Stephen F. Austin
Houston Christian
10/28/2026 8:32:00 PM | Football
SFA aims to keep home-winning streak alive against improved Huskies as final third of regular season commences
#2Â Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston Christian
Saturday, October 31Â | 2Â P.M. CT
Homer Bryce Stadium | Nacogdoches, Texas
LISTEN: Q107.7 FM
PxP: Chase Merrell
Color: Rob Hipp
WATCH: ESPN+Â
PxP: Rob Meyers
Color: Hunter Taylor
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - #2 Stephen F. Austin begins the final third of its 100th regular season with a Halloween bout against Houston Christian on Saturday as Week 9 draws curtains on October. SFA will honor the family of Lumberjack great Cally Belcher during the game, while a current member of the 2026 roster will be selected by the coaching staff to don the famed No. 16 for the 13th-consecutive season. The penultimate regular season contest from Jimmy W. Murphy Field inside Homer Bryce Stadium is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.Â
THE SERIES
SFA and HCU meet for just the eighth time with the Jacks holding a 6-1 advantage in the series. SFA has averaged over 43 points per game and won by an average north of 35 ppg in the last four meetings with the Huskies.
NO. 4
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee released the first of two FCS Top 10 rankings featuring the squads currently in contention for the eight first-round byes. Stephen F. Austin is ranked No. 4 in the initial listing. The second release, which is slated following Week 10 action, will again air live on ESPN2's College Football Live on Thursday, November 5.
FCS Top 10 – Ranking #1
1. Montana St.
2. Tarleton St.
3. Youngstown St.
4. SFA
5. South Dakota St.
6. North Dakota
7. Northern Ariz.
8. South Dakota
9. Austin Peay
10. Harvard
UPSTART HUSKIES
The Huskies' early highlights included a 34-28 season-opening victory at Southeastern Louisiana and a program-record 88-0 win over Arkansas Baptist. HCU strengthened its conference position by holding Nicholls without an offensive score in a 16-2 victory before scoring 27 unanswered fourth-quarter points to defeat East Texas A&M, 43-24. Quarterback Cutter Stewart earned Southland Offensive Player of the Week honors against the Lions after throwing for 188 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 110 yards and two scores. The Huskies' two-game winning streak ended with a 35-10 loss at No. 15 Lamar in Week 8, but safety Javon Bejarano provided another highlight with an interception return for a touchdown in his third consecutive game.
Through Week 8, HCU is averaging 28.9 points and 322.5 yards per game while surrendering 26.6 points and 410.3 yards per contest. Stewart directs the offense with 1,086 passing yards, 10 touchdown passes and three interceptions, along with 265 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Champ Dozier paces the ground game with 391 yards and contributed 21 receptions for 191 yards, while Jamaal Hall II leads the receiving corps with 23 catches for 417 yards and two scores. Jayven Anderson and Trent Zappe share the team lead with 61 tackles, with Anderson adding a team-high 10.0 tackles for loss and Mike Sylvalie leading the pass rush with 5.5 sacks. The Huskies have forced 15 turnovers for a plus-five turnover margin, highlighted by Bejarano's three interceptions, three forced fumbles and 56 tackles.Â
FOR CALLY, FOREVER
Known as SFA's "strongest link," Presley Calloway "Cally" Belcher was a three-year letterwinner from 1991–93 and a two-time honorable mention All-Southland Conference selection at strong safety. One of the conference's hardest hitters, he helped the Lumberjacks finish 8–4 and reach the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 1993. Belcher passed away at age 22 on March 29, 1994, one week after collapsing during spring practice following a blow to the helmet. SFA retired his No. 16 jersey during a ceremony at its September 10, 1994, game against Montana State, and the number remained unworn for two decades. On the 20th anniversary of his passing in 2014, wide receiver Aaron Thomas wore No. 16 against Weber State, beginning an annual tradition of selecting a Lumberjack to wear Belcher's jersey for a designated home game. Through that honor, Belcher's legacy of character, determination, courage, leadership and love for the game continues to connect generations of Lumberjacks.
