Saturday, December 6
Nacogdoches, Texas
1:02 P.M.
Stephen F. Austin
11-2 , 8-0
41
vs
34
(10) Abilene Christian
9-5 , 7-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Abilene Christian
3
14
10
7
34
SFA
7
10
7
17
41
Photo by: Erika Cruz
‘Jacks Outlast Abilene Christian in Playoff Thriller, Advance to FCS Quarterfinals
12/6/2025 10:23:00 PM | Football
SFA churns out 500+ yards of total offense, registers consecutive defensive stands late in fourth quarter comeback
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – In what Stephen F. Austin head coach Colby Carthel described postgame as a prize fight, the #10/10 (7) Lumberjacks (11-2) went the distance, landed the final blow and outlasted #13/14 (10) Abilene Christian (9-5) 41-34 in Saturday afternoon's FCS second round playoff game, a rematch of a Week 2 bout, inside a raucous Homer Bryce Stadium as thousands of purple-clad fans came out in droves for the Lone Star State tilt; the first home playoff game for the 'Jacks since 2010 and the first non-opening round playoff game inside HBS since 1989.
The final 15 minutes of action saw three lead changes as the 'Jacks took a 31-27 lead with just under 12 minutes remaining as Jerrell Wimbley weaved a rush left untouched from ten yards out for his second rushing score of the afternoon and the cap to an 11-play drive that ate up almost five minutes of clock. ACU responded with a big play, a 66-yard rush from Jordon Vaughn on 3rd and 1, on the visitor's next drive and the Wildcats moved back out front 34-31.
Back and forth action resumed on the 'Jacks' next possession as a 3rd and 5 play resulted in a pair of collegiate veterans hooking up for a massive pitch and catch as Sam Vidlak dropped in a 55-yard dime to Kylon Harris setting SFA up inside the ACU10. Two plays later, Harris made a jaw-dropping, body-turning, one-handed grab off a nice-touch toss from Vidlak along the left side of paydirt to put the 'Jacks back on top 38-34.
Opponents may have managed to get a question or two correct on the Charles Demmings test throughout his career but rarely has any opponent ever passed the exam. That was the case three plays into ACU's drive down four with just under eight minutes to play. The Oldest Town in Texas shifted into the loudest as the HBS faithful roared with life, as a third down pressure by Tim Muhammad led to ACU quarterback Stone Earle taking a shot up the visiting sideline which was picked off by Demmings, the Senior Bowl invitee, to set up a drive that resulted in a 26-yard make from the leg of Carlos Alvarado to increase the SFA lead to seven at 41-34.
With one ACU timeout remaining, two minutes to play and trailing by seven, a holding penalty put the Wildcats behind the chains following a first down play. On 3rd and 11 and with HBS rocking, Ky Thomas delivered a crushing sack of Earle and on the next snap Jaydon Southard knocked down a fourth-down pass, with Muhammad again applying pressure, to put the game on ice.
First half action saw the two squads enter the intermission even at 17 as Jacob Hand nailed a 48-yarder with seconds remaining to match the Wildcats through two quarters of play. ACU engineered a lengthy opening to the contest marching 69 yards in 13 plays to only come away with three points as the Wildcats controlled the first 7:15 of game play. SFA then forced four consecutive ACU three-and-outs, ACU responded with scores on five-straight drives, and the 'Jacks finished off the visitors with the aforementioned interception and emphatic turnover on downs.
SFA was forced to punt on its first two drives of the game, but a 19-yard punt return by Harris to the ACU30 with under three minutes remaining in the first quarter quickly resulted in a Vidlak scoring strike. Three plays into the drive, Vidlak found a wide-open Gerard Edimo around the ACU5, and the bruising tight end sauntered into the endzone for SFA's first points and the receptor's first career touchdown grab.
The 'Jacks' second scoring strike came on its second-longest drive of the season as a 97-yard jaunt took only 2:33 and seven plays as SFA manufactured big gains of 33, 32 and 26 yards. Vidlak found Harris for the first of the trio of chunk plays, Jaylen Jenkins rattled off a 32-yard run and Vidlak found Derrick Bohler along the left side of the endzone, and the latter hauled in a tightly-contested reception for a two-possession SFA lead.
