Southland Football Opens League Play in Week Four
Southland Weekly Release (PDF, Updated Sept. 18)
Week Four Southland Conference Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 22
Sam Houston St. at Central Arkansas*, 3 p.m. (SLCTV)
Evangel at Nicholls St., 6 p.m.
Mississippi Valley St. at Northwestern St., 6 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin at Texas St., 6 p.m.
Langston at Lamar, 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
McNeese St. at Southeastern La.*, 7 p.m.
All times Central
Week Four News & Notes
Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas Meet in Week Four: Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas open conference play against each other Saturday in Conway, Ark. in a 3 p.m. game that will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network and on the new Southland Digital Network. The Bearkats downed the Bears 31-10 last year in the conference opener Sept. 17 in Huntsville. Neither team lost again during the regular season and both teams reached the Division I playoffs. Sam Houston won the conference championship with a 7-0 record and finished the year 14-1 after reaching the national championship game. Central Arkansas was 6-1 in conference play and earned an at-large bid into the playoffs, where it reached the second round. The Bearkats have won their last nine conference games, while UCA has won its last six conference games.
That matchup is not the only conference games in the Southland this week. McNeese State visits Southeastern Louisiana Saturday at 7 p.m. The Cowboys have started 3-0 this season and are riding a six-game win streak dating back to last year. The other half of the league continues the non-conference portion of their schedules. Nicholls State hosts Evangel University in its home opener Saturday at 6 p.m., Mississippi Valley State is at Northwestern State Saturday at 6 p.m., Stephen F. Austin visits former conference foe Texas State at 6 p.m. and Lamar welcomes Langston Saturday at 7 p.m.
Week Three Rewind: The Southland Conference was just 2-6 last week, but teams showed a lot of progress in their week-three matchups. McNeese State won at Weber State 35-21 and Central Arkansas crushed Bacone 70-3. Sam Houston State dropped a tough loss at Baylor (48-23) after leading the Bears at the half and hanging with them through three quarters. Stephen F. Austin surrendered a late lead to fall 43-35 at Montana State and Northwestern State’s offense found its rhythm in nearly pulling off an upset at Nevada before falling 45-34. Nicholls State and Lamar dropped games to Tulsa and Hawaii, respectively, out of the FBS. Southeastern Louisiana lost at Tennessee-Martin on Thursday.
Three Southland Teams Ranked in FCS Top 25 Polls: Sam Houston State slipped one spot in both polls this week after its 48-23 loss at Baylor of the FBS’ Big 12 Conference. The Bearkats are No. 3 in The Sports Network Top 25 and are tied for third in the FCS Coaches Poll behind No. 1 North Dakota State and No. 2 Montana State. With its win at Weber State on Saturday, McNeese State maintained its No. 19 ranking in the Sports Network poll this week and moved up two positions in the coaches’ poll to No. 17. Central Arkansas moved back into the Sports Network poll at No. 25 but fell one spot in the coaches’ poll to No. 21 after its 70-3 win over Bacone College. Stephen F. Austin is receiving votes in each of the polls.
Week Four Matchups: Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State are meeting Saturday for just the seventh time in their history. The Bears won the first three meetings with Sam Houston, but the Bearkats have won the last three. McNeese State and Southeastern Louisiana have played 37 times previously with the Cowboys winning 22 of those games, including each of the last six games. They won last year 48-27 in Lake Charles. Southeastern leads the series 10-6 in Hammond, La. Lamar and Langston will play Saturday for just the second time. Lamar won the only previous meeting 14-0 in 2010. Nicholls State leads its series with Evangel 2-0 after winning 42-0 in last year’s season opener. Stephen F. Austin visits Texas State on Saturday. Texas State leads its former Southland Conference brethren 56-29-1 in a series that dates back to 1923. The Bobcats have won each of the last six games, including 35-26 last year in Nacogdoches. Northwestern State and Mississippi Valley State meet Saturday for the first time.
Bearkats vs. Bears Marks Season Debut of Southland TV: When Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas meet Saturday, it will mark the season debut for the Southland Conference Television Network, which is celebrating its fifth season in 2012. Coverage of the game from First Security Field at Estes Stadium will begin at 3 p.m., Central, with kickoff slated for 3:05 p.m. Randy McIlvoy and Shea Walker return to the broadcast booth to call the action and will be joined by Erin Cofiell on the sideline. Fans can watch the game on the new Southland Conference Digital Network’s free mobile and tablet apps for iPhone and Android. Visit Southland.org/television each week for a list of affiliates.