OCTOBER TREATS
After a 1-9 record through the program's first 11 games contested on Halloween, the first of which took place in 1930, SFA looks to extend its winning streak on the final day of October to three games after picking up wins in 2015 (55-21 vs. Incarnate Word) and 2020 (64-7 vs. Western Colorado). Under head coach Colby Carthel, SFA is 18–11 in October, including a 3–0 mark this season. The Jacks have won seven consecutive October games dating back to a 55–6 victory over Houston Christian on October 26, 2024. A victory Saturday would give SFA its third undefeated October under Carthel, joining the 2020 and 2025 squads, and its 12th home win in 15 games contested in the tenth month during his tenure.Â
THE SHOW GOES ON!
On Monday, SFA announced that Carthel, the second-longest tenured head coach in program history, agreed to terms on a contract extension that will keep the Texan in the Piney Woods through the 2031 campaign. Carthel's 52 wins at SFA and 31 wins inside Homer Bryce Stadium are both program records. Read more HERE.Â
RANKED DUB
SFA's win over #23/24 Southeastern Louisiana was the eighth over a ranked opponent in Carthel's tenure, the fourth straight in regular season matchups and the fourth straight at home. The 21-point margin of victory is the largest in a ranked win since a 27-0 shutout of No. 6 Youngstown State in 1995.Â
WHAT'S UP BROTHER!?Â
A special player made several special plays for a special team last Saturday as Kylon Harris delivered three kickoff returns for 83 yards including a long of 38 which set the Jacks up at the SFA40 on the opening drive of the game and a return of 36 that put SFA at their own 42 to open the second quarter. The Jacks scored touchdowns on both drives. Harris' efforts resulted in him being named the Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week following Week 8 action. Monday's honor is the first for Harris this season and the third of his career.Â
Harris was previously honored by the league on September 22, 2025, after an impressive performance returning punts in the Jacks' win over Cal Poly. His first career weekly honor came on the offensive side of the football as the United Athletic Conference honored him on October 2, 2023, after an 11-catch, 111-yard and 3-touchdown effort against Texas A&M-Commerce.Â
AMONG THE SOUTHLAND'S BEST THIS FALL
Kylon Harris - Special Teams POTW (Oct. 26)
Gavin Rutherford - Offensive POTW (Oct. 5)
Lowote Jurkin - Defensive POTW (Sept. 7)
Carlos Alvarado - Special Teams POTW (Sept. 7)
A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Carthel became SFA's all-time leader in conference victories with the Lumberjacks' 45–24 win over Southeastern Louisiana on October 24, earning his 27th league win to surpass Travis "Shorty" Hughes' 26 from 1962–70. His total includes 20 Southland Conference wins and seven Western Athletic Conference victories.Â
HOMER SWEET HOMER
The Jacks kicked off the 54th season of Homer Bryce Stadium and a third-straight campaign with six home games against East Texas A&M and has since improved a home winning streak that dates back to the 2024 season to 12Â games. Since the 2020 campaign, SFA is 30-6 inside HBS and is 31-9 at home under Carthel. The Jacks are currently second in the FCS and tied for fourth in all of Division I football in active home-winning streak with the second home winning streak of 12+ games under Carthel.
HISTORIC BEGINNINGS
SFA is off to the program's first 8-0 start to a season in program history. It's 4-0 start was the first ever exclusively against DI opposition.Â
STREAKIN'
In addition to the heater that the Jacks are on at home, SFA has won a program record 18-straight regular season games following an 0-2 start to the 2025 campaign. The Lumberjacks have also won a program record 13Â straight in SLC play dating back to last season.
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
SFA became the first team in the program's DI era and just the third ever to win three games on the road in their first four games of the season. The Jacks were rewarded with a six-week stretch that includes four of five games at home in addition to an open week prior to the lone road trip in that time frame. That stretch ends Saturday against HCU and the Jacks will return home for the regular season finale against longtime rival Northwestern State after road trips to Beaumont and Edinburg.Â
NATIONAL POLLING
Stephen F. Austin football held firm at 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 18th-straight week that the Jacks have earned a national ranking, the sixth as a consensus top 10 team in the country and the third-straight week inside the national top three. SFA sits behind consensus No. 1 Tarleton State and are receiving first-place votes for the second-straight week. Lamar moved up two spots to No. 13 in the coaches poll and a single spot to No. 15 in the media rankings. Southeastern Louisiana is receiving votes in both polls. Additionally, SFA is inside the top 10 nationally in the latest independent digital media polls by Redshirt Sports (No. 2), FCS Untapped (No. 3) and FCS Nation (No. 7).
AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25
W7: #2 (2 first-place votes)
W6: #3
W5: #4
W4: #5
W3: #6
W2: #8
W1: #9
W0: #11
PRE: #13
Opta Analyst FCS Stats Perform Top 25
W8: #2 (5 first-place votes)
W7: #2 (4 first-place votes)
W6: #3
W5: #7
W4: #7
W3: #9
W2: #12
W1: #13
W0: #13
PRE: #13
AS OF LATE
>>> ROLLING OUT OF JACKS WEEK:Â The Lumberjacks have scored 101 points in two games following Jacks Week, averaging 50.5 points after averaging 38.3 through their first six contests. SFA scored eight touchdowns at Nicholls and six against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>>Â GROUND GAME GAINING STEAM:Â SFA averaged 197.0 rushing yards through its first six games before producing 354 at Nicholls and 279 against Southeastern Louisiana. The Jacks have averaged 316.5 rushing yards over their last two contests, scoring six touchdowns on the ground. Three different Lumberjacks have recorded 100-yard rushing performances over the last two games. JT Kitna and Speedy Jones achieved their first career century-mark efforts at Nicholls with 102 and 100 yards, respectively, before Jaylen Jenkins delivered 159 yards on 17 carries against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> SIX SCORES, ZERO PICKS:Â Gavin Rutherford has completed 24 of 40 passes for 386 yards and six touchdowns without an interception over SFA's last two games. He threw four touchdown passes at Nicholls and two against Southeastern Louisiana, adding a rushing touchdown against the Lions.
>>> MORE TARGETS, MORE TROUBLE:Â Bugs Mortimer became SFA's third different 100-yard receiver this season with 103 yards and three touchdowns at Nicholls. Cameron Kelley expanded that group to four one week later, turning three receptions into a career-high 100 yards against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> WINNING THE MONEY DOWN:Â SFA has converted 44.9 percent of its third-down opportunities while limiting opponents to 28.0 percent. The Lumberjack defense has stopped opponents on 85 of 118 third-down attempts through eight games.
>>> NO GUARANTEES INSIDE THE 20:Â Opponents have scored on just 12 of 18 red-zone possessions against SFA, with only nine trips resulting in touchdowns. The Jacks have denied points on one-third of opposing red-zone opportunities and prevented touchdowns on half.
>>> FEWER PLAYS, MORE PRODUCTION: SFA has gained 3,868 yards on 540 offensive plays, while opponents have totaled 2,665 yards on 545 snaps. The Jacks hold a 1,203-yard advantage despite running five fewer plays, averaging 7.2 yards per snap compared to opponents' 4.9.
>>> GIVE ME THAT:Â SFA maintains a plus-three turnover margin, behind 17 takeaways which are the most for the Jacks defense since recording 18 through eight games in 2021. The Pine Curtain defense is five takeaways shy from the most forced by the unit in a quarter century.Â
>>> KEEPING THE SCORE DOWN:Â The Lumberjacks have held five of their eight opponents to 14 points or fewer, including four limited to single digits. Only McNeese, UIW and Southeastern Louisiana have exceeded 14 points, and no opponent has reached 30.
TEAM: THROUGH EIGHT GAMES, SFA
>>> ranks among the FCS top five in both rushing offense (225.6 yards per game; fifth) and rushing defense (100.4; fourth), leading the Southland Conference in both categories.
>>> ranks third nationally and leads the Southland in total offense, averaging 482.3 yards per game.
>>> has allowed just 115 points through eight games.
>>> ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense with a Southland-best 14.4 points allowed per game.
>>> ranks third nationally in scoring offense at a Southland-best 41.4 points per game, outscoring opponents 331–115.
>>> is tied for fourth nationally and leads the Southland in turnovers gained with 17, including 12 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. The Jacks share the national interceptions lead with Colgate and UTRGV.
>>> ranks second nationally and leads the Southland in sacks per game at 3.50.
>>> ranks fourth nationally and leads the Southland in tackles for loss per game at 8.0.
>>> boasts the nation's third-best kickoff return defense, allowing a Southland-best 13.14 yards per return.
>>> ranks 13th nationally and second in the Southland in first downs offense (189), while ranking seventh nationally and second in the conference in third-down conversion defense (28.4%).