SCORING DRIVES
1Q (7:39) | 13 plays, 69 yards, 7:15 | 22-yard FG by Perez
1Q (1:49) | 3 plays, 30 yards, 1:01 | 20-yard pass from Vidlak to Edimo, Alvarado kick good
2Q (12:31) | 7 plays, 97 yards, 2:33 | 26-yard pass from Vidlak to Bohler, Alvarado kick good
2Q (5:38) | 8 plays, 95 yards, 3:41 | 2-yard rush by Vaughn, Perez kick good
2Q (1:05) | 6 plays, 55 yards, 3:20 | 23-yard rush by Vaughn, Perez kick good
2Q (0:03) | 7 plays, 45 yards, 1:02 | 48-yard FG by Hand
3Q (13:08) | 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:52 | 4-yard rush by Wimbley, Alvarado kick good
3Q (6:55) | 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:13 | 17-yard rush by Earle, Perez kick good
3Q (1:50) | 8 plays, 48 yards, 3:22 | 31-yard FG by Perez
4Q (11:56) | 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:54 | 10-yard rush by Wimbley, Alvarado kick good
4Q (10:31) | 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:19 | 66-yard rush by Vaughn, Perez kick good
4Q (7:47) | 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:38 | 9-yard pass from Vidlak to Harris, Alvarado kick good
4Q (1:56) | 10 plays, 46 yards, 4:20 | 26-yard FG by Alvarado
POSTGAME NOTES
The 'Jacks make the trek to the Treasure State as perennial power and playoff No. 2 Montana State, the 2024 national runner-up, awaits in Bozeman. It will be the seventh meeting all-time between the Lumberjacks and the Bobcats with MSU leading the series 4-2 overall with a 3-0 mark at home. SFA and MSU meet inside scenic Bobcat Stadium on Friday, December 12 in an 8 p.m. matchup televised to a national ESPN audience. Live coverage links for the FCS Quarterfinal tilt will be announced and made available at www.SFAjacks.com.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA football, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
The final 15 minutes of action saw three lead changes as the 'Jacks took a 31-27 lead with just under 12 minutes remaining as Jerrell Wimbley weaved a rush left untouched from ten yards out for his second rushing score of the afternoon and the cap to an 11-play drive that ate up almost five minutes of clock. ACU responded with a big play, a 66-yard rush from Jordon Vaughn on 3rd and 1, on the visitor's next drive and the Wildcats moved back out front 34-31.
Back and forth action resumed on the 'Jacks' next possession as a 3rd and 5 play resulted in a pair of collegiate veterans hooking up for a massive pitch and catch as Sam Vidlak dropped in a 55-yard dime to Kylon Harris setting SFA up inside the ACU10. Two plays later, Harris made a jaw-dropping, body-turning, one-handed grab off a nice-touch toss from Vidlak along the left side of paydirt to put the 'Jacks back on top 38-34.
Opponents may have managed to get a question or two correct on the Charles Demmings test throughout his career but rarely has any opponent ever passed the exam. That was the case three plays into ACU's drive down four with just under eight minutes to play. The Oldest Town in Texas shifted into the loudest as the HBS faithful roared with life, as a third down pressure by Tim Muhammad led to ACU quarterback Stone Earle taking a shot up the visiting sideline which was picked off by Demmings, the Senior Bowl invitee, to set up a drive that resulted in a 26-yard make from the leg of Carlos Alvarado to increase the SFA lead to seven at 41-34.
With one ACU timeout remaining, two minutes to play and trailing by seven, a holding penalty put the Wildcats behind the chains following a first down play. On 3rd and 11 and with HBS rocking, Ky Thomas delivered a crushing sack of Earle and on the next snap Jaydon Southard knocked down a fourth-down pass, with Muhammad again applying pressure, to put the game on ice.
First half action saw the two squads enter the intermission even at 17 as Jacob Hand nailed a 48-yarder with seconds remaining to match the Wildcats through two quarters of play. ACU engineered a lengthy opening to the contest marching 69 yards in 13 plays to only come away with three points as the Wildcats controlled the first 7:15 of game play. SFA then forced four consecutive ACU three-and-outs, ACU responded with scores on five-straight drives, and the 'Jacks finished off the visitors with the aforementioned interception and emphatic turnover on downs.