Southland Names Players of the Week: Northwestern State senior quarterback Brad Henderson was named the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week after he completed 28 of 53 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns and added eight carries for 102 yards in leading Northwestern State at Nevada. The senior from Starkville, Miss., posted the school’s No. 2 single-game totals in passing yards (four shy of Bobby Hebert’s 1980 school record) and total offense (five yards shy of Hebert). Henderson led Demons to most total yards (585) since 2002, most first downs (31) since 1997 and five drives of more than 74 yards in final six series of shootout with the Wolf Pack. Henderson set single-game pass attempts mark (by three), without an interception, and had his first 100-yard rushing game. McNeese State junior cornerback Guy Morgan was named the league’s defensive player of the week. His interception early in the third quarter deep in McNeese State’s own territory proved to be the game changer when Weber State was driving for a tying score. One play later, the Cowboys scored on a 91-yard run to give them a 21-7 lead and eventually a 35-21 win. The junior cornerback from Baton Rouge, La., also had four tackles, including a tackle for loss and another pass break up. The interception was his second of the season. Central Arkansas senior receiver Dezmin Lewis was the special teams weekly honoree. He scored two special teams touchdowns in the Bears’ 70-3 win over Bacone College. He got his first score when he picked up a blocked punt and went 12 yards for a score and another on a bad snap over the punter’s head that he scooped up and took 18 yards to the end zone. The sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, also caught three passes for 27 yards and a touchdown.
Southland Teams Streaking: McNeese State has the longest win streak in the Southland Conference having won its last six games. The Cowboys finished the 2011 season with wins in its last three games before opening the current campaign with wins at Middle Tennessee, McMurry and Weber State. Sam Houston State finished a perfect 7-0 in league play last year and carries a nine-game win streak in conference games dating back to the 2010 season. The Bearkats won 16 consecutive games, including the first 14 games last year before losing the national championship game to North Dakota State. Central Arkansas also has a conference win streak. After falling to Sam Houston in the conference opener last September, the Bears rattled off six consecutive league wins to earn an at-large berth in the Division I playoffs. Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas meet Saturday.
Southland vs. the FBS: The Southland Conference plays just one team from the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) in week four when Stephen F. Austin visits Texas State on Saturday at 6 p.m. The league opened the season with its 18th win against the FBS since 2000 when McNeese State won 27-21 at Middle Tennessee Aug. 30. This season, the Southland is 1-10 against FBS teams. League teams will play a total of 17 games against the FBS in 2012, including teams from Conference USA as well as the Big 12, Mountain West, Pacific-12, Southeastern, Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences.
FCS Over FBS, 2012: McNeese State’s 27-21 win over Middle Tennessee on the opening night of the season is one of nine wins by FCS teams against FBS foes this season. Eastern Washington, Youngstown State and Tennessee-Martin all had wins against upper-division competition in week one. Four more FBS teams, including two from Colorado, were surprised in week two by their FCS visitors: North Dakota State beat Colorado State 22-7, Sacramento State beat Colorado 30-28, Illinois State beat Eastern Michigan and Northern Arizona beat UNLV. Last week, Cal Poly beat Wyoming 24-22.
Southland Against the FBS Since 2000: McNeese State became the latest Southland Conference school to beat a team from the FBS. The Cowboys won 27-21 in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Aug. 30 after leading 24-6 entering the final quarter. The win was the league’s 18th over an FBS team and the first since Sam Houston State beat New Mexico 48-45 in overtime last season. The Southland won a record five games against the FBS in 2000, all against FBS Independents. It won four in 2001, but has not won more than two in the same year since 2007. Among the Southland’s FBS wins, 14 have come against teams currently in the Sun Belt, while 13 have come against teams that were one-time members of the Southland. Other FBS leagues with teams that have fallen victim to Southland teams include Conference USA (Nicholls State over Rice 16-14 in 2007 and Northwestern State over TCU 27-24 in 2001) and the Mountain West (Sam Houston State over New Mexico 48-45 last year).