>>> ranks 12th nationally and leads the Southland in completion percentage (65.9%), connecting on 153 of 232 passes.
>>> has outscored opponents 204–55 in the first half, allowing an average of just 6.9 points before halftime.
>>>Â ranks sixth nationally and leads the Southland in red-zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 66.7% of their opportunities.
>>> ranks fourth nationally and leads the Southland in team passing efficiency (167.82).
>>>Â ranks 11th nationally and leads the Southland in passing efficiency defense (108.64).
>>>Â ranks 15th nationally and leads the Southland in kickoff returns, averaging 26.58 yards per return.
>>>Â ranks 14th nationally and leads the Southland in fourth-down conversion percentage (70.0%).
INDIVIDUAL: THROUGH EIGHT GAMES
>>> Gavin Rutherford ranks 13th nationally in completion percentage (66.5%), fourth in passing efficiency (172.3) and tied for fifth in touchdown passes (21), leading the Southland in all three categories. He has thrown for 1,874 yards and added five rushing touchdowns. His 156 points responsible for and 19.5 points responsible for per game both rank third nationally and lead the conference. Rutherford threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another score against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> Jaydon Eason leads SFA with 5.5 sacks for 43 yards lost, ranking second in the Southland and tied for 22nd nationally in sacks per game (0.69). He has added 17 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.
>>> Lowote Jurkin ranks second in the Southland and tied for 13th nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.36) in the NCAA ranking summary. His 4.5 sacks place him fourth in the league and tied for 27th nationally in sacks per game (0.64). He recorded a sack against Southeastern Louisiana and has contributed three pass breakups, seven quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.
>>> Davonta Morgan-Collins ranks second in the Southland and tied for 17th nationally in passes defended per game (1.25), recording nine pass breakups and one interception. He added a pass breakup against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> Jaiydyn Johnson has seven pass breakups, 26 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. He added three tackles against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> Makai Frisby leads SFA with four interceptions for 27 return yards. His 0.50 interceptions per game lead the Southland and tie for eighth nationally, while his two blocked kicks share the national lead. He has added 15 tackles and two pass breakups.
>>> Malachi Williams leads the Lumberjacks with 49 tackles in seven appearances, including 24 solo stops and 25 assists. He has added 4.0 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. Williams recorded a season-high 12 tackles against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> Speedy Jones ranks second on the team with 429 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 58 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per attempt. His 71.5 rushing yards per game rank second in the Southland and 48th nationally. Jones rushed for 100 yards on nine carries at Nicholls, including two 30-yard gains.
>>> Jaylen Jenkins leads SFA with 574 rushing yards on 91 carries and four rushing touchdowns. He leads the Southland in rushing yards, rushing yards per game (71.8) and yards per carry (6.31), ranking 37th, 45th and 18th nationally, respectively. Jenkins rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries against Southeastern Louisiana. He has added 14 receptions for 150 yards and another score.
>>> Bugs Mortimer leads SFA with 31 receptions, 474 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches in seven appearances. His 67.7 receiving yards per game rank second in the Southland and 47th nationally, while his seven receiving touchdowns tie for the conference lead and ninth nationally. Mortimer caught six passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns at Nicholls.
>>> Carlos Alvarado leads the Southland in scoring at 8.4 points per game, ranking 14th nationally. His 67 points rank 12th nationally and first in the conference. He has converted eight field goals and all 43 extra-point attempts, including a 28-yard field goal against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> Clayton Wayland ranks second on the team with 20 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns. His 16.95 yards per reception rank 41st nationally and fifth in the Southland. Wayland caught three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> Eli Ennis ranks second on the team with 44 tackles, including a team-high 25 solo stops. He has contributed 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. Ennis recorded eight tackles and a 12-yard sack against Southeastern Louisiana.
>>> A'Amear Walton has recorded 22 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries. His first interception of the season became a 20-yard touchdown return against Southeastern Louisiana, extending SFA's lead to 35–17 during its 21-point third quarter.
>>> Chance Sautter has totaled 23 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and a fumble recovery. Against Southeastern Louisiana, he recorded three tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception that set up JT Kitna's four-yard touchdown run.
