First Round of FCS Playoffs Features Three Southland Teams
Southland Conference
Southland Football Weekly Release (PDF)
First Round
Saturday Nov. 29 (ESPN3)
Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State, 1 p.m.
(ESPN3)
Stephen F. Austin at Northern Iowa, 7 p.m.
(ESPN3)
Week 14 News & Notes
Three Southland Teams in the First Round: All three Southland Conference teams that made the playoffs will begin their travel to Frisco in the First Round. The 2014 Southland Conference co-championship – Southeastern Louisiana and Sam Houston State – will face each other in the first round in large part because the two teams did not face one another in the regular season. Stephen F. Austin, which is reaching the postseason for the seventh time in school history and first time since 2010, will travel to Northern Iowa in the first round. The Lions and Bearkats will kickoff at 1 p.m., CT, while the Lumberjacks and the Panthers will start at 7 p.m., CT. Both games will be available on ESPN3.
Southland First Round Matchup is Rematch of Second Round Contest: The first round matchup between Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana will be a rematch of last year’s second round contest, which Southeastern Louisiana won 30-29. The Bearkats, who did not play the Lions this season, lead the all-time series 10-6. However, the Lions have won the last two meetings between the two programs.
Sixth Time with Three Teams in Playoffs: The Southland Conference placed three teams in the playoffs for the sixth time. It’s the second consecutive year the Southland placed three teams in the postseason with McNeese State, Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana making it last year. The league also placed three teams in the playoffs in 2001 (McNeese State, Northwestern State and Sam Houston State) 1998 (Northwestern State, McNeese State and Troy), 1993 (McNeese State, Stephen F. Austin and Louisiana-Monroe) and 1988 (Northwestern State, Stephen F. Austin and North Texas) The Southland has placed multiple teams in the playoffs each of the last four seasons and five of the last six
Southland History in Division I Playoffs: Southland Conference schools own a 54-58 all-time record in the Division I playoffs, highlighted by McNeese State’s 15 all-time appearances. This is the 21st time the Southland Conference has placed at least two teams in the Division I playoffs. It’s the 10th time the league has placed multiple teams in the playoffs since 2000. Last year, Southeastern Louisiana is the AQ after claiming an outright conference championship. McNeese State and Sam Houston State received an at-large bids. This season, Sam Houston State claimed the league’s AQ after claiming a share of conference title with Southeastern Louisiana. The Bearkats, who held the tiebreaker over the Lions for the AQ, are making their fourth consecutive postseason trip and their eighth overall. Sam Houston is 11-7 in the postseason, including trips to the national championship game in 2011 and 2012. Southeastern Louisiana earned its second consecutive trip to the postseason after earning an at-large bid. The Lions went 1-1 last season in the tournament. Stephen F. Austin, which earned an at-large bid, is returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010. The Lumberjacks are 7-6 all-time in the postseason. Southland teams have played in eight national title games at the Division I level (1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 2002, 2011 and 2012) with the only win coming by former member Louisiana-Monroe against Marshall in 1987.
Southland is Host for Division I Title Game: The Southland Conference, in conjunction with the City of Frisco and Hunt Sports Group, is the host of the 2015 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, which will be played at Jan. 10, 2015 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, which has been home to the league since 2006. This marks the fifth year for the game to be played in Frisco. The game is scheduled to be held in Frisco through at least the 2015 season. North Dakota State has won the last three championships, defeating Southland member Sam Houston State 17-6 in 2012 and 39-13 in 2013 and Towson 35-7 last season, while Eastern Washington came from behind to score three times in the final 17 minutes on its way to a 20-19 win over Delaware in the first game in 2011.
Upcoming Division I Championship Dates
Dec. 6: Second Round Games, Campus Sites
Dec. 12-13: Quarterfinal Games, Campus Sites
Dec. 19-20: Semifinal Games, Campus Sites
Jan. 10, 2015: Championship Game; Noon p.m., CT; ESPN2; Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
Southland in the Rankings: The Southland Conference has two ranked teams in the final polls of the regular season. Southeastern Louisiana carries the league’s highest ranking at No. 9 in the FCS Coaches’ poll and an No. 11 ranking in the Sports Network poll. Sam Houston State is No. 19 in both polls.
Sam Houston State Making Eighth Playoff Run: Sam Houston State is making its eighth appearance in the Division I playoffs. It’s also the fourth straight year the Bearkats are in the playoffs and the fourth consecutive year they opened postseason play with a home game. North Dakota State is the only other team to host at least one home game the previous four postseasons. Sam Houston has reached the championship game in 2012 and 2013 and is one of only eight football programs to play in consecutive championship games. That list also includes Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Youngstown State, Marshall, Montana, Appalachian State and North Dakota State. The Bearkats also advanced to the semifinals in 2004 and quarterfinals in 2001 with first-round berths in 1986 and 1991. Sam Houston is 10-7 in the Division I playoffs and its 58.9 win percentage is the best among current league members. The Bearkats are 7-3 in the playoffs the last three years and have a 7-0 all-time record at home in NCAA Division I playoff games.
Stephen F. Austin Returns to the Postseason: After a four year absence, Stephen F. Austin is returning to the postseason for the seventh time in school history. The Lumberjacks 7-6 all-time in the playoffs with their last win coming in a 1995 with a 27-17 quarterfinal win against Appalachian State. In its last time in the postseason, SFA fell in the second round to Villanova, 54-24. The Lumberjacks have one national championship appearance, dropping a 37-34 decision to Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Ga.
Southeastern Louisiana Makes Second Consecutive Playoff: Last season, Southeastern Louisiana reached the postseason for the first time in school history. The Lions, who earned the No. 4 national seed last season, defeated Sam Houston State 30-29 in the second round before falling to New Hampshire 20-17 in the quarterfinals. After claiming a share of their second consecutive Southland title, the Lions earned an at-large bid to the playoffs.
Sam Houston State-Southeastern Louisiana Series: Sam Houston leads the all-time series with Southeastern Louisiana 10-6. The Lions ended the Bearkats’ hope for the third consecutive championship appearance last season with a 30-29 win in the postseason. The Bearkats are 4-2 at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, site of the Bearkats’ last win in the series, a 70-0 victory in 2012.
Moving On: The winner of Saturday’s Sam Houston State vs. Southeastern game will advance to the second round and will play at No. 3 seed Jacksonville State, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m., CT on ESPN3.
Stephen F. Austin-Northern Iowa Series: Stephen F. Austin trails the all-time series against Northern Iowa 6-3 with the Panthers taking the last meeting 34-23 in 2013. This will be the first time the two teams will meet in the postseason. SFA is 2-3 all-time at UNI, with the Lumberjacks winning the last two meetings in 2010 (22-20) and 2004 (24-21).
SFA’s Johnson Named Southland Player of the Year: Gus Johnson, a finalist of the Walter Payton Award, is the first SFA player to earn player of the year since Jeremy Moses did so in 2010, the same season he won the Walter Payton Award. This season, the senior from Gilmer, Texas, has rushed for 1,601 yards, which is the most in SFA history and third most in Southland history. Johnson is only the second player in conference history to rush more than 1,600 yards as former Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders did it twice. Johnson ranks first in the nation in touchdowns (22), third in yards per carry (6.8) and scoring (11.0), fourth in yards (1,601) and seventh in rushing yards per game (133.4). Johnson has 21 career 100-yard rushing games, nine of which coming in 2014, and four 200-yard rushing performances, with two coming this season. For his career, Johnson has 3,825 rushing yards, which is first in SFA history and fifth in the Southland. Johnson holds six SFA school single-season of career rushing records.
Lumberjacks’ Zach Conque is League’s Top Newcomer: Zach Conque, a transfer from Texas-San Antonio, has accounted for 3,285 yards of total offense in his first season as a quarterback in the Southland. Conque has thrown for 2,650 yards on 234 of 359 passing, rushed for 628 yards on 146 attempts and has caught one pass for seven yards. He has also scored 29 touchdowns (15 passing, 13 rushing, 1 receiving). Conque ranks 13th nationally with a 65.2 completion percentage, 14th in points responsible for (174), 18th in total offense and rushing touchdowns and 19th in passing yards. In his first year at SFA, Conque is already the school’s all-time leading rusher as a quarterback.
SFA Head Coach Clint Conque is Southland Coach of the Year: Clint Conque took over a program that was 3-9 overall and 1-6 in conference last season and took them to an 8-4 overall record and 5-3 in league play in 2014. Conque led the Lumberjacks to a pair of wins over top-10 teams and earned a spot in the FCS postseason, the school’s seventh all-time appearance. SFA posted a 3-1 record on the road after going winless away from home since 2011. SFA also cracked the top 25 twice this season for the first time since 2011.
Offensive Player of the Year is Southeastern’s Bennett: Bryan Bennett, a dual-threat quarterback and finalist for the Walter Payton Award, was named the league’s offensive player of the year after being named the player of the year in 2013. The senior from Granada Hills, Calif., has thrown for 37 touchdowns and rushed for 29 more in his two seasons in Hammond, leading the Lions to a 20-6 record, including a 15-1 mark in conference play. Bennett, who has led Southeastern to two consecutive league titles, has not dropped a conference game as a starter. This season, Bennett has rushed for 13 touchdowns after setting the school record of 16 in 2013. Bennett has rushed for 665 yards on 121 carries this season while throwing for 2,176 yards and 18 scores on 126 of 241 passing. In just two season, he has set the Southeastern record for touchdowns accounted for with 68.
Sam Houston’s Hall is Freshman of the Year: P.J. Hall, a redshirt-freshman from Seguin, Texas, is the only freshman in the top 30 in the FCS for tackles for a loss with 20. The Jerry Rice Award finalist for the top freshman in FCS, is a three-time conference defensive player of the week. His 20 tackles for loss is the fourth-highest season total in school history. Hall has also had eight sacks, three blocked field goals, one interception, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles on the season.
Offensive Lineman of the Year is Carruthers: Cole Carruthers is a three-time all-conference selection and has started every game for the Bears for the past two seasons. The senior from Sugar Land, Texas, played a majority of the season with a hand injury but still helped a Bear’s offense that averaged 441 yards and 41.5 points per game in 2014.
Bears’ Defensive End is League’s Top Defender: Jonathan Woodard is a three-time all-conference selection and was named the league’s defensive player of the year after leading the Southland in sacks (10.0) and tackles for loss (18.5). The junior from Brentwood, Tenn., is second in UCA history with 25 career sacks. Woodard, who ranks 20th in the nation in sacks and 18th in tackles for a loss, leads a UCA defense that is fourth in the country in tackles for loss. Woodard also has 56 total tackles, an interception and a pass breakup on the season.
Southland Players in National Award Scene: The Southland Conference has seven student-athletes up for national honors with two players earning recognition for the Walter Payton Award, two for the Buck Buchanan Award and three for the Jerry Rice Award. The league also has a coach who the finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Honor.
Payton Award Candidates
Bryan Bennett, QB (Southeastern Louisiana)
Gus Johnson, RB (Stephen F. Austin)
Former Southland Winners: Jeremy Moses, QB, Stephen F. Austin (2010)
Buchanan Award Candidates
Jonathan Woodard, DE (Central Arkansas)
Isiah Corbett, LB (Southeastern Louisiana)
Jerry Rice Award Candidates
De’Andre Brown, RB (Abilene Christian)
Christian Guzman, P (Houston Baptist)
P.J. Hall, DE (Sam Houston State)
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Candidate
Clint Conque (Stephen F. Austin)
Five Southland Football Players Named to CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams: A total of five Southland Conference football student-athletes have earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America. Southeastern Louisiana junior offensive lineman Joe Graves (3.84 GPA, social studies education) and Southeastern senior defensive lineman Jacob Newman (3.71 GPA, accounting were named to the District 6 team. Abilene Christian senior defensive back Angel Lopez (3.44 GPA, biology), UIW junior linebacker Padyn Giebler (3.85 GPA, engineering management) and Lamar sophomore running back Kade Harrington (3.74 GPA, finance) earned District 7 honors. All five student-athletes will appear on the ballot for the Academic All-America teams. District 6 includes student-athletes at schools in Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, while District 7 includes universities in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.