NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin did not make its largest crowd of the season wait long for the outcome of Saturday’s Homecoming contest against Nicholls State. The Lumberjacks scored 31 unanswered points to open the game and recorded a 44-10 victory over the Colonels.

Junior quarterback Brady Attaway completed 41-of-65 passes for 474 yards and five touchdowns, while SFA rolled up 575 yards of total offense, nearly doubling the output of their guests (275). It marked the third time this season Attaway has thrown for at least 400 yards in a contest. He also recorded the fourth-best single-game mark in school history with his 41 completions.
 
For the sixth time this season SFA (3-4, 2-1 Southland) had at least one player record 100 yards receiving, but it wasn’t Cordell Roberson. Freshman D.J. Ward hauled in nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Ward was one four Lumberjacks to catch a touchdown pass from Attaway, including Aaron Thomas who hauled in two touchdown receptions. Roberson finished the day with six catches for 85 yards.
 
While the SFA offense was busy moving the ball up and down the field, the Lumberjack defense made sure Nicholls’ offense was ineffective. The Colonels (1-4, 0-3 Southland) had the ball for nearly six minutes longer than SFA but the visitors could only muster 287 yards of total offense. Freshman Collin Garrett led a defensive effort that recorded 10 tackles for losses and four sacks. Garrett finished the day with a team-high 10 stops.
 
The Lumberjacks return to action Oct. 27 when they travel to Lake Charles, La., to take on McNeese State. The game is slated to kickoff at 7 p.m. and will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network.

Nicholls State returns to action at Northwestern State next Saturday at 6 p.m.