>>> Cameron Kelley became SFA's fourth different 100-yard receiver this season with three catches for a career-high 100 yards against Southeastern Louisiana. His 81-yard touchdown reception was the Jacks' longest pass play this season. Kelley has 10 receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
SFA won its first four games without a 100-yard rusher or receiver before Kylon Harris broke through with 109 receiving yards against Northeastern State in Game 5—the latest first century performance in Colby Carthel's tenure. The previous longest waits came in 2020 and 2022, when the first qualifying performances occurred in Game 4. Since Harris' breakthrough, the Jacks have produced seven 100-yard performances by seven different players over four consecutive games, including three rushing efforts and four receiving performances.
CENTURY CLUB: 100-YARD RUSHING GAMES
| Date | Player | Opponent | Carries | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 24 | Jaylen Jenkins | Southeastern Louisiana | 17 | 159 | 1 |
| Oct. 17 | JT Kitna | at Nicholls | 4 | 102 | 1 |
| Oct. 17 | Speedy Jones | at Nicholls | 9 | 100 | 0 |
CENTURY CLUB: 100-YARD RECEIVING GAMES
| Date | Player | Opponent | Receptions | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 24 | Cameron Kelley | Southeastern Louisiana | 3 | 100 | 1 |
| Oct. 17 | Bugs Mortimer | at Nicholls | 6 | 103 | 3 |
| Oct. 3 | Clayton Wayland | UIW | 5 | 104 | 1 |
| Sept. 26 | Kylon Harris | Northeastern State | 3 | 109 | 1 |
CENTURY CLUB TRENDS
Four straight:Â SFA has featured a 100-yard rusher or receiver in each of its last four games.
Three in one:Â At Nicholls, Kitna and Jones each rushed for 100 yards while Mortimer surpassed 100 receiving yards. It is the second time (2025 @NSU) under Carthel that the Jacks put two rushers and a receiver over 100 yards in the same game.Â
Back-to-back balance:Â SFA has featured both a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver in each of its last two games.
Four different targets:Â Harris, Wayland, Mortimer and Kelley have supplied the receiving milestones in four consecutive games.
Touchdown production:Â All four 100-yard receiving performances included a touchdown, with those receivers combining for six touchdown catches in their milestone games.
NOW DRIVING
SFA showcased both quick-strike ability and clock control in its latest victory over Southeastern Louisiana. Gavin Rutherford's 81-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Kelley capped a two-play, 88-yard drive lasting just 59 seconds, while a fourth-quarter field goal finished a 12-play, 79-yard possession that consumed 8:30. Through eight games, the Jacks have produced three one-play touchdown drives and four touchdown drives covering at least 90 yards this season. Under Carthel, SFA has recorded 28 one-play touchdown drives and 38 touchdown drives lasting at least a dozen snaps. At Nicholls, the Jacks opened with a 12-play, 93-yard touchdown march before JT Kitna delivered a one-play, 94-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Against Northeastern State, SFA paired its first two one-play touchdown drives of the season with two 12-play touchdown possessions, including just the third 99-yard touchdown drive under Carthel.
DOESN'T TAKE LONG:Â SFA has produced 49 offensive scoring drives this season. Its five offensive touchdown possessions against Southeastern Louisiana averaged 5.0 plays, 61.2 yards and 1:50 of possession time.
SUSTAINING DRIVES:Â Twenty-five of SFA's 27 scoring drives covering at least 60 yards have reached the end zone, while 17 of its 18 scoring possessions covering at least 70 yards have resulted in touchdowns.
OPENING STATEMENT:Â The Jacks opened against Southeastern Louisiana with a six-play, 60-yard touchdown march, capped by Jaylen Jenkins' eight-yard run. SFA has scored a touchdown on its opening possession in six of eight games, including each of its last five.
QUARTER 2 EARNINGS: SFA has scored a quarter-best 110 points in the second period this fall and has outscored opponents 204–55 before intermission. The Jacks have carried a halftime lead in all eight games.
FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FLAME
SFA's 21-point third quarter against Southeastern Louisiana marked the fifth time this season and 28th time under Carthel that the Jacks have scored at least 20 points in a single quarter. Sixteen of those quarters have come against Division I opposition.
The performance followed a 21-point second quarter at Nicholls and matching 21-point first and second quarters against Northeastern State. Earlier this season, SFA scored 20 points in the second quarter of its win at Abilene Christian.
