This Week In The Southland
10/25/2011 5:17:00 PM | Football
This year's Bearkat team is 4-0 in conference action thanks to wins over Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin, Nicholls State and McNeese State, where it won for just the fourth time and just the second time as a Division I school last week.
The non-conference wins include games against Western Illinois, New Mexico and UTSA. Sam Houston, which is one of just three unbeaten teams in the Football Championship Subdivision along with No. 1 Georgia Southern and No. 3 North Dakota State, is ranked No. 7 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 6 in The Sport Network Top 25.
The Bearkats play host to Lamar Saturday at 2 p.m. Other games Saturday include McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. in the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network, Northwestern State at Texas State at 3 p.m. and Southeastern Louisiana at Central Arkansas.
Week Nine Matchups
Sam Houston State and Lamar will play for the 25th time Saturday ... the Bearkats hold a 15-8-1 advantage in the series ... the teams will be playing in Huntsville for the first time since 1988 ... the teams played a non-conference game last year in Beaumont and Sam Houston won 38-10
McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin play Saturday for the 31st time ... the Cowboys hold a 16-12-2 advantage though have dropped the last two games to the Lumberjacks, which went on to win the conference championship both years ... the teams shared the 2009 championship
Southeastern Louisiana and Central Arkansas will play for the fifth time Saturday in Conway ... the Bears have a 3-1 lead in the series and won last year 30-23 in Conway
Northwestern State and Texas State will play the 29th game in their series Saturday ... the Demons lead 17-11 and won last year 16-3 in San Marcos ... Nicholls State has an open date this week.
Southland TV Will Televise McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin
The McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin game Saturday is the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network. The teams have won or split the last four of the last five championships. Saturday's 3:05 p.m. kickoff will be televised by the Southland Conference Television Network. Coverage begins at 3 p.m.
Northwestern State at Sam Houston State Tabbed as Wild Card
The Northwestern State at Sam Houston State football game on Saturday, Nov. 12 has been selected as the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network. Kickoff for the game will be at 3:05 p.m. Sam Houston State is off to its best start since 1964.
The Bearkats are 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference action and will play host to Lamar and visit Southeastern Louisiana before the game with the Demons. Northwestern State is 4-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play and have games at Texas State and home against Central Arkansas before playing Sam Houston State. Prior to the season, the network had tabbed the final two weeks of the regular season as wild card telecasts based on the best overall matchups. The network will announce the final wild card telecast at a later date.
Week Eight Rewind
Central Arkansas cruised to a 38-24 victory over Lamar in the first-ever meeting between the schools ... it was the fourth consecutive win for the Bears.
Stephen F. Austin snapped its five-game losing streak with a 57-21 win at Nicholls State ... SFA rolled up 480 yards of total offense, including 385 through the air. Brady Attaway completed 30-of-49 passes for 364 yards and seven touchdowns, just one shy of the school record set by Todd Hammel in 1989.
Sam Houston State remained perfect with a 38-14 win at McNeese State ....it was just the Bearkats' fourth win in Lake Charles and snapped a six-game losing streak against the Cowboys .
Southeastern Louisiana picked up a 38-28 non-conference win against Texas State ... it was the third consecutive win by the Lions in the series.
Sam Houston State Ranked Sixth by The Sports Network
Sam Houston State has climbed another spot in this week's Sports Network Top 25 poll. The Bearkats are ranked seventh in the FCS Coaches poll, up three spots from last week. The Bearkats are 7-0 overall and 4-0 in league play with wins over Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin, Nicholls State and McNeese State.
McNeese State fell out of the coaches' poll after losing to Sam Houston, a week after it had dropped from The Sports Network poll. Central Arkansas is the first team receiving votes in The Sports Network poll and is joined by McNeese State and Northwestern State in the receiving votes column of The Sports Network poll.
Week Eight Conference Honors
After helping the Bearkats remain perfect on the season with a 38-14 victory over No. 24 McNeese State on the road on Saturday, Sam Houston State tailback Tim Flanders was named the Southland Conference offensive player of the week. Flanders scored on touchdown runs of 55 and seven yards to amass 162 rushing yards on 19 carries. He tied the school record for most career 100-yard games with 11 in only 17 career contests. Flanders also hauled in one reception for 50 yards. Central Arkansas safety Jestin Love was named the defensive player of the week, after he returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown with 2:07 in the Bears' 38-24 road win over Lamar. He also recorded nine solo tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Nicholls State kick returner Chika Madu was named the special teams player of the week after he set a school and conference record by returning two kick returns for touchdowns and accumulating 304 return yards in a 21-57 loss to Stephen F. Austin on Saturday.
Other Notable Performances in Week Eight
- Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick completed 13 of 22 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Bears to a 38-24 win over Lamar. Central Arkansas rallied from a 14-0 deficit to win its fourth consecutive game.