SFA was forced to punt on its first two drives of the game, but a 19-yard punt return by Harris to the ACU30 with under three minutes remaining in the first quarter quickly resulted in a Vidlak scoring strike. Three plays into the drive, Vidlak found a wide-open Gerard Edimo around the ACU5, and the bruising tight end sauntered into the endzone for SFA's first points and the receptor's first career touchdown grab.
The 'Jacks' second scoring strike came on its second-longest drive of the season as a 97-yard jaunt took only 2:33 and seven plays as SFA manufactured big gains of 33, 32 and 26 yards. Vidlak found Harris for the first of the trio of chunk plays, Jaylen Jenkins rattled off a 32-yard run and Vidlak found Derrick Bohler along the left side of the endzone, and the latter hauled in a tightly-contested reception for a two-possession SFA lead.
Fired up to report that Michael Patterson, the @SFA_Football player who was carted off the field in today's game, is doing great! God's hand of protection was over him, as all tests and CT scans came back clear! #PrayersAnswered??@GreatestMp3 then told me he, "rubbed some red… pic.twitter.com/w8rhkH3UOr
— Colby Carthel (@CoachCarthel) December 7, 2025
SCORING DRIVES
1Q (7:39) | 13 plays, 69 yards, 7:15 | 22-yard FG by Perez
1Q (1:49) | 3 plays, 30 yards, 1:01 | 20-yard pass from Vidlak to Edimo, Alvarado kick good
2Q (12:31) | 7 plays, 97 yards, 2:33 | 26-yard pass from Vidlak to Bohler, Alvarado kick good
2Q (5:38) | 8 plays, 95 yards, 3:41 | 2-yard rush by Vaughn, Perez kick good
2Q (1:05) | 6 plays, 55 yards, 3:20 | 23-yard rush by Vaughn, Perez kick good
2Q (0:03) | 7 plays, 45 yards, 1:02 | 48-yard FG by Hand
3Q (13:08) | 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:52 | 4-yard rush by Wimbley, Alvarado kick good
3Q (6:55) | 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:13 | 17-yard rush by Earle, Perez kick good
3Q (1:50) | 8 plays, 48 yards, 3:22 | 31-yard FG by Perez
4Q (11:56) | 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:54 | 10-yard rush by Wimbley, Alvarado kick good
4Q (10:31) | 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:19 | 66-yard rush by Vaughn, Perez kick good
4Q (7:47) | 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:38 | 9-yard pass from Vidlak to Harris, Alvarado kick good
4Q (1:56) | 10 plays, 46 yards, 4:20 | 26-yard FG by Alvarado
POSTGAME NOTES
- The 'Jacks dominated the second and fourth quarters registering eight first downs in each 15-minute session, while recording over 180 yards of offense in each and converting a combined 6-of-9 third down attempts
- SFA recorded a pair of 10+ play scoring drives in the fourth quarter which stand as the 19th and 20thscoring drives of double digit plays this season
- The 'Jacks recorded eight plays of 20+ yards pushing its season total in such gains to 57
- Vidlak threw for a season-high 357 yards on 26-of-35 passing (74%)
- Harris hauled in 11 passes to match his career-high output with 183 yards and a score as four other players recorded multiple catches in the win including five by Wimbley and four by Clayton Wayland
- Harris eclipsed 200 all-purpose yards on a dozen touches
- Vidlak's 9-yard toss to Harris marked the ninth scoring strike between the duo this season and the 17th TD connection in 21 games played together
- Richard Reese led SFA in rushing with 72 yards including a long of 60 to open the second half
- Reese's 60-yard run is the longest rush by the 'Jacks this season and the longest non-scoring play as the senior took an option pitch and reversed field in a shifty display to set the 'Jacks up inside the 20-yard line early on in quarter three
- Reese went over 100 all-purpose yards as he chipped in with 45 kickoff return yards
- Eleven 'Jacks registered 3+ tackles with Malachi Williams leading the charge with seven, while Thomas, Jalen Mayo and Kameron Reddic all followed with five
- SFA logged six tackles for loss to go along with 17 quarterback hurries
- Aaron Austin recorded 2.0 TFL with Thomas adding 1.5