Non-Offensive Scoring: Southland Conference teams have found several different ways to find the end zone this season. In week two, the league scored on two punt returns, four interception returns and added a fumble return. Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State scored on punt returns, while McNeese State and Northwestern State both returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns. Southeastern Louisiana scored on a fumble return. Stephen F. Austin had a fumble return for a touchdown in its opener Aug. 31 against Southwest Oklahoma State. McNeese State safety Chris Raggett set a single-game McNeese State record while tying an NCAA record in returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the Cowboys’ 69-7 win over McMurry. His returns covered 41 and 30 yards. His two interceptions also tied a McNeese single-season school record. Last Saturday, Central Arkansas receiver Dezmin Lewis scored on a blocked punt return and a fumble recovery to give the league 11 touchdowns on defense or special teams.
Frisco Remains the Goal: If the first two national championship games in Frisco are any indication, the 2013 championship will be another great game. The destination remains the goal for every team in the Football Championship Subdivision. The championships won in Frisco have been the first for both champions, including Eastern Washington in the 2011 game and North Dakota State last year. The league can draw a little motivation from 2011 Southland champion Sam Houston State, which lost to the Bison at FC Dallas Stadium last January. Opponents will have their work cut out for them, however, with the Bearkats bringing back 19 starters that came up just short from finishing a perfect 15-0 and winning its first national championship.
Tickets for NCAA Division I Football Championship Now on Sale: Tickets for the 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship are now on sale. Tickets may be purchased online at www.NCAA.com/fcs for two seating locations within the stadium: midfield ($35) and sideline ($30). The 2013 championship game is scheduled to start at noon, CT, in the 20,086-seat, multi-purpose FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 5, 2013, and will be televised nationally on ESPN2HD. The championship game is the culmination of a 20-team playoff bracket that includes 10 conference champions and another 10 teams that gain access through at-large selection. The bracket will be announced Nov. 18. This will be the third year the game has been played in Frisco. Eastern Washington beat Delaware 20-19 in the 2011 championship game, while North Dakota State beat Sam Houston State 17-6 in front of a sellout crowd in the 2012 game. Another sellout crowd is anticipated for this season’s game, so fans are encouraged to secure tickets early.
Southland Had One of Its Best Seasons in 2011: The 2011 season was one of the best in Southland history with two teams reaching the postseason, not to mention a run at the national championship by Sam Houston State. The Bearkats won 14 games last season before falling 17-6 to North Dakota State in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Central Arkansas was also in the playoffs, reaching the postseason at the Division I level for the first time in just its second season of postseason eligibility.
Magical Playoff Run for Bearkats: Sam Houston State came out of the regular-season unscathed with a perfect 11-0 record to earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The Bearkats received a first-round bye in the playoffs, and opened their postseason Dec. 3 with a 34-27 win over Stony Brook. Sam Houston State followed with back-to-back wins over long-time Southland nemeses Montana State (49-13) and Montana (31-28 in a game that saw running back Tim Flanders rush for 287 yards) to become the first Southland team to play for a national championship since McNeese State in 2002. Overall, it was the seventh trip to the final game for a Southland team (1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997 and 2002). Only Louisiana-Monroe in 1987 was able to deliver the league a Division I championship. The Bearkat win also ran their win streak to 16 games (dating back to the final two games of the 2010 season) before falling to North Dakota State in the national championship game. Sam Houston was making its fifth appearance in the Division I playoffs. It had reached the national semifinals in its previous playoff appearance in 2004. That came after a quarterfinal berth in 2001 and first-round appearances in 1986 and 1991.
Sam Houston State Reached 2011 Title Game: An unrelenting defense limited Sam Houston State to its lowest total offense and point total of the season ending the Bearkats’ dream season as North Dakota State posted a 17-6 victory in the NCAA Division I National Championship Game Jan. 7, 2012. The Bison and the Bearkats both ended the season with 14-1 records but North Dakota State took home the trophy after a hard-fought battle at FC Dallas Stadium. Sam Houston was held to 95 yards rushing and 115 passing for a total offense output of 220 yards. The Bearkats came into the contest averaging 421.1 yards per game offensively. Running back Tim Flanders led the Bearkat offense with 21 carries for 84 yards as he set a Southland Conference record for most rushing yards in one season (1,642). He broke the former record of 1,593 yards set by Claude Mathis of Texas State in 1997.
