Sam Houston State One of Three Undefeated Teams in FCS
FRISCO, Texas - Sam
Houston State is one of just three undefeated teams in the Football
Championship Subdivision entering the sixth week of the season. The Bearkats,
who entered the top 25 after a three-year absence following a week-four win
over Central Arkansas, is 4-0 and joined by No. 1/1 Georgia Southern (4-0) and
No. 5/4 North Dakota State (4-0) with perfect records. Sam Houston moved up to
No. 15 in this week's FCS Coaches Poll and to No. 11 in this week's Sports
Network Top 25 with consecutive wins against New Mexico and UTSA. The Bearkats
play rival Stephen F. Austin in the Battle of the Piney Woods Saturday at 2
p.m. at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The game will be televised by the Southland
Conference Television Network. Stephen F. Austin, which has won the last two
Southland Conference titles, is 1-4 this season and looking for its first win
since beating McMurry Sept. 1 in the season opener.
Other games between
Southland teams on Saturday, including Central Arkansas at Nicholls State at 2
p.m. and Northwestern State at Lamar at 6 p.m. McNeese State welcomes Texas
State in a non-conference game in Lake Charles, while Southeastern Louisiana
has an open date.
Week Six Matchups
Sam Houston State and
Stephen F. Austin will meet for the 86th time Saturday in Houston ... the
Bearkats hold a 45-38-2 advantage in the series ... the Lumberjacks have won
the last two, including 31-28 last year
in the first of four consecutive games between the teams at Reliant ... SFA's
win in 2009 snapped a five-game win streak by Sam Houston ... Central Arkansas
and Nicholls State meet Saturday for the sixth time in the series ... the Bears
have won the last two games, including 31-7 last year in Thibodaux ...
Saturday's game between Northwestern State and Lamar will be the 14th game
between the rivals as four-year institutions ... Lamar holds a 7-5-1 advantage
in that series ... there were two other meetings between the schools, one in
1925 and another in 1950, both won by Northwestern State though Lamar was a
junior college team ... Texas State and McNeese State will play a
non-conference game Saturday in Lake Charles ... the Cowboys lead the all-time
series with Texas State 20-8 but are just 8-6 at home.
Battle of the Piney Woods on Southland TV
The Battle of the Piney
Woods between Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin Saturday in Houston will
be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network. Coverage begins at
2 p.m., Central, with kickoff slated for 2:05 p.m. Visit
www.Southland.org/television for a list of affiliates. Randy McIlvoy and Shea
Walker will call the action from the booth. The crew will be joined by Jane
Slater on the sideline. As one of the nation's most innovative broadcast
opportunities, the award-winning Southland Conference Television Network became
a reality in 2008 and has broadcast nearly 100 events. The network, which
reaches homes in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, has earned a College Sports
Media Award (2009) and an honorable mention (2010) at the College Sports Video
Summit as well as four prestigious Telly Awards. The conference will feature 11
football telecasts in 2011. All games will be streamed live and free on SLC NOW
on Southland.org.
Week Five Rewind
In its first Southland
Conference game since 1986, Lamar beat Southeastern Louisiana 48-38 for its
first league win since a 10-6 victory over former conference foe North Texas on
Sept. 15, 1984 ... the Cardinals have now won back-to-back games against the Lions
in Hammond in come-from-behind fashion ... they won last year, the first season
for the Cardinals since dropping its program in 1989 ... Lamar played as an FCS
Independent in 2010 ... Central Arkansas evened its Southland Conference record
to 1-1 and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-28 victory home victory
over two-time defending champion Stephen F. Austin ... all three losses by the
Bears were on the road, including two losses to FBS programs Louisiana Tech and
Arkansas State ... McNeese State won for the third consecutive game with a
20-18 win at Northwestern State to become the first Southland team to get to
2-0 in league play ... the Cowboys, one of three Southland teams yet to lose a
conference game, opened league play Sept. 24 with a 48-27 win at Southeastern
... the win was the Cowboys seventh in a row against the Demons ... Sam Houston
State stayed perfect with a 22-7 victory over UTSA, a first-year program
playing as an FCS Independent this season ... Nicholls State lost 38-12 in a non-conference
game at Texas State for its fourth consecutive setback.
