Stephen F. Austin
Sul Ross State
NOTES: 'Jacks Open Homer Bryce Portion of '25 Slate Against Sul Ross
9/10/2025 1:45:00 PM | Football
SFA eyes first win of season, 20th home victory since 2020
27th meeting, SFA leads 18-8
Nacogdoches, Texas (Jimmy W. Murphy Field at Homer Bryce Stadium)
FULL GAME NOTES ARE HERE
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Football returns to Homer Bryce Stadium this weekend as Stephen F. Austin renews a old Lone Star Conference rivalry with current member Sul Ross State. It's the first of a half dozen matchups at home for the Lumberjacks who eye the win column for the first time this season in addition to the program's 17th home win since the start of 2020. Kickoff in the home opener is set for 7 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAJacks.com.
• HOME SWEET HOMER: The Lumberjacks boast six home games on their schedule for the second-consecutive season and since the 2020 campaign, SFA is 19-6 inside Homer Bryce Stadium. The 'Jacks have eight undefeated home seasons inside HBS, winning no fewer than four games in each of those schedules including four each in 2020 and 2021. In home openers, SFA is 5-1 under Carthel and has won five straight.
• NOT SINCE '75: SFA renews its series with Sul Ross State after the two were common foes in the Lone Star Conference. Saturday's matchup will be the 27th all-time, but the first since 1975. SFA has won the previous four meetings. The Lobos, after spending time as a Division III program, are in year three of the transition process to NCAA Division II. SRS is in year two of their return to the LSC.
• LOBO RUNDOWN: Sul Ross opened their campaign in Week 1 suffering a shutout loss to Southland opposition Texas-Rio Grande Valley in the latter's first ever football game. The Lobos are directed by first-year head coach Lee Hays who has nearly 30 years experience in college football with stops at Texas A&M-Kingsville, West Texas A&M, Baylor, Tarleton State, Houston and Texas A&M.
• LAST TIME OUT: The 'Jacks started out hot turning 18 plays and 130 total yards into two first quarter touchdowns and used a late 52-yard PR TD in a comeback effort, but a 21-point second quarter by host ACU was enough to push the Wildcats past SFA in a battle of top 25 teams.
• CLOSING IN ON 2Kylon: Senior wide receiver Kylon Harris hauled in nine passes for 105 yards in the loss at ACU. It marked the ninth 100-yard receiving game for the Pelican State native in his collegiate career. Additionally, Harris' effort saw him eclipse 1,900 career receiving yards. He is currently 206 receiving yards away from entering the program's career top 10, while his nine catches in Week 2 moved him into 8th on the all-time program receptions list. Harris is 20 catches shy of moving into the top five. With his performance against ACU, Harris eclipsed 2k all-purpose yards as a Lumberjack.
• BACKER PRODUCTION: Senior Jaydon Southard and transfer junior Malachi Williams have anchored the middle of the 'Jacks' defense through eight quarters this season. Southard is coming off back-to-back double-digit tackle efforts for the first time as a Lumberjack after a career-high 16 vs. Abilene Christian, and is three stops from reaching the century mark as a Lumberjack. Williams' 17 tackles, in just his second game as a 'Jack, are the most in a game by an SFA defender since Gavin Roland's 17 against Nicholls in 2019. Williams has logged 24 over his first two games at SFA. The duo ranks first and second in the Southland Conference in total tackles.
• RETURN THREAT: One week after recording the longest punt return of his career with a 30-yard effort at Houston, redshirt junior Bugs Mortimer scampered for 52 yards and a score late in the fourth quarter against ACU. This season, Mortimer has returned five punts for 88 yards at 17.6 yards per return which rates as the sixth highest average in FCS. He is one of six FCS players with a punt return TD and it is the longest by a Lumberjack since Xavier Gipson's 85-yard return against Utah Tech in 2022.
GAMEWEEK ?? Sul Ross! Home opener. Lights on.
— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) September 9, 2025
??? https://t.co/PdQttvNrEZ#AxeEm pic.twitter.com/QVq3dbiU1c