Central Arkansas Made First Division I Playoff Appearance: Central Arkansas received an at-large berth into the Division I playoffs for the first time in school history in just its second year of eligibility. Not only did it make the playoffs, but they also won the first road playoff game by a Southland Conference team since 2004 when it opened with a 34-14 win at Tennessee Tech in the first round. A loss at Montana the next week ended the Bears season at 9-4 overall. UCA has won at least seven games in four of its last six seasons since making the move to Division I. UCA finished second in the Southland at 6-1, with the lone loss coming to Sam Houston State on the road. The Bears reeled off eight consecutive victories to earn their playoff berth.
Same Eight Football Teams in 2012: For the second consecutive season, the conference will feature the same eight football teams: Central Arkansas, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin. The league did undergo a transition during the offseason, gaining Oral Roberts University as a full-time member July 1 after losing three institutions – Texas-Arlington, Texas-San Antonio and Texas State in June. The Golden Eagles do not sponsor football.
Additional Expansion: The league announced last November that Houston Baptist University would join the league in July 2013. The Huskies have started a football program with the goal of putting their first team on the field in time for the 2013 season. Just last month, the conference bolstered its membership with the additions of the University of New Orleans as well as Abilene Christian University and University of the Incarnate Word, the latter two who will transition from NCAA Division II. That will give the league a total of 14 universities with full membership beginning next July. While UNO does not play football, Houston Baptist, Abilene Christian and Incarnate World will plan to play their first full Southland Conference schedules beginning in 2014. ACU and UIW will not be eligible to win a Southland Conference championship during their transition periods. Pending NCAA approval, they would be fully eligible beginning with the 2017 football season.
Southland TV Entering Fifth Season: The Southland Conference Television Network will feature 11 live football telecasts during the 2012 season. All games will be carried on more than 20 affiliates across the regional network, including stations in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. This season, for the first time, the network will televise a pair of doubleheaders Oct. 27 and again Nov. 3. The final two Saturdays of the regular season have been designated as wild-card games. Those games will be announced 7-10 days in advance. The Southland Television Network became a reality in 2008 and has broadcast more than 100 events during its first four years. The network earned a College Sports Media Award in 2009-10 for best live/game event in the collegiate division, following that up with an honorable mention in the professional division (2010-11) and a nomination in the collegiate division (2011-12). Plus, the network has captured five Telly awards.
Are You Southland Strong? The Southland Conference has launched a new marketing campaign known as “Southland Strong.” The motto encompasses a positive mindset and confident outlook for everything that happens in the Southland. It is about competitiveness and success in the conference, in the NCAA, in professional sports and many other great achievements by member institutions and student-athletes. But it is more than just excelling in competition; it is also about being successful in the classroom and in the workforce. Southland Strong is also about great works by the league’s athletic departments reaching out and giving back to the local communities and student-athletes providing leadership through their endless efforts with local charity and youth groups. The conference encourages its member institutions and student-athletes to help promote the campaign by joining the social media conversation by using the #SouthlandStrong hashtag to tell why someone or something is Southland Strong.
Around the Southland
Central Arkansas: The Bears improved to 2-1 overall with a 70-3 victory over Bacone College last Saturday in the home opener ... the 70 points was the most scored by the Bears in the 13 years of the Clint Conque era and the most since they scored 79 against Central Methodist in 1976 ... UCA rolled up a season-high 388 rushing yards against Bacone, and 573 total yards ... the Bears entered the game with just 130 rushing yards in two games ... UCA averaged 8.4 yards per play and held Bacone to 109 yards of total offense and 1.9 yards per play ... the Bears recorded 11 tackles for loss for the third consecutive game, but this time, 11 different people had a tackle for loss ... PK Eddie Camara was a perfect 10 for 10 on extra points, tying the school record, which was last accomplished in 1976 ... QB Wynrick Smothers is now 72 of 92 (78.3 percent) for 784 yards and 10 touchdowns this season ... UCA drew a crowd of 9,079 on a rainy night in Conway ... attention now shifts to Sam Houston State, which visits Saturday at 3:05 p.m. on Southland TV ... the Bearkats were the last Southland team to beat UCA, which has won six consecutive league games entering the contest ... it will try to snap Sam Houston’s nine-game conference win streak ... each team has won three games in the series, though the Bearkats have won each of the last three games, including by a 31-10 margin last year in Huntsville.
