Southland Conference football roundup
11/9/2010 7:14:00 AM | Football
McNeese State, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin remain tied atop the Southland Conference standings heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
With wins in their final two games, the Lumberjacks can clinch at least a share of the conference title and earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs. No. 7/8 Stephen F. Austin plays host to Southeastern Louisiana this week and to Northwestern State the final week of the season.
If McNeese State wins its final two games - Saturday against Texas State and Nov. 20 at Central Arkansas - the Cowboys would earn a share of their 14th conference championship. They need a loss by SFA in order to claim the league's automatic bid into the playoffs.
Northwestern State, a winless team a season ago, is just two wins away from clinching a share of a conference championship. The Demons would need to win Saturday against Nicholls and then beat Stephen F. Austin next week to earn a co-championship. They would need a McNeese State loss to earn the automatic berth into the playoffs.
Central Arkansas is still in the mix. With remaining games against Sam Houston State and McNeese State it will need help to gain a piece of the conference championship, but the Bears can be 8-3 and would be an attractive team to the NCAA selection committee.
This Week's Schedule
Nicholls visits Northwestern State in the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network at 2 p.m. The other 2 p.m. game matches Southeastern Louisiana at No. 7/8 Stephen F. Austin. Sam Houston State is at Central Arkansas at 3 p.m. and Texas State visits McNeese State at 7 p.m.
Win Streaks
Northwestern State is riding a conference-best four game win streak, while McNeese State and Central Arkansas each have won three games in a row. The Demons dropped their conference opener against McNeese State, but have since won games at Central Arkansas, Texas State and Southeastern Louisiana to go with a double-overtime win at home over Sam Houston State. McNeese State, which has losses against at Missouri and at LSU, lost to Stephen F. Austin for its lone conference blemish. Their three consecutive wins have come at Southeastern Louisiana and Sam Houston State sandwiched around a home win over Nicholls. Central Arkansas, which sits just a game out of first in standings, has won consecutive games against Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana and Texas State, with two of those wins coming on the road.
A Further Look at This Week's Games
Nicholls and Northwestern State meet for the 39th time Saturday. The Demons lead the all-time series 24-14, but the teams have alternated wins each of the last four years after the Colonels won three consecutive games in the series. Nicholls claimed a 28-21 win in Thibodaux, La., last year.
Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin meet for the 14th time Saturday. The Lumberjacks lead the all-time series 7-5-1 after its 19-10 victory last year. SFA won 48-45 in 2008, the last time the teams played in Nacogdoches.
Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas are meeting for the fifth time in the series. The Bears lead 3-1, through dropped a 17-14 decision last year in Huntsville.
Texas State and McNeese State are playing for the 28th time in a series dominated 19-8 by the Cowboys. McNeese State won last season 30-27 and has a slight 7-6 edge in Lake Charles, where this game will be played. McNeese State has won two of the last three meetings though the Bobcats have won four of the last six games.
Toyota Game of the Week on Southland TV
The Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network will be between Nicholls and Northwestern State this week. This will be the eighth broadcast this season on the award-winning network, which celebrating its third year having televised more than 70 events. Southland TV will broadcast 10 football games this season. Doug Anderson will provide play-by-play and LaDarrin McLane will be the color analyst for the telecast. Darrell Rebouche will be the sideline reporter for this game. For more information about the network, including a list of affiliates, please visit the conference Web site at Southland.org.
SFA Climbing Again in Polls
Stephen F. Austin peaked at No. 3 in the FCS Coaches poll, but dipped to No. 9 last week. The Lumberjacks, which won 48-13 at Nicholls last Saturday, climbed two spots to No. 7 this week. They also jumped two spots in The Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25 and are No. 8 in Monday's poll. Central Arkansas, McNeese State and Northwestern State are receiving votes in both polls this week. Delaware is the top team in the coaches' poll and is No. 2 in The Sports Network poll. William & Mary is the No. 1 team in the Sports Network poll, followed by William & Mary.
Looking Back at Last Week
Central Arkansas got 498 yards of total offense in a 49-17 win at Texas State. The Bears, which entered the game averaging only 118 rushing yards per game, got a season-high 256 yards on the ground, led by Jackie Hinton's career-best 122 yards on12 carries. Nathan Dick completed 27-of-41 passes for 252 yards and Terence Bobo delivered three first-half touchdowns. The Bears limited Texas State to only 96 yards passing.
McNeese State piled 439 yards of total offense, but timely defense earned a 33-28 victory at Sam Houston State. The Cowboys got interceptions from Malcolm Bronson and Jarron Jackson, a blocked field goal from Desmund Lighten, a fumble recovery from Darrell Jenkins and a game-winning pass break up in the end zone from Seth Thomas. McNeese quarterback Jacob Bower completed 15-of-28 passes for 281 yards and a score.
Stephen F. Austin returned to the win column a week after losing its first conference game at Texas State, with a 48-13 victory at Nicholls. The Lumberjacks jumped out early to pick up their seventh win of the season and led 34-3 at the half. SFA racked 412 of its 461 yards of total offense in the opening half. Quarterback Jeremy Moses completed 19-of-40 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. SFA opened the second half with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Gralyn Crawford and tacked on another score only 37 seconds later.
Northwestern State won its fourth consecutive game with a 35-16 triumph at Southeastern Louisiana. Quarterback Paul Harris threw for 271 yards on 20-of-29 aim and completed 11 consecutive passes in the first half to set the school record. He tied a single-game mark with four touchdown passes and was within range of his career-best 290 yards in the double-overtime win at Sam Houston State a week earlier.
Around the League
- Central Arkansas limited Texas State to only 96 passing yards in a 49-17 win last week in San Marcos. The Bears rank fourth nationally with 8.4 tackles for loss and rank 10th with 3.0 sacks per game. Quarterback Nathan Dick is averaging 247.6 yards of total offense per game to rank 23rd in the FCS. Against the Bobcats, Jestin Love recorded his fifth interception in three games and is averaging .62 picks per game to rank eighth in the nation.
- After starting 2-0 in conference play, Sam Houston State has dropped three consecutive games, to the three teams tied for the Southland Conference lead. All three games have been decided by five points or less. The Bearkats lost 31-28 to Stephen F. Austin on Oct. 23 before dropping a 23-20 decision in double-overtime to Northwestern State Oct. 30. Last week, McNeese State won 33-28. Quarterback Brian Bell threw for a season high, hitting 21-of-35 passes for 301 yards, including a 64-yard pass to Melvis Pride with 3:02 remaining to cut the Cowboys lead to five points.
Tickets On Sale Now for NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
Tickets are now on sale for the 2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship game, which will be played Jan. 7, 2011 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Tickets are available online at ncaa.com/fcs. Fans may purchase tickets for any of the three seating locations within the stadium, including midfield ($40), sideline ($35) or end zone ($30). The championship game, which will be hosted by the Southland Conference, the City of Frisco and the Hunt Sports Group, will be played at 23,500-seat, multi-purpose Pizza Hut Park each of the next three years. The championship game will be the culmination of a newly expanded 20-team championship bracket, with the field being announced November 21
