Game Preview: No. 10 Stephen F. Austin vs. Jacksonville State

Saturday, August 27

Montgomery, Ala.

2:30 PM

Stephen F. Austin

Jacksonville State

Game Preview: No. 10 Stephen F. Austin vs. Jacksonville State

8/23/2022 3:43:00 PM | Football

By: Dennis Driscoll, SFA Associate Athletic Director of Strategic Communications

FCS Kickoff Classic

Date: Saturday, August 27

Time: 2:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Stadium: Cramton Bowl (25,000)

Series: SFA leads 6-2

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Stephen F. Austin versus Jacksonville State.

Blue blood versus blue blood.

What a storyline for the opening game on the ESPN family of networks in the FCS Kickoff Classic.

The Lumberjacks, led by fourth-year head coach are a consensus top 10 program, while Jacksonville State will be playing its final FCS schedule and has started the process of transitioning to FBS and will join Conference USA next season. JSU will be competing with 85 full scholarships, while SFA will have 63.

Series

This is the ninth meeting between the two programs. SFA and JSU both competed in the Southland Conference between 1996 and 2002.

2021: JSU, 28-24

2002: SFA, 36-28

2001: SFA, 44-37

2000: SFA, 27-21

1999: SFA, 33-16

1998: JSU, 22-16

1997: SFA, 44-37

1996: SFA, 36-28

Last Time Versus JSU (Oct. 9, 2021)

SFA fell short to JSU in a battle between two top 25 programs, 28-24.

Trae Self finished with 305 yards passing on 26-47 attempts, notching his eighth career 300-yard passing game. He also threw for a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 22 yards on six carries. Xavier Gipson led all SFA receivers with 84 yards on eight catches, while Quentyvian Borders notched six receptions for 62 yards and Jeremiah Miller hauled in three catches for 77 yards. Korbyn White carried the ball 13 times for 55 yards and a score, while also recording three catches for 20 yards.

After shaking off one of the worst possible starts to a game, in which a pair of unlucky turnovers spotted the home side a 14-0 lead, SFA showed some signs of life on the defensive end, forcing a turnover on downs with JSU marching towards the endzone. Trae Self and the offense then took over, and long completions by Self to Quentyvian Borders and Jeremiah Miller, the latter a 55-yard catch and run for a touchdown, helped SFA cut the lead in half and get back into the game with 2:53 remaining in the first quarter.

After trailing 21-7 at the halftime intermission, SFA replicated the formula that led to their opening score to open the third, as the SFA defense held firm to force a JSU three and out. Four plays and 62 yards later, SFA was in the endzone again, this time on a 31-yard touchdown strike from Self to Thompson to trim the lead to 21-14.

A 12-play, 65-yard drive in the third quarter stalled out at the JSU three-yard line, as the 'Jacks opted to try for a touchdown on 4th-and-goal instead of attempting a field goal. Fortunately for the 'Jacks, a fumble by the Gamecocks on the resulting possession was recovered by Myles Heard, setting up a short field which the 'Jacks turned into a score. Korbyn White's 10-yard rushing score put the finishing touches on the 6-play, 51-yard drive, which tied the game up at 21-21 after a Chris Campos extra point.

Gipson, Self Named to 2022 Walter Payton Award Watch List

Seniors Xavier Gipson (wide receiver) and Trae Self (quarterback) have been named to the initial 2022 Walter Payton Award watch list, which Stats Perform presents to the national offensive player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.

Gipson, a consensus preseason All-American, recently selected as the unanimous WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, landed on the Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team to open the second straight campaign. Gipson led the WAC with 75 receptions, 1,377 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021, turning in an average of 144.0 all-purpose yards per game.

Self paced the WAC with 3,201 yards and 266.8 passing yards per game in 2021, to go along with 28 touchdowns to just nine interceptions through the air. Self gained an additional 311 rushing and scored three times on the ground for the Lumberjacks.

More players can join the watch list during the regular season, and afterwards a national media panel will select the winner. First awarded in 1987, the Payton has watched past recipients such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance move on to the NFL.

Also this season, Stats Perform will present the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year) and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

BJ Thompson Named to Initial 2022 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List

Stephen F. Austin defensive lineman BJ Thompson has been selected for the initial 2022 Buck Buchanan Award watch list, which Stats Perform presents to the national defensive player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.

Thompson had a stand out 2021 season and appeared in all 12 games, accumulated 12 solo tackles and 26.0 total tackles. Thompson ranked third on the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and second on the team with 9.5 sacks. He also recorded two forced fumbles and fumble recoveries and three quarterback hurries.

More players can join the watch list during the regular season, and afterwards a national media panel will select the winner. First awarded in 1995, the Buchanan includes past recipients such as Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen and Arthur Moats.

Also this season, Stats Perform will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year) and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

5 Named to 2022 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team

Five Lumberjacks were named to the 2022 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team.

Wide receiver Xavier Gipson led the WAC with 75 receptions, 1,377 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021, turning in an average of 144.0 all-purpose yards per game.

A pair of Lumberjack players were included on the second-team All-America list, with defensive end BJ Thompson and punter Max Quick representing Stephen F. Austin. Thompson logged 9.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles over 12 games last season, adding in two pass breakups. Quick averaged 46.0 yards per punt on 44 attempts in 2021 to lead the WAC, booming a long of 74 against Sam Houston on Oct. 2. Quick landed a conference-high 18 punts inside the 20.

On the third team, quarterback Trae Self and kicker Chris Campos rounded out the preseason All-America selections from Stephen F. Austin. Self paced the WAC with 3,201 yards and 266.8 passing yards per game in 2021, to go along with 28 touchdowns to just nine interceptions through the air. Self gained an additional 311 rushing and scored three times on the ground for the Lumberjacks. Campos, the WAC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year, connected on 20-of-24 field goal attempts (83.3 percent) and all 49 extra-point tries to lead the conference with 109 points last season.

Lumberjacks WAC Preseason No 1; 14 Named to All-WAC Team

Stephen F. Austin received all possible first place votes in the preseason coaches' poll and are the favorites to win the Western Athletic Conference regular season title. Lumberjacks' wide receiver Xavier Gipson is the WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and kicker Chris Campos is the WAC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year. In addition to being on the Preseason All-WAC team as a wide receiver, Gipson is also picked as a returner. The league's six head coaches selected the teams and could not vote for their own team or players.

SFA leads the way with 14 preseason honorees. Gipson, running back Miles Reed, offensive lineman Clint Lapic, defensive lineman B.J. Thompson, linebacker Brevin Randle and defensive back Jeremiah Walker were all unanimous selections.