Lamar: The Cardinals could not find their offense last Saturday in a 54-2 loss at Hawaii ... In the loss, Lamar finished with two points for the first time ever as a four-year institution ... a Lamar opponent has only finished with two points one time, and that was the University of Corpus Christi, now known as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, in a 29-2 loss to the Cardinals in 1955 ... for the first time this season, Lamar didn’t win the time of possession battle. Lamar held the ball for 25:56 against the Warriors who had it for 34:04 ... Lamar fell to 0-2 against FBS competition this year, in its first two FBS games since reinstating the program in 2010 ... the Cardinals lost 40-0 at Louisiana-Lafayette to open the season before the Hawaii loss on Saturday ... the Cardinals will host Langston on Saturday, meeting the Lions for the second time ever. Lamar defeated Langston 14-0 on Oct. 9, 2010 ... Langston’s starting quarterback is left handed which means the Cardinals will face a left-handed starting quarterback for the fourth time this season ... DB Chad Allen had 20 tackles through the first two games of the year, but managed just two against Hawaii ... Lamar will open conference play Sept. 29 at home against Southeastern Louisiana in a game on Southland TV.
McNeese State: The Cowboys improved to 3-0 with their 35-21 road win at Weber State last Saturday ... McNeese is one of 19 FCS programs that doesn’t have a loss this season ... the 3-0 start is the first perfect start through three games since the 2009 ... the win also was the 450th all-time win in McNeese history ... the Cowboys, who visit Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday in the conference opener, are playing their 41st season in the Southland Conference and is 24-16 in Southland openers ... they are 3-3 in league openers under Matt Viator ... combined with the final three games of the 2011 season, McNeese is riding a six-game win streak, currently the longest streak by a Southland team ... McNeese, which scored on touchdown runs of 91 and 76 yards at Weber State, is outscoring opponents 73-6 in the first half ... it is the first time since 1994 with two rushing touchdowns of 70 yards or more in same game (Henry Fields 90 yards and Kerry Joseph 83 yards vs. Idaho) ... the 91-yard scoring run by Diontae Spencer set a McNeese record for longest score off a rush ... Javaris Murray (122 yards) and Diontae Spencer (106 yards) gave McNeese two 100-yard rushers in same game for just the sixth time since 2000 ... with 254 yards of total offense at Weber State, QB Cody Stroud has moved into 15th on the McNeese all-time list with 2,977 career yards ... he needs 245 more yards to move into 12th place and pass current Cowboys offensive coordinator Tim Leger ... the 301 rushing yards against Weber State most since gaining 311 against Central Arkansas in 2007 ... the Cowboys lead the series with Southeastern 22-15 and improved to 6-0 under Viator after last year’s 48-27 win in Lake Charles.
Nicholls State: The Colonels fell to 0-2 this season after a 66-16 setback at Tulsa ... both losses have come against FBS teams ... Nicholls State rescheduled its game with Oregon State for Dec. 1 provided that the Colonels are not playing in the FCS Playoffs and the Beavers are not in the Pac-12 championship game ... that would give the Colonels three FBS opponents this season, which is a first for the school ... Nicholls will host Evangel University in their 41st home opener ... Nicholls is 27-13 in home openers and 10-2 since 2000 with wins in the last three ... coach Charlie Stubbs is 2-0 in home openers... the current 12-game losing streak is second longest in program history ... the program’s longest losing streak is 14 games, spanning from 1994-96 ... with his 86 yards rushing vs. Tulsa, LaQuintin Caston moved into ninth place on the Nicholls all-time rushing list with 1,668 yards ... the 66 points vs. Tulsa was the most surrendered since the opener in 2009 against Air Force (72) ... Nicholls had 222 rushing yards against Tulsa, marking the sixth time in the Stubbs Era that the team has had 200-plus rushing yards.
