"Battle of the Piney Woods" facts
10/20/2010 5:26:00 AM | Football
Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin meet in the long-awaited 86th renewal of the "Battle of the Piney Woods" at Reliant Stadium in Houston Saturday, October 8, 2011
Following are several interesting facts about the "Battle of the Piney Woods" rivalry.
* The Battle of the Piney Woods is the oldest NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) rivalry in Texas. The series began in 1923.
*The only NCAA Division I active rivalries in Texas longer than the "Battle of the Piney Woods" are Texas-Texas A&M (116 games), Baylor-Texas A&M (107), Baylor-Texas (99), SMU-TCU (89), SMU-Rice (87) and Sam Houston-Texas State (87).
* Sam Houston holds a 45-35-2 edge in the "Battle of the Piney Woods" with Stephen F. Austin.
* Sixty-three athletes who went on to play in the National Football League have participated in past "Battle of the Piney Woods" games.
* Fifty-three football players who earned NCAA Division I All-America honors have played in past "Battle of the Piney Woods" games.
* The winner of the "Piney Woods" showdown has gone on to become conference champion 16 times.
* Since rivalry began in 1923, Sam Houston and SFA have competed in three conferences together - the Lone Star, Gulf Star and Southland.
* The Bearkats have won eight of the last 11 meetings with Stephen F. Austin in the "Battle of the Piney Woods."
* Dwight D. Eisenhower was president of the United States the last time there was a shutout in the "Battle of the Piney Woods" between Sam Houston and SFA. The Bearkats beat the Jacks 6-0 in 1959.
* During the 1930s, "The Battle of the Piney Woods" was an annual Thanksgiving Day football game hosted by either Sam Houston or SFA.
* "The Battle of the Piney Woods" has been fierce rivalry since the first game in 1923. After Sam Houston's first victory over Stephen F. Austin in 1925, a reporter remarked "the fray was marked by unusual roughness and hard playing."
* Thirteen times since 1988, one or both teams have come into the "Piney Woods" shoot-out between Sam Houston and SFA ranked among the top 25 NCAA Division FBS teams.
* Sam Houston has knocked off a nationally-ranked SFA squad six times since 1996 in "The Battle of the Piney Woods." Two of the Bearkats' wins over top five-ranked opponents have come against the Lumberjacks.
* Six of the last nine "Battle of the Piney Woods" games between Sam Houston and SFA have been decided by less than a touchdown.
* The average weight of the players who participated in the first "Battle of the Piney Woods" football game between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin in 1923 was 151 pounds.
* The longest winning streak by either Sam Houston or SFA in "The Battle of the Piney Woods" was the Bearkats' six consecutive wins from 1938 to 1946. The series, which began in 1923, sees its 85th renewal October 23 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
* The game at Reliant Stadium on October 23 is not the first time "The Battle of the Piney Woods" has been held in Houston. The Kats and the Jacks battled to a 14-14 tie in the Astrodome in 1976.
* With more than 65,000 Sam Houston alumni calling the Houston area home and less than 7,000 tickets at Reliant Stadium remaining, fans can assure themselves of a seat today by stopping by the Bowers Stadium west side ticket office or ordering online at gobearkats.com by midnight Sunday.
Battle of the Piney Woods tickets are now on sale through the university's athletic websites at www.gobearkats.com. Fans also can purchase tickets at the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House in the south end zone at Bowers Stadium or by calling ticket office at (936) 294-1729.
Ticket prices range from $15 to $35. Sam Houston State season ticket holders will have premium ticket locations included in their packages. Only lower bowl seating will be open at Reliant Stadium for the "Battle of the Piney Woods." Sam Houston fans will be seated on the west side of the stadium while the SFA section will be on the east side.