625-PLUS UNDER CARTHEL
The Lumberjacks generated 642 yards of total offense—354 rushing and 288 passing— at Nicholls for their second game with at least 625 yards under Carthel. The performance trails only SFA's 675-yard effort against North American in the 2024 season opener and marks its highest total against a Division I opponent during his tenure.
CHUNK YARDAGE
SFA added four plays of at least 20 yards against Southeastern Louisiana, highlighted by Gavin Rutherford's 81-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Kelley. Jaylen Jenkins contributed runs of 37 and 24 yards, while Rutherford added a 21-yard rush. Through eight games, the Jacks have produced 50 gains of at least 20 yards, including 16 covering 40 or more.
The latest effort followed eight explosive plays at Nicholls, where JT Kitna's program-record 94-yard touchdown run established SFA's longest offensive play this season. Rutherford connected with Jenkins for 51 yards, Bugs Mortimer for touchdowns of 21 and 30 yards and Kylon Harris for a 34-yard score. Speedy Jones added two 30-yard runs, while Bryson Broadway found Braden Lewis for a 28-yard touchdown.
SFA's season-high 10 explosive plays against Northeastern State included Jones' 70-yard touchdown run, Jenkins' 55-yard scoring rush and Rutherford's 41-yard touchdown pass to Mortimer. The Jacks also generated three gains of at least 40 yards at Prairie View A&M, with Clayton Wayland accounting for two.
GROUND AND POUND
SFA continued its success on the ground with 279 rushing yards against Southeastern Louisiana, following a 354-yard performance at Nicholls that established a new high under Carthel. The Jacks have reached 200 rushing yards in six of eight games and, in the NCAA rankings through October 24, rank fifth nationally and lead the Southland Conference at 225.6 yards per game.
Earlier this season, SFA strung together four consecutive 200-yard rushing performances, capped by its win over Northeastern State. It marked the program's first such stretch since 1999 and its third streak of at least three consecutive 200-yard rushing games under Carthel. After UIW interrupted the run, the Jacks surpassed the mark in each of their next two outings.
The 1999 stretch featured several historic performances by KaRon Coleman and Isiah Stoker. Coleman rushed for 216 yards against Sam Houston in the second game, while Stoker combined for 439 yards over the final two contests, including a program-record 289 yards on 35 carries in the October 30 victory over Jacksonville State.
HISTORIC EFFORTS IN THIBODAUX
-THREE TIMES THE BUGS
Bugs Mortimer caught six passes for 103 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in SFA's 56–0 victory at Nicholls, scoring from 21, 30 and 13 yards—all before halftime. He became the first Lumberjack with three touchdown receptions in a game since Kylon Harris against Texas A&M-Commerce on September 30, 2023, and SFA's third different 100-yard receiver of the season.
-KYLON'S HISTORIC HOMECOMING
Louisiana native Kylon Harris became SFA's all-time receptions leader and the third player in program history to reach 3,000 receiving yards. His 34-yard touchdown catch carried him past the yardage milestone, while his final reception established the catches record. Harris finished with three receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown, bringing his career totals to 244 catches and 3,028 yards.
-GOING THE DISTANCE
JT Kitna's 94-yard touchdown run established the longest rush in SFA history, eclipsing Joshawa West's 88-yard run against Nicholls in 2013. The fourth-quarter score also became the program's first rushing play of at least 90 yards and powered Kitna's first career 100-yard rushing performance. He finished with 102 yards on just four carries.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
SFA's Pine Curtain defense continues to disrupt opposing backfields, totaling 64.0 tackles for loss for 268 yards, including 29.0 sacks for 182 yards, through eight games. The Jacks lead the Southland Conference in both categories, ranking second nationally in sacks per game and fourth in tackles for loss per game (8.0) in the NCAA ranking summary through October 24.
Eli Ennis, Lowote Jurkin and Malachi Williams each recorded a sack against Southeastern Louisiana, bringing SFA's total to 16 sack contributors. Jaydon Eason leads with 5.5, followed by Jurkin with 4.5 and Emmanuel Harris and A'Amear Walton with 2.5 apiece. Jaiydyn Johnson, Kylan Darville and Ennis have recorded 2.0 each, while Gary Seidenberger, Chance Sautter, Kyran Moore, Cody Ford, Kaiden Turner, Tim Muhammad and Williams have one apiece. Jacoven Julian and Micah Johnson round out the group with a half-sack each.
