Saturday, September 24
Nacogdoches, Texas
6:00 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
vs
Warner (Fla.)
Game Preview: Stephen F. Austin vs. Warner
9/21/2022 5:00:00 PM | Football
Stephen F. Austin vs. Warner
Date: Saturday, Sept. 24Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Nacogdoches, Texas
Venue: Homer Bryce Stadium (14,575)
Surface: Field Turf
Series: First Meeting
Live Stats: sfajacks.com
Live Audio: sfajacks.com
TV: ESPN +
Radio: Q 107
Twitter Updates: @SFA_Football
Rankings:
SFA: FCS Coaches: No. 17
STATS Perform FCS TOP 25: No. 23
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – After a month on the road, the Stephen F. Austin football program returns to the friendly confines of Homer Bryce Stadium and hosts NAIA-foe Warner University. It's the first time the two programs will match-up on the gridiron.
Series vs. Warner
2022: First Meeting
SFA Ranked No. 17/23 in Top 25 Polls
After the bye week Stephen F. Austin football remains ranked in the FCS Coaches Poll and STATS Perform FCS Top 25 polls.
The 'Jacks are No. 17 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 23 in the STATS Perform Top 25.
SFA vs. La. Tech Recap
FBS Louisiana Tech defeated Stephen F. Austin 52-17 in non-conference action.
SFA falls to 1-2, while La. Tech improves to 1-1 on the season.
JaTerious Evans interception at 8:14 in the 1st quarter set up a one-yard touchdown plunge from Trae Self to tie the game at 7-7.
From there, the Bulldogs scored 31 points to close out the half with a 38-7 lead.
Chris Campos, the WAC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year, connected on a 32-yard field goal at 3:14 in the third quarter.
Preston Weeks delivered a 44-yard pitch-and-catch to Lawton Rikel at 12:35 in the fourth quarter.
As a team, SFA generated 305 yards of total offense, 161 through the air and 144 on the ground.
Rikel finished with 75 yards receiving, while Darryle Simmons added 46 yards receiving on a pair of catches.
On the defensive side of the ball, Jalon Hunter finished with a team-high eight tackles, including a pair of solo tackles. Myles Heard and Edward Bobino each added five tackles.
Myles Heard Named WAC Defensive Player of the Week
SFA defensive back Myles Heard was named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday morning.
Heard played a crucial role in SFA's 31-27 comeback victory at Alcorn State on Sept. 3, helping the Lumberjacks overcome a 14-point halftime deficit and hand the host Braves their first home loss since 2018. Heard finished the contest with 13 total tackles, one pass breakup and an interception that stopped Alcorn State from countering following SFA's game-winning touchdown with 2:22 to play.
Gipson Breaks SFA All-Time Receiving Record
Xavier Gipson continues to break records wearing the purple and white. Entering the game versus JSU, Gipson needed 44 yards to break the mark. Gipson broke it in spectacular fashion on a spectacular 50-yard touchdown pass from Trae Self at the 13:47 mark in the second quarter. Gipson broke the mark held by for NFL wide receiver Cordell Roberson (3,191) who played from 2009-2012.
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
SFA 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
SFA 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.
Players Mentioned
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