Resilient Lumberjacks Push Upset Bid to Final Minute Versus Texas Tech, 28-22

Saturday, September 11

Lubbock, Texas

6:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

1-1 , 1-0

Texas Tech

2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Stephen F. Austin

Texas Tech

Resilient Lumberjacks Push Upset Bid to Final Minute Versus Texas Tech, 28-22

9/11/2021 9:39:00 PM | Football

Box Score

LUBBOCK, Texas –  The SFA Football team gave the Red Raiders of Texas Tech everything they wanted and more for four quarters on Saturday night inside Jones AT&T Stadium, attributing themselves very well despite coming up just short in the upset bid, 28-22. Entering the matchup as 31.5 point underdogs, SFA led the Red Raiders 13-7 at the half, the program's first halftime lead over an FBS opponent since 2003, after outperforming the hosts on both sides of the ball in the half.

Undeterred by a crowd of over 55,000, the Lumberjacks marched down to Tech's seven-yard line with just over a minute left to play but weren't able to punch in the game winning score.

Responding to a touchdown drive by the hosts on their opening drive, SFA engineered a 17-play, 65-yard drive that ended on the 12-yard line as SFA opted to try for a touchdown rather than attempt a field goal. The drive was a productive one, and included  fourth down conversions by running back Miles Reed and Xavier Gipson to keep the drive alive and moving into Red Raider territory. Self was 8-12 on the drive for 51 yards, completing passes to five different receivers.

After three and outs by both sides, Texas Tech started a drive at their own eight-yard line, thanks to a stellar punt from Max Quick. On the second play of that drive, Willie Roberts jumped a route and picked off Tyler Shough's pass, running it back 18 yards for a Lumberjack touchdown. The score was SFA's first defensive score of the season, and evened the score up at 7-7 after a successful PAT from Chris Campos.

With 13:02 remaining in the second quarter, the SFA special teams unit came up with a big play, pouncing on a muffed punt to recover the ball and start a drive at the Red Raider's 23-yard line. Seven plays and 17-yards later, a 23-yard field goal by Campos gave SFA a 10-7 lead with 10:15 left to play in the second quarter.

Engineering another long scoring drive before the end of the first half, SFA put another three points on the board thanks to a 13-play, 65-yard drive that eclipsed 6:32 of game time and was capped off by a 35-yard field goal from Chris Campos. As the Red Raiders moved downfield in the two-minute drill, a deep throw by Shough was intercepted by Myles Brooks, allowing SFA to kneel the ball and run out the remaining time of the half. At the intermission, SFA had outgained the Red Raiders 179-156 in total yards and 161-104 through the air.

In the second half, a resurgent Texas Tech team retook the lead on a long scamper up the middle to make the score 14-13. A second touchdown came on the next drive for Texas Tech, who took a 21-13 lead with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter.

As Texas Tech drove towards the SFA endzone at the end of the third quarter, BJ Thompson raced around the end of the red Raider offensive line and rocked Shough with a hit that jarred the ball loose. As members of both teams scrambled to recover the ball, it traveled nearly 30 yards back towards the Tech endzone, where Jeremiah Miller pounced on it to give SFA the ball at the TTU 26-yard line to begin the third quarter.

After Xavier Gipson took a Trae Self pass and generated a little razzle-dazzle to set up a first and goal try, Self found Ja'Bray Young for a four-yard score to pull SFA within two, 21-19, after a resulting two-point try was unsuccessful.

Texas Tech would answer thanks to another home run play, setting up a short RB plunge to extend the lead out to 28-19 with 12:30 left to play.

SFA tacked on a late field goal by Campos, his third of the day, with 7:13 left to play to trim the lead to 28-22. The 46-yarder brought SFA within one score of the hosts.

The Lumberjack defense forced a Red Raider three-and-out with just under six minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, setting the scene for a dramatic finish to a game that, according to pundits, should never have been that close. SFA marched down the field to the eight-yard line in 12 plays, getting a fresh set of downs with 1:32 left to go in the contest. A rush for no gain and a sack of Self set SFA back to a third and goal from the 17, which Self then turned into a single try from the seven with a 10-yard scamper.

On SFA's final play, Gipson appeared to be held on his route, and Self was sandwiched between two Red Raiders after releasing his pass in the area of Gipson, opening the door for either penalty to be called and giving SFA another shot. However, the ball fell innocently to the turf and no call was given in favor of the visitors, closing the book on the upset bid.

SFA NOTABLE PERFORMERS
• Xavier Gipson had one of the best receiving games of his career, hauling in a single-game best 13 catches for 158 yards.
• Self put on an efficient clinic through the air, completing 38-58 (65.5%) of his passes for 343 yards and one touchdown. He also added 17 yards on the ground and had no turnovers for the second week in a row.
• Jeremiah Miller had six catches for 78 yards in the contest opposite Gipson.
• BJ Thompson had a sack and a force fumble, while Willie Taylor had one of SFA's two interceptions and returned it for a touchdown.
• Max Quick was once again a weapon in the field position battle, posting 210 yards on four punts (52.5 average) with a long of 73 yards and two punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
• Chris Campos had field goals of 23, 35 and 36 yards in the contest for the 'Jacks.