#5/7 Jacks Hold Off UIW in Nail-Biting Finish in Nacogdoches

Saturday, October 3

Nacogdoches, TX

5:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

6-0 , 3-0

Incarnate Word

2-3 , 1-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
UIW	3	10	7	6	26
SFA	14	0	7	7	28

Clayton Wayland TD catch vs. UIW (10-3-26)

Photo by: Alex Nabor

#5/7 Jacks Hold Off UIW in Nail-Biting Finish in Nacogdoches

10/3/2026 11:38:00 PM | Football

Box Score

SFA wins 16th straight in regular season, 11th straight at home and in SLC play

By: Jacob Pumphrey, Assistant AD for Communications

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – #5/7 Stephen F. Austin held off (RV) Incarnate Word 28-26 in a nail-biting finish on Saturday night inside Homer Bryce Stadium at Jimmy W. Murphy Field. The win keeps the Jacks unbeaten at 6-0 and improves the squad's Southland Conference record to 3-0.

Clayton Wayland hauled in a 53-yard pass, SFA's longest play of the night, from Gavin Rutherford and the pair connected moments later on the first play of the fourth quarter with an eight-yard pitch and catch to put the Jacks up 28-20, and Jamel Acosta-Lewis delivered the hammer on a Cardinals receiver to deny a UIW two-point attempt following a touchdown with 22 seconds remaining to secure SFA's 11^th straight home victory.

The Jacks allowed UIW to convert just two of its 14 third-down opportunities and in the process forced five punts, three field goal attempts, a turnover on downs and two interceptions: a second quarter swipe by Acosta-Lewis and a diving fourth quarter grab in the back of the endzone by Makai Frisby on the ensuing UIW drive following the Rutherford-to-Wayland connection that extended the Jacks' lead.

SFA led 14-3 through the first 15 minutes of the game as Rutherford connected with a wide-open Jaylen Jenkins in the middle of the field for a 45-yard score. JT Kitna plunged in from two yards out in response to a UIW field goal as the Pine Curtain defense denied a ten-play drive of nearly 70 yards the endzone.

At the intermission, SFA clung to a 14-13 advantage after being unable to convert a FGA as time expired. Midway through the third quarter, UIW grabbed a 20-14 lead but the Jacks answered as Rutherford found Preston Alford from eight yards out with Carlos Alvarado's giving SFA a lead the host would not surrender.

POSTGAME NOTES

The Jacks trailed for 4:28 of game play, the longest stretch trailing of the three instances that SFA has faced a deficit this season
Rutherford attempted a season-high 34 passes and produced a season-high 26 completions
Wayland became the second Lumberjack this season to produce a 100-yard game with 104 receiving yards on five receptions
Jenkins caught three passes for 52 yards, including the opening 45-yard touchdown
Speedy Jones rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries and added two receptions for 22 yards
Dillon McDougal averaged 41.3 yards behind a season-high eight punts of which two he placed inside the 20 with a long of 58
A'Amear Walton and Lowote Jurkin each recorded sacks
Malachi Williams, Jaiydyn Johnson and Devonta Morgan-Collins all delivered seven tackles with the latter adding two PBU
The Jacks surrendered 470 yards, but the Cardinals needed 79 plays to get there
SFA committed 10 for 99 yards, nearly double its entering average of 51.4 penalty yards

ABOUT THE WIN

Carthel earns SFA win No. 50 and becomes just the third head coach to win 50 or more games at multiple four-year Texas programs joining CFB Hall of Famer Dana X. Bible and McMurry legend Randolph M. "Med" Medley
The victory pushes SFA's regular season winning streak to 16 games
The Jacks' home-winning streak improves to 11 games
SFA moves to 29-6 inside HBS since the start of the 2020 season
It is the 30^th home win for the Jacks in Carthel's tenure (2019)
SFA is off to the program's first 6-0 start to a season since the 1995 campaign
The Jacks improve to 7-3 all-time against UIW and have won consecutive matchups in the series for the first time since 2016-17
The victory is the 109^th overall in Carthel's career
It is the 237^th win for the Lumberjacks as a Division I program

UP NEXT
SFA returns to action in two weeks on the road in Thibodeaux. The Jacks meet Nicholls State in the 39^th meeting all-time. SFA has won the last two meetings including a 34-7 decision last fall in Nacogdoches. The Jacks have won 12 of 18 meetings against the Colonels in south Louisiana. Prior to the Jacks' wins in 2024 and 2025, the Colonels won four-straight from 2016 through the 2019 season. The October 17 kickoff from inside Guidry Stadium is set for 3 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.

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.comto secure your tickets today and be part of the action all season long.

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.