‘Jacks Blitz HCU as Carthel Claims Career Win #100

Saturday, November 8

Houston, TX

2:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

8-2 , 6-0

Houston Christian

2-8 , 1-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

SFA

Houston Christian

Turnover Celebration vs. HCU (11-8-25).png

Photo by: Erika Cruz

‘Jacks Blitz HCU as Carthel Claims Career Win #100

11/8/2025 7:38:00 PM | Football

Box Score

SFA’s win streak moves to eight games; the program’s longest since the start of the ’89 campaign

HOUSTON, Texas – Stephen F. Austin handled business on Saturday afternoon inside Husky Stadium as the Lumberjacks unleashed on Houston Christian to the tune of a 47-point win that saw the 'Jacks defense post another dominant performance, while Gavin Rutherford was an efficient passer with three touchdowns through the air and an additional 55 yards rushing. The victory is the eighth straight for the 'Jacks, which is the longest since the 1989 season, an improves SFA to 6-0 in league play.

Any murmurs of a trap game for the 'Jacks were quickly quieted as Bugs Mortimer produced his nation leading third punt return touchdown of the season as he drifted back to the SFA26 before making a handful of Huskies miss and jetting down the Lumberjack sideline for the game's first points and the fourth punt return score of the season for SFA.

Making his first start of the season and the fourth of his career, Rutherford settled in just over halfway through the opening 15 as he directed a 66-yard drive in just over three minutes that was capped by a 14-yard toss to Isaiah Davis for the first paydirt trip of the afternoon. Two plays, prior to the scoring strike, Rutherford scrambled for 26 yards to set the 'Jacks up inside the redzone.

The Lumberjack defense allowed only one third down conversion in eight first-half tries by the Huskies, while forcing five first half punts. Mortimer's first touch of the second quarter resulted in a 19-yard set up to the SFA49 which led to a quick score on the fifth play of a 95-second drive. A second down pass play pushed the 'Jacks into the redzone as Davis hauled in a toe-tapping, back shoulder grab a snap before Rutherford laid up a soft pass for Kylon Harris in the endzone.

With just under six minutes until the intermission, Jalen Mayo intercepted an HCU pass, his third of the season, and the offense responded accordingly with a nine-play series that saw a 23-yard completion over the middle from Rutherford to Gerard Edimo and resulted in a one-yard scoring plunge from Jerrell Wimbley.

Much of HCU's success offensively occurred during their final drive of the first half as the Huskies moved 54 yards down into the SFA20 at the 11-yard line. That effort was for naught as Charles Demmings got the last laugh picking off a pass in the endzone for his third aerial takeaway of the season.

Second half action was highlighted by a three-yard rushing touchdown from first year 'Jack JT Kitna who also concluded scoring on the afternoon with a nice ball on a 27-yard connection to Jordan Nabors. In between those two scores, Rutherford found Davis for the second time on the afternoon, this time from 18 yards out to cap a quick 3-play, 34-yard drive that was set up on a blocked punt by Cameron Kelley.

Here's to the next 100!??

Congrats to @CoachCarthel on career win No. 100! #AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/RKeazzO9D6
— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) November 9, 2025

SCORING DRIVES
1Q (12:48) | 74-yard punt return from Bugs Mortimer, Rutherford to Edimo 2pt good
1Q (3:20) | 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:08 | 14-yard pass from Rutherford to Davis, Alvarado kick good

2Q (14:07) | 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:20 | 45-yard FG from Ryan Zuckert
2Q (8:56) | 5 plays, 51 yards, 1:35 | 17-yard pass from Rutherford to Harris, Alvarado kick good
2Q (1:08) | 9 plays, 50 yards, 3:16 | 1-yard rush from Jerrell Wimbley, Alvarado kick good

3Q (7:00) | 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:43 | 3-yard rush from JT Kitna, Alvarado kick good
3Q (3:41) | 3 plays, 34 yards, 1:14 | 18-yard pass from Rutherford to Davis, Alvarado kick good

4Q (12:52) | 6 plays, 55 yards, 3:46 | 27-yard pass from Kitna to Nabors, Alvarado kick good

POSTGAME NOTES

The 'Jacks reached 30 points for a program record eighth consecutive game
Rutherford made his fourth career start and threw for a career high three touchdowns
Rutherford finished 11-of-16 for 132 yards
Kitna and Bryson Broadway both saw action with Broadway making his collegiate debut
Davis hauled in three passes for 49 yards and the two touchdowns
Blaine Green also caught three passes for 27 yards
Braden Lewis led SFA with 57 second half yards, Rutherford followed with 55 on four carries and Wimbley added a team-high 15 carries for 48 yards
Jaylen Jenkins carried seven times for 46 yards
Based on current research by SFA Athletics' Stats and Analytics department, SFA's four punt return touchdowns and three from Mortimer are the most for the unit and for an individual in the past 24 seasons
Mortimer finished with 105 all-purpose yards after adding a 12-yard reception to his 93 punt return yards
Jaydon Southard delivered eight tackles including five solo and 1.5 for loss to go along with a QBH and a PBU
Chance Sautter followed with six stops
SFA recorded 13.0 tackles for loss including six sacks
The SFA defense held the Southland Conference's leading rusher in Xai'Shaun Edwards to 30 yards on 15 attempts
The 'Jacks held HCU to 134 total yards including 13 in the second half

ABOUT THE WIN

The eighth-straight victory marks the longest win streak for the 'Jacks since 1989
The victory is the 100^th in the head coaching career of Carthel
SFA's 8-2 start is the program's best ten-game beginning to a season since 2010
The 'Jacks are 6-0 in league play for the first time in program history and it's the first time SFA has won six conference games since 1999
It is the first six-game league win streak since 1973
It is the 41^st victory for the 'Jacks under Carthel which places the Texan tied for third all-time on SFA's win list

RECORD BOOK REWRITING

Harris is 167 receiving yards from seventh place all-time
Harris is two receiving TDs from fourth on the program's all-time TD catches list
Harris caught two passes to move into third place on the all-time receptions list
Wimbley moved 119 yards from sixth on the all-time rushing list and moved into ninth place on the program's top 10 all-time all-purpose yards list
Demmings grabbed his third INT of the season to tie the program record for pass break ups in a career with 34

UP NEXT
Attention turns to a Southland Conference showdown next Saturday in Homer Bryce Stadium as the 'Jacks play host to nationally ranked Lamar in a matchup steaming with regular season SLC title and FCS postseason implications. It will be the 38^th matchup between the Lumberjacks and Cardinals with Lamar holding the series advantage at 19-16-2. The 'Jacks have won three straight against LU and 10 of the past 13 matchups dating to 1981. The two sides first contested on the gridiron in 1923. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Live coverage links will be made available at www.SFAjacks.com.

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