- Lamar quarterback Andre Bevil completed 17 of his first 18 pass attempts, leading his team to first quarter touchdown drives of 80 and 59 yards. Bevil finished the game at 23-for-29 for 234 yards.
- Southeastern Louisiana running back LaTruan Weary scored on touchdown runs of seven, one and nine yards in the Lions' 38-28 win over Texas State to snap a four-game losing streak.
- Stephen F. Austin quarterback Brady Attaway was just one touchdown pass away from tying a school record with his seven touchdown passes against Nicholls State. Attaway finished the game 30 of 49 with 364 yards and seven touchdowns to five different receivers in the Lumberjacks' 57-21 win.
- Lamar linebacker Asim Hicks led the Cardinals with 13 tackles, including 11 solo, against Central Arkansas. Hicks was also credited with a quarterback hurry.
- Sam Houston State defensive back Darnell Taylor recorded 11 tackles, including two sacks, in the Bearkats 38-14 win over then-No. 24 McNeese State. Taylor also forced one fumble in the game.
- Southeastern Louisiana defensive end David Durden recorded a career-high 10 tackles, with two tackles for loss and a sack in the Lions' win against Texas State.
- Stephen F. Austin linebacker Devin Ducote tallied seven tackles, six of which were solo efforts, in the Lumberjacks' win over Nicholls State. Ducote also had one interception and a fumble recovery in the game.
- Sam Houston State defensive back Robert Shaw recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown. It was Shaw's fifth special teams or defensive score of his career.
- Southeastern Louisiana punter Matt McCormick punted five times for an average of 42.2 yards per attempt. McCormick booted a long of 53 years and pinned Texas State inside the 20-yard line twice.
Southland in the NCAA Stats
- Sam Houston State leads the nation in rushing defense, allowing 60.43 rushing yards per game. Northwestern State is second in the Southland and 15th nationally (103.7).
- Sam Houston State running back Tim Flanders ranks second in scoring, averaging 11.14 points per game. He has scored 13 touchdowns in seven games.
- The Bearkats are third in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 14.14 points per game. Only North Dakota State (11.57) and Northern Iowa (13.29) are better.
- Northwestern State safety Jamaal White ranks third in the nation in interceptions with .67 picks per game. He has four interceptions in six games.
- Sam Houston State ranks second in turnover margin, benefiting from 2.43 per game. The Bearkats are +17 for the season. They have 21 takeaways, including 12 interceptions, this season and have given the ball up just four times. Alabama State (2.71/+18) tops in FCS football. Northwestern State is ranked 14th with 1.14 per game. (+8).
- Sam Houston State is second in total defense, holding the opposition to just 282.9 yards per game. Only Texas Southern (238.9) ranks ahead of the Bearkats.
- Stephen F. Austin has given up only four sacks this season, ranking the Lumberjacks fourth in the FCS with fewest sacks allowed per contest with .57. Sam Houston State ranks eighth (.71).
- Northwestern State ranks third in the country in interceptions with 14 on the season. Sam Houston State ranks ninth (12).
- McNeese State is eighth nationally in punt returns, averaging 16.0 yards per return. They have seven returns for 112 yards. Southeastern Louisiana ranks 22nd (12.0).
- Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern Louisiana rank fourth and eighth, respectively, in passing offense. The Lumberjacks lead the conference with an average of 327.0 yards per game, while the Lions are averaging 306.4 passing yards per game. Central Arkansas is ranked 23rd (261.0).
- Gralyn Crawford ranks seventh in all-purpose running, averaging 167.7 yards per game. He has 456 receiving yards, 135 yards on punt returns and another 583 on kick returns for a total of 1,174 all-purpose yards this season. Jordan Wells from Southeastern Louisiana ranks 22nd (139.7)
- Sam Houston State ranks ninth in the FCS in pass efficiency with 159.43 rating. The Bearkats pass efficiency also ranks in the top 10 at eighth in FCS. Opposing teams have a rating of 104.14.
- The Bearkats have the ninth best rushing offense in the FCS, averaging 237.1 yards per game.
- Sam Houston State quarterback Brian Bell has the second best pass efficiency rating in the FCS at 170.74. Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick is 11th with a rating of 158.65.
- Stephen F. Austin receiver Cordell Roberson ranks ninth nationally in receptions per game. He has made 50 catches for 595 yards and is averaging 7.14 catches per contest. Teammate, Gralyn Crawford, ranks 13th (6.86).
- Stephen F. Austin quarterback Brady Attaway ranks ninths nationally in total offense with 287.57 yards per game. Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Brian Young and Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick rank 19th (263.46) and 25th (252.86), respectively.
- Stephen F. Austin quarterback Brady Attaway ranks sixth nationally in passing with 28.14 completions per game. He completes 62.34 percent of his passes per contest.
- Sam Houston State ranks fifth in the nation in defensive 3rd down conversions percentage with opponents converting only 28.0 percent of the time on 100 attempts this season. Stephen F. Austin ranks 14th (31.18) and McNeese State ranks 25th (32.98).