Twenty-five defenders have contributed a tackle for loss, led by Jurkin's 8.5. Eason follows with 7.0, Harris with 6.0 and Walton with 5.5. Williams and Ennis have recorded 4.0 apiece, while Johnson, Darville, Sautter and K'Mard Kimble each have 3.0. Larry Jones III has added 2.5.
SFA's seven sacks against Prairie View A&M remain its season high and marked the fifth game with at least seven sacks under Carthel.
START SPREADIN' THE [NEWPORT] NEWS
Making plays since arriving on campus, first-year defensive back Makai Frisby has made an immediate impact on the back end of the Pine Curtain defense and across multiple special teams units. Through eight games, Frisby has recorded four interceptions, two pass breakups and two blocked field goals. His 0.50 interceptions per game lead the Southland Conference and tie for eighth nationally in the FCS, while his two blocked kicks share the national lead. His most recent interception, a full-extension effort in the end zone against UIW, helped the Lumberjacks preserve a 28–26 victory.
The Newport News, Virginia, native blocked a field goal attempt in consecutive games at Prairie View A&M and against Northeastern State, becoming the first Jack to accomplish the feat since at least 2002. He also became just the second Lumberjack during that span to block a kick in back-to-back games, joining Ed Bobino in 2023. Bobino denied a field goal attempt against Texas A&M-Commerce and blocked an extra point against Utah Tech.
Frisby became the first SFA defender with three interceptions over the team's first two games of a season since Stephon Rhea in 2005. He picked off two passes, including a 35-yard interception return touchdown in the second quarter, delivered two tackles and nearly returned a blocked PAT for a score in the season-opening win at McNeese. Frisby became the first Lumberjack with two interceptions in a game since Jaheim Mullen collected a pair in a 59–17 victory over Northwestern State on October 5, 2024, inside Homer Bryce Stadium. He was the first Jack to record two on the road since Trent Perriman accomplished the feat in the 2016 Battle of the Chief victory over Northwestern State. Frisby? More like Boomerang. That kind of playmaking always comes back around.
99 PROBLEMS
First-year Jack Jaydon Eason recorded three sacks and a forced fumble against Prairie View A&M, becoming the first Lumberjack with a three-sack game since John Franklin accomplished the feat against West Alabama on September 10, 2016. Eason earned a 92.7 grade, the highest among FCS defensive tackles for that performance.
Through eight games, the South Carolina native leads SFA with 5.5 sacks for 43 yards lost and ranks second on the team with 7.0 tackles for loss for 49 yards. He has added 17 tackles, four quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles, sharing the team lead in the latter category with Jaiydyn Johnson.
Eason's 0.69 sacks per game rank second in the Southland and tie for 22nd nationally, while his 0.25 forced fumbles per game tie for sixth in the conference and 40th nationally through games played October 24.
AXE MARKS
>>> BAYOU BUSINESS: Carthel owns an 10–6 career record against Louisiana programs, including an 10–5 mark against the Southland's four Louisiana schools since arriving at SFA in 2019. He is 6–4 and a winner in four-straight games played in the Pelican State. The Jacks have also won six consecutive meetings with Louisiana opponents.Â
>>> WELCOME HOME: The Jacks improved to 44-41-1 all-time in homecoming games with the 21-point win over Southeastern Louisiana. SFA moved to 4-3 in such games under Carthel and have won three-straight homecoming matchups for the first time since 2013-2015 which was part of a five-game HOCO streak that began in '11.
>>> SLC SHUTOUT: SFA's 56–0 victory at Nicholls marked its first shutout of a Southland Conference opponent since a 33–0 win at Northwestern State on November 19, 2011. The 56-point margin is the largest margin of victory in a shutout of a Division I opponent in program history and it established the largest victory in the SFA–Nicholls series, surpassing the Jacks' 56–3 win in 1995.