McNeese State, Sam Houston
State Climb in FCS Polls
McNeese State and Sam
Houston State continue their ascent in the polls after picking up wins over
Northwestern State and UTSA, respectively. The Cowboys, who are 3-1 overall and
the only 2-0 team in the league, climbed to 13th in the FCS Coaches' Poll and
are No. 15 in The Sports Network Top 25. Sam Houston State, which was ranked
until beating Central Arkansas in week four, has climbed to No. 15 in the
coaches' poll and No. 11 in The Sports Network poll thanks to the win over the
Roadrunners a week after beating New Mexico, a Football Bowl Subdivision team
in the Mountain West Conference. Stephen F. Austin continues to receive votes
in both polls and is the only other Southland team getting votes in the coaches'
poll. In The Sports Network poll, SFA is joined in the receiving votes list by
Central Arkansas, Northwestern State and Lamar.
Week Four Conference
Honors
After leading the Bears to
a 38-28 victory over two-time defending champion Stephen F. Austin, Central
Arkansas linebacker Seth Allison and return specialist Isaiah Jackson were
named the Southland Conference defensive and special teams players of the week,
respectively, the league office announced Monday. Additionally, Lamar
quarterback Andre Bevil was named the offensive player of the week after
guiding the Cardinals to their first conference win since 1984. Bevil, who was
19-of-32 for 270 yards, threw four touchdown passes in a come-from-behind road
victory over Southeastern Louisiana. Allison had eight tackles (seven solo) and
returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown that gave the Bears a 21-6
halftime lead over SFA. Jackson broke off a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
that gave the Bears a 14-6 second-quarter lead against the Lumberjacks. He
totaled 174 yards on four kickoff returns and finished the game with 209
all-purpose yards.
Other Notable Performances
in Week Five
- Central Arkansas running
back Jackie Hinton, who missed the Bears' first two games of the season with an
injury, rushed for a career-high 129 yards on 20 carries against Stephen F.
Austin. He also caught three passes for 36 yards to give him 165 all-purpose
yards in the Bears' 38-28 victory against the two-time defending champion.
- Sam Houston State
receiver Torrance Williams scored the game winning touchdown against UTSA on a
59-yard reverse in the third quarter. He also gained 37 yards on another key
run and led the Bearkats with 96 yards on those two runs. He also had one catch
for 14 yards.
- Southeastern Louisiana
running back Sam Fairley set career highs with six receptions, 89 receiving
yards and 152 all-purpose yards in the Lions' 48-38 loss to Lamar. He scored on
a 26-yard touchdown run and added a 31-yard reception in the fourth quarter to
set up another score.
- Stephen F. Austin
quarterback Brady Attaway completed 41-of-55 passes for a career-high 390
yards. His 41 completions are the third-best single-game total in school
history and his three touchdown passes are the most by Attaway against Division
I competition.
- Lamar linebacker Asim
Hicks recorded 13 solo tackles in the win at Southeastern Louisiana.
Additionally, he forced an early first-quarter fumble and recovered another
fumble later in the quarter.
- McNeese State linebacker
Joe Narcisse sat out the first half at Northwestern State with an injury, but
returned in the second half to record an eight-yard sack and an 18-yard
interception that he returned for the game-winning score against the Demons.
- Sam Houston State
defensive back Kenneth Jenkins intercepted two passes in the 22-7 victory over
UTSA. His first pick set up the Bearkats' first touchdown in the second
quarter. The Sam Houston State defense created five turnovers and limited the
Roadrunners to 246 total yards and only 29 yards rushing.
- Stephen F. Austin safety
Jordan Aubrey recorded a career-high 22 tackles at Central Arkansas. Among the
total were 15 solo stops and two tackles for loss. His 22 tackles are the most
by a Southland defender this season.
- Lamar punter Kollin
Kahler punted six times for 264 yards in the win at Southeastern Louisiana for
an average of 44.0 per punt. He had a 72-yard punt in the first quarter that
was downed at the SLU 1-yard line, which was his personal best. It matched a
1982 boot by Ricky Fernandez as the third-best in school history.
- Sam Houston State return
specialist Brandon Closner gained 102 yards on returns in the win over UTSA. He
returned five punts for 55 yards and added three kick returns for 47 yards.
- Southeastern Louisiana
running back Jordan Wells recorded three kick returns for 103 yards to set a
single-season record for return yardage in only his fifth game as a return
specialist. He increased his season total to 619 yards, breaking the previous
record of 610 by Marquis Powell in 2008. Included in his return total was a
67-yard return, which matched his season high.
Southland in the NCAA
Stats
- Sam Houston State leads
the nation in rush defense, limiting opponents to an average of only 51.75 per
game. Lamar is second in the Southland and 23rd nationally (112.50).
