Stephen F. Austin And Texas State To Meet On FSN-Southwest On Saturday
SAN MARCOS, Texas - Texas State will look to continue a recent run of success in homecoming games Saturday when the Bobcats play host to Stephen F. Austin. Kickoff has been moved up to 3:30 p.m. for a regional television broadcast on Fox Sports Net Southwest.
Texas State has won its last three homecoming games, including a 17-14 victory over Stephen F. Austin in 2004. All told, the Bobcats are 41-28-1 in homecoming contests.
Texas State's series with Stephen F. Austin dates back to the 1923 season. The two teams have played one another every year since 1946 (61 straight games) to rank the rivalry as tied for the 15th longest uninterrupted series in Division I FCS football.
The Bobcats hold a 51-28-1 lead in their series with SFA. Since both teams' first season in the Southland Conference in 1987, the Lumberjacks hold an 11-9 edge in the rivalry.
Both SFA and Texas State head into Saturday's game looking to change their fortunes after struggling the first half of the season.
The Bobcats have lost their last five to fall to 1-5 and 0-2 in the Southland Conference. SFA is 0-6 and 0-2 in the SLC.
Stephen F. Austin entered last year's game 0-5. The Lumberjacks parlayed a 24-13 victory over Texas State six weeks into the season into a tie for second place in the final Southland Conference standings. SFA won four of its final six games, losing only to McNeese State and Sam Houston State by a combined seven points.
Texas State will look for that same kind of momentum to end a season starting Saturday. The Bobcats could still post a winning season if they were to win their remaining five games of which three will be played at home.
SFA has made major personnel decisions in the past week.
The Lumberjacks have replaced Preseason All-Southland Conference First-Team quarterback Danny Southall with true freshman Jeremy Moses.
In his first start last week, a 17-16 loss at home to Nicholls State, Moses completed 29-of-45 passes for 319 yards. Southall did have a couple rushing attempts last week but look for him to move to wide receiver or to play another offensive role this Saturday.
Southall enters the week as both SFA's leading passer and rusher. The senior has completed 73-of-130 passes for 731 yards and three scores. He has also ran for a team-leading 195 yards. Last year, Southall's 59-yard touchdown run with 2:34 to play gave the Lumberjacks their first lead. SFA scored 14 points in the game's final three minutes to beat the Bobcats 24-13.
Through the first half of the season, Texas State has struggled against opponents' passing game. Opponents are averaging 297.5 yards passing against the Bobcats and have a combined 186.29 pass efficiency rating.
In addition to starting a true freshman at quarterback, the Lumberjacks are a lot like Texas State, playing a number of rookies. SFA is expected to start six freshmen on defense including three true freshmen.
Will linebacker Jabara Williams and safeties Devin Ducote and Chris Elliot are all true freshmen. Williams and Elliott started for the second straight week as did red-shirt freshman linebackers Bry Roby and Terrance Nurse along with cornerback Jerrel Barnett.
Nurse is SFA's leading tackler with 41 stops, including five for lost yardage.
Texas State will also likely start a trio of true freshmen on its defense this week. Safety T.P. Miller along with linebackers Marcus Clark and Brian Williams are all listed on the Bobcats' weekly depth chart as starters.
Clark ranks second on the team with 33 total tackles including four for lost yardage. He also has a pair of interceptions on the year.
Sophomore linebacker Travis Houston leads Texas State with 41 tackles including three for lost yardage and two quarterback sacks.
Offensively, Texas State is averaging more the 380 yards of total offense including 237 yards passing.
Sophomore quarterback Bradley George has completed 112 of 203 passes for 1,128 yards. Junior receiver Cameron Luke has caught a team-leading 29 passes for 500 yards and four touchdowns.
Junior running back Stan Zwinggi is again doubtful for this week after missing the last two games. Red-shirt freshman Karrington Bush has become the Bobcats' leading rusher in Zwinggi's absence and enters the week with 430 rushing yards on 59 carries.