- Lachie Pozzobon punted five times at nearly a 42-yard average with a long of 50 and two punts pinned inside the 20
- Harris set a new single-game playoff record with 183 receiving yards behind the second-most receptions in an SFA playoff game with 11
- Vidlak's 26 completions are the third most by an SFA quarterback in a playoff game
- SFA's 502 yards of total offense are the fourth-most in a playoff game in program history
- The win marks the first 11-game win streak in program history
- It is the third season of 11+ wins in program history as the 2025 'Jacks join the 1989 and 1995 teams
- The win moves SFA's overall playoff record to 8-8 and overall postseason record to 9-8
- It marked the fourth playoff game in program history that saw the 'Jacks score north of 40 points
- It is the 44th victory for the 'Jacks under Carthel; the third most in program history
- Charles Demmings became the program's all-time leader in passes defended as his fourth-quarter interception gave him 36 in his career as a Lumberjack
- Vidlak tossed three touchdowns for the fourth time this season to move a scoring strike shy of sixth place on the all-time passing TD list in addition to crossing over 50 collegiate touchdown passes
- Vidlak is six yards shy of 5,500 passing yards for his collegiate career
- Harris moved into fourth place all-time on the receiving yards list
- Harris crossed over 100 yards receiving in a game for the fifth time this season and for the 13th time in his Lumberjack career
- Harris moved into fourth place on the program's all-time TD catches list
- Harris is the fourth 'Jack with 200 career receptions and is 19 catches from the program record
- Jerrell Wimbley moved into sixth on the all-time rushing list with 2,581 yards
The 'Jacks make the trek to the Treasure State as perennial power and playoff No. 2 Montana State, the 2024 national runner-up, awaits in Bozeman. It will be the seventh meeting all-time between the Lumberjacks and the Bobcats with MSU leading the series 4-2 overall with a 3-0 mark at home. SFA and MSU meet inside scenic Bobcat Stadium on Friday, December 12 in an 8 p.m. matchup televised to a national ESPN audience. Live coverage links for the FCS Quarterfinal tilt will be announced and made available at www.SFAjacks.com.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA football, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
ACU
SFA
Total Yards
419
502
Pass Yards
208
357
Rushing Yards
211
145
Penalty Yards
50
93
1st Downs
21
23
3rd Downs
8
6
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
34:00
26:00
1st Quarter
ACU 3, SFA 0
ACU - Perez,Brandon 22 yd field goal 13 plays, 69 yards, TOP 07:15
ACU 3, SFA 7
SFA - Edimo,Gerard 20 yd pass from Vidlak,Sam (Alvarado,Carlos kick) 3 plays, 30 yards, TOP 01:01
2nd Quarter
ACU 3, SFA 14
SFA - Bohler,Derrick 26 yd pass from Vidlak,Sam (Alvarado,Carlos kick) 7 plays, 97 yards, TOP 02:33
ACU 10, SFA 14
ACU - Vaughn,Jordon 2 yd run (Perez,Brandon kick), 8 plays, 95 yards, TOP 03:41
ACU 17, SFA 14
ACU - Vaughn,Jordon 23 yd run (Perez,Brandon kick), 6 plays, 55 yards, TOP 03:20
ACU 17, SFA 17
SFA - Hand,Jacob 48 yd field goal 7 plays, 45 yards, TOP 01:02
3rd Quarter
ACU 17, SFA 24
SFA - Wimbley,Jerrell 4 yd run (Alvarado,Carlos kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:52
ACU 24, SFA 24
ACU - Earle,Stone 17 yd run (Perez,Brandon kick), 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 06:13
ACU 27, SFA 24
ACU - Perez,Brandon 31 yd field goal 8 plays, 48 yards, TOP 03:22
4th Quarter
ACU 27, SFA 31
SFA - Wimbley,Jerrell 10 yd run (Alvarado,Carlos kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:54
ACU 34, SFA 31
ACU - Vaughn,Jordon 66 yd run (Perez,Brandon kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:19
ACU 34, SFA 38
SFA - Harris,Kylon 9 yd pass from Vidlak,Sam (Alvarado,Carlos kick) 6 plays, 70 yards, TOP 02:38
ACU 34, SFA 41
SFA - Hand,Jacob 26 yd field goal 10 plays, 46 yards, TOP 04:20
Game Leaders
CMP
26
TD
3
YDS
357
INT
0
Players Mentioned
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TE
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