Northwestern State: The Demons fell to 1-2 on the year after losing 45-34 at Nevada, an FBS team in the Mountain West Conference ... Northwestern State found its offense against the Wolf Pack, totaling 585 yards, its best production since posting 615 yards against Elon in 2002 ... the Demons’ total offense average soared from 177.5 after the first two games of the season by 135.8 yards to 313.3 ... QB Brad Henderson threw for 357 yards, which was just seven short of Bobby Hebert’s 1980 record of 364 against Texas-Arlington ... Henderson’s 53 pass attempts was a school record, topping the previous mark of 50 set by Don Guidry against Abilene Christian in 1968 ... Henderson finished just one completion shy of the school record of 29 ... he added 102 rushing yards and his 459 total yards were just six off the school record ... NB Cortez Paige has totaled three interceptions with one in each game ... the single-season school record is nine, set by All-American and future NFL player Al Dodd ... the Demons welcome Mississippi Valley State to Turpin Stadium Saturday at 6 p.m. in the first meeting between the schools.
Sam Houston State: The Bearkats have dropped two of their last three games, though are just 1-1 this season ... of course, that follows a 14-0 start last year before a loss in the national championship game to North Dakota State ... the season started with a 54-7 win over Incarnate Word before Baylor, a member of the FBS Big 12, spoiled Bearkats upset bid last Saturday in Waco ... Sam Houston led 20-10 at halftime and trailed only 24-23 in the fourth quarter before the Bears finished the game with 24 unanswered points ... RB Timothy Flanders became the sixth player in Southland history to score 40 touchdowns with his 26-yard touchdown catch 1:30 before intermission Saturday in Waco ... CB Dax Swanson intercepted a Baylor pass on the final play of the first half ... it marked his 11th career interception, moving him up to fourth place in the Bearkat record books ... DE Preston Sanders blocked a fourth-quarter field goal to set a school record for career field goal blocks (four) ... he now stands seventh in all-time career kick blocks (punt/pat/field goals) ... Sam Houston and Central Arkansas, the teams that finished 1-2 in last year’s Southland race, meet head-on in the league opener for both teams ... the Bearkats won last year’s meeting 31-10 in Huntsville ... the Bearkats hold a record of 10-14-1 in their previous 25 conference openers.
Southeastern Louisiana: The Lions continue to look for their first win of the Ron Roberts era after falling 23-6 Sept. 13 at UT Martin, Roberts’ alma mater ... RB Jordan Wells, the 2011 Southland Freshman of the Year, made his sophomore debut against UT Martin, totaling 109 all-purpose yards including 88 yards on four kick returns ... Wells increased his career total in kick return yards to 1,471 yards leaving him 23 yards shy of the career record of 1,494 set by Keylam Davis from 2003-07 ... after recording nine plays of more than 20 yards and none of more than 34 yards in its first two games, Southeastern totaled eight plays of 20 or more yards against UTM, including three plays of 37 yards or greater ... QB Nathan Stanley’s 41-yard pass to RB Michael Chaney marked the longest play of the year for the Lions followed by passes of 38 and 37 yards to receiver Stanley Moore ... if the Lions are to snap their three-game losing streak, they will have to do it against the league’s hottest team McNeese State, which is off to a 3-0 start and riding a six-game win streak dating back to the 2011 season ... the conference opener for both teams kicks off Saturday at 7 p.m. at Strawberry Stadium ... McNeese leads the all-time series 22-15 and has won the last six ... the Lions lead the series 10-6 in Hammond.
Stephen F. Austin: The Lumberjacks will be trying to prevent a three-game losing streak when it visits for Southland Conference rival Texas State Saturday at 6 p.m. ... Stephen F. Austin lost at No. 3 Montana 43-35 a week after falling 52-0 at SMU ... SFA pulled in front of the Bobcats 35-34 with 6:23 to play in the game, but Montana State went ahead with 2:26 to go and nabbed a key interception before adding a 45-yard field goal with just 31 seconds left for the eight-point win ... QB Brady Attaway completed 33 of 52 passes for a career-high 418 yards in the game ... WR Cordell Roberson recorded his second 100-yard receiving game of the season, finishing with 10 catches for a career-high 163 yards and a touchdown, which pulled him within one touchdown of tying the school and Southland Conference record of 32, set by Texas State’s Cameron Luke between 2006-08 ... P Nick Bruno booted punts of 52 and 76 yards at Montana State ... his 76-yard punt is the third-longest in school history ... SFA will be trying to snap a six-game losing streak against Texas State when the teams met Saturday in San Marcos ... the Bobcats lead the series 56-29-1, including last year 35-26 in Nacogdoches.