Jacks No. 2 in Latest National Rankings
10/19/2026 11:01:00 AM | Football
SFA receives first-place votes in both major polls
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin football moved a single spot to No. 2 nationally in both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Top 25 and the Opta Analyst Stats Perform FCS Top 25. It marks the 17th-straight week that the Jacks have earned a national ranking and the fifth as a consensus top 10 team in the country.
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SFA sits behind consensus No. 1 Tarleton State and it's the highest such weekly ranking for the program since November 22, 2010, when SFA ranked No. 2 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 3 in The Sports Network Poll. That was also the last time the Jacks received first-place votes in an FCS poll.Â
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Southeastern Louisiana entered back into the top 25 of both polls landing at No. 23 in the Stats Perform rankings and at No. 24 in the coaches poll. Lamar dropped to No. 15 in the coaches poll and an additional spot to No. 16 in the media rankings. Houston Christian received 14 votes in the media poll.Â
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Opta Analyst FCS Stats Perform Top 25
WEEK 7: #2 (4 First-place votes)
WEEK 6: #3
WEEK 5: #7
WEEK 4: #7
WEEK 3: #9
WEEK 2: #12
WEEK 1: #13
WEEK 0: #13
PRE: #13
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AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25
WEEK 7: #2 (2 First-place votes)
WEEK 6: #3
WEEK 5: #4
WEEK 4: #5
WEEK 3: #6
WEEK 2: #8
WEEK 1: #9
WEEK 0: #11
PRE: #13
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UP NEXT
SFA returns home to Homer Bryce Stadium for a pivotal Southland Conference matchup with #23/25 Southeastern Louisiana. It will be the 23rd meeting all-time between the two teams, just the third in Carthel's tenure and the first in Nacogdoches since 2016. SFA leads the all-time series 11-10-1 with a 6-4 record at home but has dropped its last three meetings to the Lions and five out of the past seven.Â
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It will be the 86th Homecoming game (43-41-1) on the SFA campus. The Jacks are 3-3 in Homecoming contests under Carthel having won back-to-back games for the first time since 2014 and 2015 which capped a five-game homecoming win streak. The October 24 kickoff from inside Homer Bryce Stadium is set for 5 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.Â
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TICKETS ON SALE NOW
There's never been a better time to lock in your seat at Homer Bryce Stadium! Don't miss a single snap as SFA looks to defend its Southland Conference title. Visit www.SFATickets.com to secure your tickets today and be part of the action all season long.Â
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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.
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SFA sits behind consensus No. 1 Tarleton State and it's the highest such weekly ranking for the program since November 22, 2010, when SFA ranked No. 2 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 3 in The Sports Network Poll. That was also the last time the Jacks received first-place votes in an FCS poll.Â
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Southeastern Louisiana entered back into the top 25 of both polls landing at No. 23 in the Stats Perform rankings and at No. 24 in the coaches poll. Lamar dropped to No. 15 in the coaches poll and an additional spot to No. 16 in the media rankings. Houston Christian received 14 votes in the media poll.Â
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Opta Analyst FCS Stats Perform Top 25
WEEK 7: #2 (4 First-place votes)
WEEK 6: #3
WEEK 5: #7
WEEK 4: #7
WEEK 3: #9
WEEK 2: #12
WEEK 1: #13
WEEK 0: #13
PRE: #13
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AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25
WEEK 7: #2 (2 First-place votes)
WEEK 6: #3
WEEK 5: #4
WEEK 4: #5
WEEK 3: #6
WEEK 2: #8
WEEK 1: #9
WEEK 0: #11
PRE: #13
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UP NEXT
SFA returns home to Homer Bryce Stadium for a pivotal Southland Conference matchup with #23/25 Southeastern Louisiana. It will be the 23rd meeting all-time between the two teams, just the third in Carthel's tenure and the first in Nacogdoches since 2016. SFA leads the all-time series 11-10-1 with a 6-4 record at home but has dropped its last three meetings to the Lions and five out of the past seven.Â
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It will be the 86th Homecoming game (43-41-1) on the SFA campus. The Jacks are 3-3 in Homecoming contests under Carthel having won back-to-back games for the first time since 2014 and 2015 which capped a five-game homecoming win streak. The October 24 kickoff from inside Homer Bryce Stadium is set for 5 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.Â
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TICKETS ON SALE NOW
There's never been a better time to lock in your seat at Homer Bryce Stadium! Don't miss a single snap as SFA looks to defend its Southland Conference title. Visit www.SFATickets.com to secure your tickets today and be part of the action all season long.Â
Â
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.
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Saturday, October 17
Saturday, October 17
Saturday, October 17
Saturday, October 17