>>> OUTTA JACKS WEEK:Â Since Carthel's first season in 2019, the Jacks are 6-4 in games immediately following an open week.Â
>>> RARE AIR: With SFA win No. 50 coming against UIW, Carthel became just the third coach to reach 50 wins with multiple four-year programs in the state of Texas. Carthel captured 59 wins at Texas A&M-Commerce (now East Texas A&M) and joined College Football Hall of Famer Dana X. Bible and McMurry legend Randolph M. "Med" Medley. Bible totaled 198 wins in his career of which 72 came at Texas A&M with another 63 at Texas. Medley won 61 times at McMurry and reached 50 at Southwestern.Â
>>> THE CHAMPS ARE HERE:Â SFA took down defending conference champs in consecutive weeks (ACU, PVAMU) for the second-straight season (UIW, ACU in 2025). Prior to last season, a such feat had not happened since 2006 when SFA knocked off defending SLC co-champs Texas State and Nicholls.
>>> ROAD DAWGS:Â With the Week 2 victory over then #23/25 Abilene Christian, the Jacks beat a Top 25 team on the road for a third-straight season after earning wins at #20 Incarnate Word (2025) and at #22 Lamar (2024).
>>> LABOR DAY:Â Following thorough research, the 2026 Lumberjacks are believed to be the first NCAA Division I team (FBS & FCS) to win two conference games in the same season before Labor Day. Since the NCAA split Division I into 1-A and 1-AA in 1978, the Jacks are believed to be the fourth team to start a season 2-0 before the holiday.Â
>>> HOME OPENERS:Â SFA moved to 7-1 in home openers under Carthel and has now won seven-straight after beating East Texas A&M. SFA holds an overall record of 60-37-3 (.611) and is 8-1 overall in such contests since 2018.
ON THE HEELS OF HISTORY
The Lumberjacks are coming off a historic 2025 that saw SFA capture the program's fifth SLC title and first since 2010, while making the program's ninth FCS postseason appearance. That title came behind the program's first eight-win conference season and first perfect finish in league play in 99 seasons. The Jacks reached double-digit wins for the fifth time in program history, and the 11 victories last fall are the most since the '95 campaign.
CENTURY MARK INÂ PIGSKIN CAMPAIGNSÂ
Not long after Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College opened its doors, Dripping Springs, Texas native Robert H. Shelton was designated by SFASTC President Dr. A.W. Birdwell as the program's first football coach. Shelton, who would later become known as the "father of SFA Athletics," not only led that first team in 1923, but dressed out and practiced as well. Eleven days after welcoming students, SFASTC played the first game in program history resulting in a historic 120-0 trouncing of Center High School. It was the first of three wins in the inaugural season and the first of 16 victories in Shelton's six-season tenure. The point total remains a program record for points scored in a single game. Twenty-three players appeared in the first team photo published in the 1924 Stone Fort yearbook. Fast forward ten decades later and one opponent from season one: Lamar, which was known then as South Park Junior College and too in its inaugural season, is part of the '26 slate. The Cardinals won the 1923 meeting 10-0 on October 12 in Nacogdoches. The two sides meet for the 39th time on November 7 in Beaumont.
FOUR DECADES OF DI FOOTBALL
The last four decades of Lumberjack Football has been contested at the Division I level. SFA joined the division in 1986 and in that time has accumulated 239 victories with last season marking the fifth double-digit win season as a DI member.Â
IT'S THE 'LAND, MAN!
Season No. 37 of Southland Conference play is underway for the Lumberjacks. The Jacks' five league titles are the second most among active members behind overall league leader McNeese with 14.
ALL TEXAS, ALL THE TIME
Entering his eighth season directing the gridiron operations in the Piney Woods, head coach Colby Carthel eyes a championship encore for his program which enters the 100th season in school history on a daily mission to "be the best version of the 2026 Lumberjacks" they can be. If anyone embodies #EastTexasTough, it's a man who has spent over a quarter century coaching, and his entire life, in the Lone Star State. A former two-sport standout at Angelo State, all 14 of the Friona native's collegiate head coaching seasons have been spent in East Texas. He's totaled 110 wins, with No. 100 coming in a road blowout of Houston Christian last season, across two stops at a pair of institutions that call the timber-ridden region home. Of the 100+ victories, a program-record 52 have come at SFA. On September 26, Carthel passed Lumberjack legend Jim Hess (1982-88) for first on the all-time wins list. He is one of just six coaches in program history to win 20 or more conference games and SFA's win against Southeastern Louisiana set a new program record for league wins with 27.
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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#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough
