Sam Houston, SFA meet Saturday at Nacogdoches
10/20/2009 2:30:00 PM | Football
The second oldest NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision rivalry in Texas sets its 84th renewal Saturday when Sam Houston State travels to Nacogdoches to meet Stephen F. Austin for the annual "Battle of the Piney Woods."
Kickoff at Homer Bryce Stadium is 2 p.m.
The Battle of the Piney Woods dates back to 1923, with Sam Houston State holding a 48-33-2 edge in the series. The Bearkats have won the last five meetings. Five of the last seven Piney Woods games have been decided by less than a touchdown. Last season, Sam Houston won 34-31 on Taylor Wilkins' 28-yard field goal in overtime.
With a 5-1 record including victories over nationally-ranked opponents each of the last two weeks, Stephen F. Austin comes into this year's "Battle of the Piney Woods" with a NCAA Division I national top 20 ranking.
This marks the 13th since the two universities moved up to the NCAA Division I level that one or both of the pair have been nationally ranked coming into the SHSU-SFA game. Stephen F. Austin has won six of those games and Sam Houston has won six.
There has been an upset in six of those games. SFA knocked off the Bearkats when Sam Houston ranked No. 5 in 1991 and No. 18 in 1994. Sam Houston upset the Jacks when SFA stood No. 4 in 1995, No. 7 in 1997, No. 24 in 2000 and No. 23 in 2002.
The Lumberjacks were predicted to finish fifth and the Bearkats sixth in the 2009 race according to the vote of the league's head coaches in the annual Southland preseason poll. Defending league champion Texas State was the league favorite with McNeese picked second, followed by Northwestern State, Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Nicholls and Southeastern Louisiana.
Sam Houston State defeated Stephen F. Austin 34-31 in overtime in Huntsville in 2008. The game marks the Bearkats' only victory in six overtime contests since the NCAA instituted regular season overtime play.
Down 24-7 with 13:52 to play in the third quarter, the Lumberjacks roared back to tie the game with 18 seconds to play on a Jeremy Moses to Duane Brooks 21-yard TD pass.
James Aston scored on a one-yard run and Moses hit Dominique Edison for a 15-yard touchdown in the first overtime. After the Bearkats held SFA without a score, Taylor Wilkins kicked a 28-yard field for the victory.
Mosses completed 57 of 85 passes for 499 yards and four touchdowns. Rhett Bomar was 20 of 34 for 328 yards and three TDs for Sam Houston.
Following Sam Houston's trip to SFA Saturday, the Bearkats will return home to play host to Northwestern State on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Bowers Stadium.
The contest, which kicks off at 6 p.m., will be televised live on the Southland Conference TV network.
Tickets priced at $25 for reserved chairbacks or $15 for general admission can be ordered now online by clicking here or by contacting the Sam Houston athletic ticket office.
The ticket office is located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The SHSU athletic ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
