This Week in the Southland
11/2/2011 7:04:00 AM | Football
The Bearkats are 8-0 overall and 5-0 against the league. The Lions are 2-6 overall and will be aiming for its first Southland win after four losses.
Central Arkansas visits Northwestern State Saturday with a lot on the line. The winner will stay within one game of league-leading Sam Houston State with two weeks to play, while the loser slips to two losses.
For the Bears, who are 6-3 overall and 5-1 in Southland action, the game is their final conference game of the 2011 campaign with only a non-conference home game with Texas State remaining.
Northwestern (5-3, 3-1) still has a game at Sam Houston and a home date with Stephen F. Austin. The winner will certainly have a leg up in the race and perhaps an at-large berth into the NCAA Division I playoffs.
Nicholls State visits McNeese State at 2 p.m. The 1-7 Colonels are also in search of their first league victory (0-4) and first overall since the season opener. McNeese has dropped its last four games - its first four-game slide since 2004 - and is 3-5 overall but 2-2 in Southland play.
Stephen F. Austin heads to Beaumont to face Lamar. The Lumberjacks, who have won the last two conference titles, returned from an open date in mid-October and have won their last two games to improve to 3-5 and 2-2. Lamar (3-5, 1-3) is trying to put an end to its four-game losing streak.
Week Nine Matchups
Nicholls State and McNeese State will meet for the 36th time Saturday when the teams collide in Lake Charles ... the Cowboys hold a 24-11 edge in the series, though is just 12-7 at home ... they have won the last two meetings, including 24-14 last year.
This will be just the fifth meeting between Central Arkansas and Northwestern State ... the Demons claimed a 24-19 decision last year to even the series at two wins apiece.
Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana will face each other Saturday for the 13th time in the series ... the Bearkats lead the series 8-4 and claimed a 57-7 win last year to snap a two-game losing streak to the Lions.
The SFA Lumberjacks hold a 17-10-2 lead with Lamar dating back to 1923 .... SFA has won the last three, including last year's non-conference meeting when it won 71-3.
Central Arkansas and Northwestern State Game is on Southland TV
The Central Arkansas at Northwestern State game Saturday is the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network. The winner keeps pace within one game of the unbeaten conference leader and the loser will have two losses. 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 Nine Rewind
Stephen F. Austin beat McNeese State 37-17 to win back-to-back games for the first time this year ... the Lumberjacks have won three in a row against McNeese, which marks the first time that has happened since the 1988-90 seasons ... its only the second time that has happened,
Central Arkansas ran its win streak to five with a 55-29 homecoming victory over Southeastern Louisiana ... the Bears got a season-high 586 yards in the game, that included 292 rushing yards, which was also a season best.
Sam Houston State stayed perfect with a 66-0 shutout of Lamar in Huntsville ... the Bearkats limited the Cardinals to only 98 yards of total offense, the fewest yards allowed since 1990 ... the shutout was the first for the Bearkats since 2009 ... the 66 points represent the second highest scoring output by Sam Houston in a Southland Conference game.
Sam Houston State Ranked Fourth by The Sports Network
Sam Houston State has climbed another spot in this week's Sports Network Top 25 poll. The Bearkats are ranked fourth in The Sports Network.
The No. 4 ranking is Sam Houston's highest since Dec. 20, 2004, when the Bearkats were rated No. 3 in the final poll of the season after reaching the NCAA Division I semifinals. Sam Houston also was ranked No. 4 on Nov. 1, 2004 after a 31-28 victory over Stephen F. Austin and stood No. 3 on Nov. 8, 2004 following a 52-47 win over McNeese State. The next week the Bearkats lost to Northwestern State 45-27 in Natchitoches, La., and dropped to No. 10.
Central Arkansas is back in the top 25 for the first time since the Sept. 12 poll when it was ranked 18th in both polls. The Bears are No. 25 in The Sports Network poll and are receiving votes in the coaches poll. Northwestenr State is receiving votes in both polls this week.
Week Nine Conference Honors
Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick completed 20 of 28 passes for 299 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception in leading Central Arkansas to a 55-29 victory over Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday. It was the most touchdown passes by a UCA quarterback since 2007 when Nathan Brown threw seven against Texas State. Stephen F. Austin defensive end Willie Jefferson was named the league defensive player of the week after he set a school record, and just missed the Southland record by a 0.5 sack, Saturday when he dropped McNeese State quarterback Cody Stroud 4.5 times for 31 yards in losses in a 37-17 victory over the Cowboys. He also picked off a pass in the end zone for a touchdown. Southeastern Louisiana running back Jordan Wells set the conference single-season record for kick returns in the Lions' game at Central Arkansas to earn conference special teams player of the week honors. The freshman has 1,171 kick return yards this season, breaking the record of 1,055 yards previously set by Karrington Bush of Texas State in 2008. He returned nine kicks for 265 yards last week against the Bears.
Other Notable Performances in Week Nine
- In the Bearkats' 66-0 victory over Lamar, Sam Houston State receiver Richard Sincere caught a 77-yard touchdown pass on the opening play of the game and rushed for 102 yards on seven carries out of the Wildcat formation that included a 40-yard touchdown run that put the Bearkats up 28-0 in the second quarter. The game was his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season. The Bearkats rolled up a season-best 559 yards of total offense and the 66 points was the second highest total by Sam Houston in a Southland Conference game.
- Stephen F. Austin quarterback Brady Attaway completed 31 of 43 passes for 248 yards and touchdown in the Lumberjacks' 37-17 victory over preseason favorite McNeese State. It was the second consecutive win since snapping a five-game losing streak last week at Nicholls State.