- Stephen F. Austin
freshman kicker Justin Wiggs has made 8 of 10 field goals and is ranked second
in the nation with a .800 percentage.
- Lamar ranks fourth in
scoring offense, averaging 39.75 points per game. Southeastern Louisiana is the
only other Southland team in the top 25 in this category and ranks 17th with
33.4 points per game.
- Sam Houston State is
fourth in the FCS in rushing offense, piling up an average of 256.5 per game.
Running back Tim Flanders ranks ninth in both rushing (126.0) and all-purpose
running (172.5). Flanders is also fourth nationally in scoring, averaging 10.5
points per game to lead the conference.
- McNeese State is ranked
fourth nationally in punt returns, averaging 18.25 yards per return. Nicholls
State ranks 20th (14.36) thanks to Bobby Felder, who is ranked 10th in the FCS
with punt return average of 15.33.
- Stephen F. Austin ranks
sixth nationally in passing offense. The Lumberjacks are averaging 330.6
passing yards per game to lead the Southland Conference. Two other teams are
ranked among the top 13 in the FCS, including Southeastern Louisiana (11th with
288.2) and Central Arkansas (13th with
278.8).
- Sam Houston State ranks
sixth in the FCS in net punting with an average of 39.32 net yards per punt.
Nicholls State punter Cory Kemps ranks sixth nationally in punting, averaging
45.18 yards per boot.
- Sam Houston State ranks
eighth nationally in scoring defense, giving up an average of just 17.0 points
per game.
- Nicholls State ranks
ninth nationally in pass defense, allowing just 151.2 passing yards per game by
its five opponents.
- After forcing five
turnovers against UTSA last Saturday, Sam Houston State is now ranked 10th
among FCS teams in turnover margin. The Bearkats have forced three fumbles and
had five interceptions, while committing just three turnovers themselves (+5)
or an average of 1.25 per game.
- Lamar has the 10th best
passing efficiency in the FCS. Cardinal quarterbacks combine for a rating of
152.98. Sam Houston State is ranked 24th (143.50) and McNeese State is 25th
(142.55). Bearkat quarterback Brian Bell ranks fourth among FCS quarterbacks
with a 165.59 rating.
- Lamar leads the Southland and ranks 11th in
total defense in the FCS, allowing 290.75 yards by its four opponents.
Four Southland Players
Named Semifinalists for Campbell Trophy
Four Southland Conference
football student-athletes are among the 127 candidates for the semifinalists
for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the
absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation, the National Football Foundation
and College Hall of Fame announced earlier this week. The honorees from the
Southland Conference include McNeese State senior punter Ben Bourgeois,
Northwestern State senior linebacker Yaser Elqutub, Sam Houston State senior
offensive tackle Travis Watson and Stephen F. Austin senior punter Drew Nelson.
All 127 semifinalists are also candidates for the NFF National Scholar-Athlete
Awards. There were 33 student-athletes recognized from the Football Championship
Subdivision.
Elqutub Named to AFCA Good Works Team
Northwestern State senior
linebacker Yaser Elqutub is among 22 student-athletes from all levels of
college football named to the 2011 AFCA Good Works Team, the AFCA announced
Sept. 20. One of four honorees from Football Championship Subdivision, Elqutub,
the president of the Southland Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee,
was recognized for his community and campus service with the 2011 Southland
Conference Steve McCarty Citizenship Award. He is the third Southland
Conference recipient and the first in 13 years, since Stephen F. Austin punter
Chad Stanley was selected in 1998, one year after teammate Todd Holmes, a
defensive back, was chosen.
Sam Houston State Gives Southland 17th Win vs. FBS Since
2000
The league played 11 games
against the FBS this season and got its first win Sept. 24 when Sam Houston
State beat New Mexico out of the Mountain West Conference, 48-45, in overtime.
It was the 17th win by a Southland team against the FBS since 2000 and was the
first since Central Arkansas won at Western Kentucky in 2009. The Southland was
winless in 11 games against the subdivision last year. This year, the Southland
played teams from Conference USA as well as the Big 12, Mid-American, Mountain
West, Southeastern, Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences. The Southland
has played to within 14 points another 21 times, including twice this year when
Southeastern Louisiana lost 47-33 at Tulane and Central Arkansas lost 48-42 in
overtime at Louisiana Tech.
