Jacks Highly Responsive in the Valley, Blow Out UTRGV 48-0

Saturday, November 14

Edinburg, TX

5:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

10-1 , 7-1

UTRGV

5-6 , 3-5

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
SFA	17	7	14	10	48
UTRGV	0	0	0	0	0

Photo by: Alex Nabor

11/14/2026 10:02:00 PM | Football

SFA pitches second SLC road shutout, first season with multiple league shutouts since ‘79

By: Jacob Pumphrey, Assistant AD for Communications

EDINBURG, Texas – Bugs Mortimer hit paydirt twice in a span of 43 seconds early on in the third quarter, JT Kitna impressed with three touchdown passes in his first career start and the Pine Curtain defense manufactured a second Southland Conference road shutout of the season as #2 Stephen F. Austin dominated UTRGV in the Valley earning a 48-0 win on Saturday night inside Robert & Janet Vacker Stadium.

SFA's lead grew to 38–0 early in the third quarter as Kitna connected with Mortimer for a 50-yard touchdown on third-and-six, capping a six-play, 65-yard drive with 11:40 remaining. The Lumberjack defense, which did not allow a third-down conversion in 13 Vaquero attempts, forced another three-and-out which set up a dazzling, tackle-breaking return for Mortimer who maneuvered from 80 yards out for his program-record extending sixth career PR touchdown.

SFA built a 17–0 first-quarter lead behind two Jaylen Jenkins rushing touchdowns and a defense that limited UTRGV to 18 total yards. Jenkins capped the opening possession with a 62-yard touchdown run, finishing a four-play, 75-yard drive just 1:30 into the game. Carlos Alvarado added a 44-yard field goal following a 13-play possession before Emmanuel Harris forced a fumble on a sack that Travon Sylvester recovered at the UTRGV 15.

Three plays later, Jenkins scored from two yards out to extend the lead with 3:50 remaining. Kitna completed 10-of-12 passes for 70 yards as the Lumberjacks outgained the Vaqueros 169–18 and controlled possession for 10:22.

SFA extended its lead to 24–0 just eight seconds into the second quarter when Kitna connected with Kelley for a 33-yard touchdown, completing a six-play, 48-yard drive. UTRGV controlled possession for 11:54 of the period, but the Lumberjacks kept the Vaqueros scoreless with an interception and a late goal-line stand on a drive that accumulated 18 plays and began after the Jacks fumbled an interception return into the endzone.

After UTRGV reached first-and-goal at the SFA 1, Jaydon Eason stopped first- and third-down runs, while Eli Ennis and Malachi Williams combined for the second-down stop. An incomplete fourth-down pass ended the threat with 12 seconds remaining, preserving SFA's 24–0 halftime advantage.

SFA added 10 fourth-quarter points with Kitna finding Stetson Sarratt for a 16-yard touchdown with 14:11 remaining, completing an eight-play, 62-yard drive. Deuce Williams then ended UTRGV's next possession with a six-yard, chase-down sack on third down. The Jacks followed with a nine-play, 81-yard drive that consumed 5:05 and ended with Alvarado's 23-yard field goal at the 7:21 mark.

POSTGAME NOTES

Kitna completed 19-of-26 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with three different receivers for scores in his first career start. He added 30 rushing yards to finish with 246 yards of total offense.
Mortimer totaled 176 all-purpose yards, catching five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown while returning three punts for 101 yards and another score. His 50-yard touchdown reception and 80-yard punt-return touchdown came just 43 seconds apart.
Mortimer became the program's career record holder in punt return yards as his score sent him past KaRon Coleman's record of 792 yards (1996-99)
Jenkins rushed nine times for 98 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 10.9 yards per carry. His 62-yard touchdown opened the scoring, and his two-yard score extended SFA's first-quarter lead to 17–0.
Speedy Jones led SFA with 99 rushing yards on nine carries, averaging 11.0 yards per attempt with a long of 49. Jones and Jenkins combined for 197 yards on 18 carries, averaging 10.9 yards per rush.
Eason recorded six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. He also made two solo stops during SFA's goal-line stand late in the first half, denying first- and third-down runs from the 1-yard line.
The Lumberjacks held UTRGV without a third-down conversion in 13 attempts, while limiting the Vaqueros to 181 total yards and 3.0 yards per play. UTRGV finished with nine punts.
SFA generated 516 total yards, with 276 rushing and 240 passing, averaging 7.2 yards per play. It marked the Jacks' seventh 200-yard rushing performance this season.
The defense collected four sacks and eight tackles for loss, bringing SFA's season sack total to 44. The Jacks have recorded 15 sacks over their last three games.
SFA scored at least 40 points for the fifth time this season, improving to 5–0 when reaching that mark and 8–0 when scoring at least 30.
UTRGV becomes the second opponent (ETAM) to be held under 200 yards of total offense this season
The Jacks forced the first shutout in UTRGV's young football history

ABOUT THE WIN

SFA improves to 1-0 all-time when welcomed by a mariachi band upon arrival
SFA reaches 10-1 for just the second time in program history and for the first time entirely in the regular season
SFA recorded its second shutout of the season, joining its 56–0 victory at Nicholls, to become the first team since the '79 Jacks to log a pair of shutouts against league opponents in the same season. The last SFA team with multiple shutouts in a season was the 1984 squad.
The Jacks win a fifth regular-season road game this season for the first time under Carthel and it is the 21^st true road win in his tenure
The victory is the 113^th overall in Carthel's career and his program-leading 54^th at SFA
It is the 241^st win for the Lumberjacks as a Division I program

UP NEXT
The Jacks return home for a short week to close out the regular season in a battle of bragging rights and Sister City supremacy in the Battle of the Chief. Thursday marks the 80th meeting between SFA and Northwestern State in a rivalry dating to November 7, 1924, with the Demons holding a 46–30–3 series advantage. The Lumberjacks have won four consecutive meetings and are unbeaten against NSU under Colby Carthel, outscoring the Demons 194–58 during that stretch. SFA is 15–21–1 against Northwestern State at home but has won five of the last six meetings in Nacogdoches, including a 59–17 victory in 2024. Last season, the Jacks rolled to a 62–14 win in Natchitoches, establishing their largest margin of victory in series history. SFA has won six of the last ten matchups and seeks its first five-game winning streak against the Demons. Kickoff from inside Homer Bryce Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com.

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR THE REGULAR SEASON FINALE
The Lumberjacks have just three more home games on the regular season schedule! 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.

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#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough