This Week in the Southland
10/12/2011 8:20:00 AM | Football
Sam Houston, McNeese Lead Southland Race
Sam Houston State and McNeese State each are 2-0 in Southland Conference play entering the seventh week of the season. The No. 10 Bearkats improved to 5-0 overall with a 45-10 victory over Stephen F. Austin last week and join No. 1 Georgia Southern and No. 4 North Dakota State as the only three unbeaten teams in the Football Championship Subdivision.
In addition to the Bearkats' win over the Lumberjacks, who won the last two conference championships, Sam Houston has a home win over Central Arkansas and will play host Nicholls State Saturday at 2 p.m. in Huntsville. No. 22 McNeese State, which is 3-2 overall to go with conference wins against Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State, returns to league action at Central Arkansas Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network.
There are two other games involving Southland teams this week. Southeastern Louisiana visits Northwestern State at 6 p.m. and Lamar steps out of conference play for a road game against former league member Texas State at 6 p.m. Stephen F. Austin has an open date.
Purple & Gray Turf to Make TV Debut on Southland TV
When Central Arkansas plays host to McNeese State Saturday, it will mark the television debut of the Bears' new purple and gray turf it installed during the summer. While it is UCA's third home game this season, neither of the previous two home games had been televised. Saturday's 3:05 p.m. kickoff will be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network. Coverage begins at 3 p.m., Central.
Visit www.Southland.org/television for a list of affiliates. Randy McIlvoy and Shea Walker will call the action from the booth. The crew will be joined by Jane Slater on the sideline.
Week Seven Matchups
Nicholls State and Sam Houston State will meet Saturday for the 27th time in the series ... the Bearkats lead the series 14-11-1 and has won the last five meetings and nine of the last 12 ... Sam Houston won 26-7 last year in Thibodaux
McNeese State and Central Arkansas will meet for the sixth time on Saturday ... the Cowboys lead the series 3-2 though the Bears won 28-24 last year on the final day of the regular season to keep McNeese from sharing the conference title with Stephen F. Austin ... the teams had met in the Red Beans and Rice Bowl on the final Saturday of the regular season each of the last four years
Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State met Saturday for the 55th game of the series ... the Demons hold a slight 28-26 all-time lead and won last year, 35-16 in Hammond, for the second time in the last five meetings between the schools
Lamar and Texas State have met 21 times previously with the Bobcats holding a 14-6-1 lead in the series ... the teams have never played when both teams were Southland Conference members ... Texas State entered the Southland in 1987, the year after Lamar's final season in the league before it dropped the program in 1989 ... Texas State played its final football season in the Southland in 2010, the same year Lamar reinstated its program before it rejoined the Southland this year ... the Cardinals claimed a 20-19 victory in 1989, the last time the teams met.
Week Six Rewind
Sam Houston State improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Southland Conference after beating two-time defending conference champion Stephen F. Austin 45-10 in the Battle of the Piney Woods ... the crowd of 25,083 was the largest crowd in the 86-game history of the series ... the Lumberjacks and Bearkats will are scheduled to continue the series in 2012 and 2013 ... 49,768 fans have attended the first two games at Reliant Stadium ... the conference record of 27,500 to watch two Southland teams battle could be in jeopardy if the attendance trend continues to climb
Central Arkansas squeaked by Nicholls State 37-31 in Thibodaux for its third consecutive win in the series ... the teams combined for 857 yards of offense
Northwestern State scored 20 points in the second quarter, including three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes to build a 27-7 halftime advantage on its way to a 37-17 victory at Lamar ... the Demons now have an 8-7-1 lead in the all-time series ... the game had been delayed one hour and 23 minutes because of power outages earlier in the day
McNeese State dropped a 21-14 decision at home to former league rival Texas State, which scored a fourth-quarter touchdown and converted a two-point pass for its first win against the Cowboys since 2008.
Sam Houston Enters Top 10
Sam Houston State has climbed into the top 10 of The Sports Network FCS Top 25 and is ranked No. 10, which is up one spot from last week after beating Stephen F. Austin 45-10. The Bearkats ascended to No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll, up from No. 15 last week. Sam Houston State, which was not ranked until beating Central Arkansas in week four and has only climbed after wins over New Mexico, a Football Bowl Subdivision team in the Mountain West Conference, and UTSA. McNeese State fell from No. 13 in the coaches' poll to No. 17 this week and from No. 15 in The Sports Network Poll to No. 22 this week. Central Arkansas is receiving votes in The Sports Network Poll.
Week Six Conference Honors
Sam Houston State has swept the Southland Conference football players of the week awards after its 45-10 victory over Stephen F. Austin Saturday in the Battle of the Piney Woods at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
Receiver Richard Sincere was named the offensive player of the week after he accounted for 147 yards of offense against the Lumberjacks. He totaled 111 rushing yards and 36 passing yards. He averaged 10.1 yards per carry and ran for touchdowns of 4 and 9 yards while helping Sam Houston roll up 431 yards of total offense.
Linebacker Darius Taylor was named the defensive player of the week after he corralled two of the team's four interceptions and returned them 39 yards.
Punter Matt Foster claimed the special teams player of the week after he averaged 46.0 yards on five punts, including a long of 56 yards and two boots inside the 20.
Other Notable Performances in Week Six
- Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick accounted for three touchdowns Saturday in the win at Nicholls State. He completed 25 of 33 (76 percent) of his passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 15-yard run in the second quarter. UCA totaled 482 yards of total offense and averaged 7.5 yards per play.
- Lamar split end J.J. Hayes made 10 catches for 212 yards and shattered the school record for receiving yards in a game. The previous high was 192 by Herbert Davis against Louisiana Tech in 1981. Through five games this season, Hayes has 24 receptions for 524 yards. He is 12th on the school list with 1,269 receiving yards. He needs seven yards at Texas State to move into 11th place and 46 yards to take over 10th place.
- Nicholls State running back Marcus Washington led the Colonels with a career-high 101 rushing yards on 15 carries (6.7 yards per carry). He scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 5 yards and had a 54-yard gain in the first quarter that helped set up his first touchdown.
- Northwestern State quarterback Brad Henderson completed 26 of 34 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns to help lead the Demons to a 37-17 victory at Lamar to improve to 2-1 in league action.
- Against Nicholls State, Central Arkansas defensive end Jermayne Lett recorded 4.5 tackles for loss, including three sacks for 16 yards, which tied the school's single-game record for sacks. His 4.5 tackles for loss is the second best in school history. Lett made eight tackles, including six solo stops, against the Colonels.
- Lamar linebacker Asim Hicks made a career-high 13 tackles, topping his previous high of nine last year at Southeastern Louisiana. He also forced a fumble, made a 6-yard sack and had another two stops behind the line of scrimmage.
- McNeese State defensive tackle Desmund Lighten recorded 12 total tackles against Texas State. He also made four tackles for loss, including a 10-yard sack. Lighten helped anchor a Cowboy defense that held the Bobcats to 82 total yards, including 17 rushing yards, in the second half. The Bobcats were held to 33 yards in the fourth quarter when they ran for -22 yards.
- Nicholls State cornerback Bobby Felder racked up a career-high 11 tackles, including eight solo stops and recorded his third interception of the season against Central Arkansas. The Bears tried to stay away from Felder for most of the game until the fourth quarter, when he intercepted a jump ball in the end zone. He also blocked a PAT.
- Northwestern State cornerback Cashas Pollard made five tackles in the 37-17 win over Lamar and added a 30-yard interception return. He had another, an 89-yard returned for a touchdown in the third quarter, erased by a penalty.
- Lamar punter Kollin Kahler averaged 48.2 yards on four punts against Northwestern State. His 65-yard punt in the first quarter was the second longest of his career, ranking behind only the 72-yarder he boomed at Southeastern Louisiana last week. He is averaging 41.7 yards on 27 punts this season.
- Northwestern State punter Nic Russo averaged 41.2 yards on five punts at Lamar and landed two inside the 5-yard line. His longest in the game was 61 yards.
Southland in the NCAA Stats
- Sam Houston State leads the nation against the run, allowing only 46 rushing yards per game and 2.17 yards per carry. Bearkat running back Tim Flanders ranks second in the FCS in scoring and is averaging 10.8 points per game. He has scored nine touchdowns for 54 points.
- The Bearkats also rank third nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 15.6 points per game. Sam Houston has allowed 10 touchdowns and three extra points.
- Sam Houston State quarterback Brian Bell ranks third in the FCS with a passing efficiency rating of 168.87. Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick is 11th with a 158.33 rating.
- Sam Houston State is ranked fourth in the nation in turnover margin, benefiting from 1.8 turnovers per game. The Bearkats have gained 13 turnovers and lost four to sit at +9 through five games.
- Stephen F. Austin return man Gralyn Crawford leads the Southland and ranks fifth in the FCS with an average of 169.7 all-purpose yards per game. Tim Flanders is second in the league and 17th nationally with an average of 149.2 all-purpose yards per game.
- Stephen F. Austin is ranked sixth in the FCS with 317.3 passing yards per game. Southeastern Louisiana (288.2) is ranked 13th and Central Arkansas (283.3) is ranked 15th.
- Sam Houston State is sixth nationally in rushing offense, averaging 248.6 yards per game. The Bearkats are averaging 5.05 per carry.
- Sam Houston State defensive back Daxton Swanson is averaging .60 interceptions per game to rank seventh nationally. He has three interceptions in five games. Nicholls State defensive back Bobby Felder and Lamar defensive end Jacody Coleman each are averaging .50 picks per game to rank 14th.
- Sam Houston State is ranked eighth nationally in net punting, averaging 38.93 net yards per punt. The Bearkats average 42.0 yards on 27 punts and have allowed only 10 returns for 23 yards.
- McNeese State is ranked eighth in the FCS in punt returns, averaging 16.4 yards per return. In five games, they have just five returns for 82 yards.
- Lamar receiver J.J. Hayes ranks eighth nationally in receiving yards per game. He is averaging 104.8 yards per and 4.8 receptions per game.
- Sam Houston State is ranked 10th in the FCS in pass efficiency defense, limiting opponents to a 103.72 rating.
- Lamar ranks 10th in the nation in scoring offense, scoring 35.2 points per game. Southeastern Louisiana (33.4) is 17th and Sam Houston State (33.2) is 18th.
Four Southland Players Named Semifinalists for Campbell Trophy
Four Southland Conference football student-athletes are among the 127 candidates for the semifinalists for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best scholar-athlete in the nation, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced Sept. 29. The honorees from the Southland Conference include McNeese State senior punter Ben Bourgeois, Northwestern State senior linebacker Yaser Elqutub, Sam Houston State senior offensive tackle Travis Watson and Stephen F. Austin senior punter Drew Nelson. All 127 semifinalists are also candidates for the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. There were 33 student-athletes recognized from the Football Championship Subdivision.