A Different Eight
Southland Teams in 2011
There is a change in the
Southland Conference alignment for the 2011 season. The league welcomes back
Lamar to the conference gridiron. The Cardinals were an original Southland
member in 1964, but became an independent in the Football Championship
Subdivision following the 1986 season before they discontinued the program in
1989. Lamar reinstated football last year and played as an independent, going
5-6. While Lamar joins the league, Texas State departs. The Bobcats began their
transition into the Football Bowl Subdivision in the offseason and as a result
became ineligible for the NCAA Division I Championship and also for the
Southland Conference championship. Texas State will play the 2011 season as an
FCS Independent, and, while it stays on the schedule for the eight Southland
teams, it will count as a non-conference game.
Stephen F. Austin Going for Three-Peat
Stephen F. Austin claimed
an outright Southland Conference championship in 2010 to give the school its
first back-to-back conference titles. The last Southland team to win three
consecutive titles was McNeese State, which shared the 2001 title with Sam Houston
State before winning the league outright in 2002 and 2003. Arkansas State won
three consecutive Southland titles from 1968-70 and Louisiana Tech won three in
a row from 1972-74.
McNeese State, SFA Picked
as Favorites
Stephen F. Austin and
McNeese State, which finished as the top two teams in the Southland Conference
last season, were again picked as the favorites heading into the 2011 season as
voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors. McNeese
State was the coaches' preseason pick, receiving three out of a possible eight
first-place votes and 44 points to edge defending champion SFA by just one
point. In the SID poll, the Lumberjacks garnered four first-place votes and
tallied 44 points to edge the Cowboys by just one point.
Northwestern State's Rose
Named to Buchanan Watch List
Northwestern State junior
linebacker Derek Rose was on the preseason watch list for the 2011 Buck
Buchanan Award sponsored by Fathead.com. The Buchanan Award is in its 17th
season and will be presented to the outstanding defensive player in the FCS at
the national awards banquet Jan. 6, 2012, in Frisco, Texas. Rose is one of six
linebackers to be named to the initial watch list and is the only player from
the Southland Conference to join the group. The New Orleans, La., native earned
first team All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana honors his sophomore
season, as well as second team Sports Network All-America honors after he led
the league with 138 tackles - the most at Northwestern since 1991 when senior
All-America linebacker and Walter Payton Trophy runner-up Andre Carron set the
single-season record with 176.
Three from Southland Named
Preseason First-Team All-Americans
McNeese State free safety
Malcolm Bronson, Northwestern State linebacker Derek Rose and Stephen F. Austin
return specialist Gralyn Crawford have garnered preseason first-team
All-America honors by at least one organization. All three received first-team
mention on the Phil Steele FCS Preseason All-America Team. Crawford was also honored
by College Sporting News, The Sports Network, Consensus Draft Service and
Lindy's. Rose also received kudos from The Sports Network, Lindy's and Beyond
Sports Network. A total of fifteen Southland Conference football players earned
recognition on preseason All-America teams.
Twelve Former Southland Players in NFL
A total of 12 players who
played at current Southland Conference schools appear on rosters in the
National Football League in 2011. The Buffalo Bills lead all teams with three
former Southland players, including a pair from Northwestern State. Cornerback
Terrence McGee and offensive lineman Demetrius Bell from Northwestern are
joined by former Southeastern Louisiana receiver Felton Huggins in Buffalo.
McGee is the longest tenured NFL player from the conference with nine years of
experience. The Demons lead the conference with three former players on NFL
rosters. Former Northwestern linebacker Isaiah Greenhouse is with the Dallas
Cowboys. Central Arkansas, McNeese State, Nicholls State and Southeastern each
have two players in the league. Stephen F. Austin has one.
Atlanta
Falcons
Marquez
Branson, Central Arkansas
Baltimore
Ravens
Lardarius
Webb, Nicholls State
Buffalo
Bills
Demetrius
Bell, Northwestern State
Terrence
McGee, Northwestern State
Felton
Huggins, Southeastern Louisiana
Dallas
Cowboys
Isaiah
Greenhouse, Northwestern State
Kansas
City Chiefs
Quinten
Lawrence, McNeese State
New
England Patriots
Markell
Carter, Central Arkansas
St.
Louis Rams
Jabara
Williams, Stephen F. Austin
Kevin
Hughes, Southeastern Louisiana
Tampa
Bay Buccaneers
Devin
Holland, McNeese State
Washington
Redskins
Kareem
Moore, Nicholls State