- Central Arkansas linebacker Seth Allison had seven tackles, including six solo stops, in the Bears' 55-29 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. He also forced a fumble and an interception. Two of the tackles were for losses. The Bears forced nine Lions turnovers. Allison leads UCA with 77 tackles and continues to lead the Southland with 12.0 tackles for loss.
- In the Cowboys loss at Stephen F. Austin, McNeese State safety Malcolm Bronson recorded 13 tackles and added a 67-yard interception return that set up a score. He also forced and recovered a fumble that led to a field goal.
- Northwestern State defensive end Ricky Isaac made 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, in the Demons' 23-10 non-conference victory at Texas State. He recovered a fumble at the NSU 4-yard line early in the fourth quarter to preserve a 17-10 lead. It was one of four red-zone stops by the Demons in the game.
- Sam Houston State cornerback Dax Swanson accounted for two of the Bearkats' three defensive interceptions against Lamar. He returned his first pick 64 yards to the Lamar 1-yard line to set up the team's third first-quarter touchdown. His second-quarter interception at the Lamar 16 set up the Bearkats' sixth touchdown. The shutout was the first by Sam Houston since 2009. Lamar managed only 98 yards of total offense, the fewest yards allowed by the Bearkats since 1990.
- Central Arkansas kicker Eddie Camara was a perfect 7 for 7 on PATs and connected on both field goal tries, from 41 and 27 yards, has he accounted for 13 of the Bears' season-high 55 points. His 41-yard field goal in the first half was one yard shy of his season high.
- Sam Houston State kicker Craig Alaniz made all nine of his PATs and connected on his lone field goal try, a 25-yarder in the fourth quarter of the Bearkats' 66-0 win over Lamar. He tied the school record for most extra points in a Southland Conference game.
- In the win over McNeese State, Stephen F. Austin kicker made all four of his PATs and connected on three field goals, connecting from 19, 21 and 28 yards.
Southland in the NCAA Stats
- Sam Houston State leads the Football Championship Subdivision in rush defense, allowing only 55.63 yards per game. Northwestern State, which ranks second in the Southland, limits opponents to 121.63 rushing yards per game to rank 25th nationally.
- The Bearkats also top the subdivision in scoring defense, holding opponents to only 12.38 points per game.
- Sam Houston State leads the nation in turnover margin benefiting from 21 defensive turnovers this season, average of 2.63 per game. The Bearkats have gained 25 turnovers and have committed just four.
- Stephen F. Austin kicker Jordan Wiggs leads the nation, averaging 2.14 field goals per game. The freshman has made 15 of 19 attempts (78.9 percent).
- Sam Houston State is second in total defense, limiting opponents to only 259.63 total yards each game.
- Sam Houston State has the second-best pass efficiency rating in the FCS at 167.17. Furman is the national leader with rating of 176.72. Central Arkansas is 12th with 152.03 rating.
- Tim Flanders, the Sam Houston State running back, ranks second nationally in scoring, averaging 12.0 points per game. He has scored 16 touchdowns, including three this past Saturday against Lamar. Stephen F. Austin kicker Jordan Wiggs is ranked ninth in individual scoring, averaging 9.29 points per game.
- Sam Houston State defensive back Daxton Swanson is averaging .63 interceptions per game to rank third in the FCS. He has five interception returns for 64 yards. Northwestern State safety Jamaal White is sixth with .57 per game and Nicholls State defensive back Bobby Felder is eighth with .50 per game.
- Sam Houston State ranks fourth in the FCS in scoring offense, scoring an average of 39.63 points per game. The Bearkats trail Georgia Southern (41.14), Youngstown State (40.0) and Tennessee-Martin (39.75). In the Southland, Central Arkansas (33.67) ranks 20th, Stephen F. Austin (32.88) ranks 25th and Southeastern Louisiana (31.28) ranks 30th.
- McNeese State ranks fifth nationally in punt returns, averaging 16.0 yards per return. The Cowboys have returned just seven punts for 112 yards.
- Nicholls State kicker Cory Kemps is ranked fifth in the nation in punting, averaging 43.75 yards per punt.
- Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in passing offense. The Lions are averaging 319.25 yards per game, while the Lumberjacks are averaging 317.13. Central Arkansas is ranked 19th with average of 265.78 passing yards per game.
- Sam Houston State rank fifth in the nation in pass efficiency defensive, limiting opposing teams to a rating of 96.80. Northwestern State is 22nd in the category with an opponent rating of 113.24.
- The Bearkats rank seventh in the FCS in rushing offense with an average of 255.25 yards per game.
- Stephen F. Austin receiver Gralyn Crawford ranks eighth in all-purpose running, averaging 159.63 yards per game. Southeastern Louisiana running back Jordan Wells is averaging 155.38 yards to rank 11th, while Nicholls State defensive back Chika Madu ranks 24th with 139.63 yards per game and Sam Houston State running back Tim Flanders ranks 25th with 137.38 yards per game.
- Southeastern Louisiana, Northwestern State and Nicholls State are ranked 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively, in kick returns. The Lions are averaging 24.25 yards per return compared to 24.12 by the Demons and 23.92 by the Colonels.
- Sam Houston State ranks 11th in net punting with a net average of 37.84 per punt. Of 37 punts, 12 have been returned for two total yards. Southeastern is ranked 21st with net average of 36.94.
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 8-0 overall and 5-0 in conference action and visit Southeastern Louisiana before the game with the Demons. Northwestern State is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play and welcomes Central Arkansas this week 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.
