring plunge by Miles Reed.

SFA extended its lead on the ensuing possession, moving 42 yards in nine plays and capping off the drive with a 43-yard field goal by Chris Campos to push the lead out to 10-0 with 13 minutes remaining in the second quarter. The 'Jacks struck again after another defensive stop, driving 51 yards in just three plays and scoring on a 14 yard catch and score by Xavier Gipson from Trae Self.

After stalling out another Dixie State drive with a sack on third down, the 'Jacks got the ball back on their own 35-yard line and drove 44 yards in nine plays, after which Chris Campos extended the led with a career-long 53-yard field goal. That distance set a new Greater Zion Stadium record for field goal distance, with the previous mark of 52 being set in 2019.

Dixie State would break onto the scoreboard right before half, kicking a 20-yard field goal as time expired after an impassioned goal-line stand by the 'Jacks defense.

In the third quarter, a 47-yard touchdown scamper by Dixie State running back Drew Kannely-Robles trimmed the SFA lead to just 10, 20-10, capping off a four-play, 76-yard drive.

SFA wasted little time striking back, as a ball thrown downfield by Self in the direction of two receivers was knocked up in the air and then caught by Xavier Gipson, who found himself in the right place at the right time, and was able to walk into the endzone for the 60-yard touchdown score, elevating SFA to a 27-10 lead.

Dixie State opened the fourth quarter with a drive spanning 10 plays and 63 yards and ending with a 34-yard field goal to trim the lead to 27-13 with 11 minutes remaining in the contest.

SFA would add a 40-yard field goal from Campos to extend the lead out to 30-13 late in the contest, and would turn Dixie State over on downs on their ensuing drive to take over possession with 3:15 remaining in the contest.

After a 66-yard catch and run by Gipson on SFA's first play of the final drive set them up with first and goal, the 'Jacks punched in the visitor's final score on a four-yard touchdown pass to Chad Aune from Self.

Dixie State would tack on a meaningless score in the game's waning moments, but the 'Jacks would recover DSU's onside kick attempt and run out the clock from there.

NOTABLE STATISTICS
• Gipson's 208 yards through the air were a career-high for the receiver (previous best of 177), and also marked SFA's first 200-yard receiver since Aaron Thomas had 242 against Prairie View A&M in 2013.
• SFA had seven total sacks in the contest for the first time since the 2016 season against West Alabama.
• Self's 326 yards marked his third 300-yard passing game of the season and seventh of his career.