Around The Southland Conference
10/30/2013 5:59:00 PM | Football
This Week's Schedule:
Saturday, Nov. 2
No. 8 Sam Houston State vs. Stephen F. Austin*, 3p.m. (SLCTV)
Nicholls at Lamar*, 6 p.m.
No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana at No. 4 McNeese State*, 7 p.m.
No. 18 Central Arkansas at Northwestern State*, 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
The 88th “Battle of the Piney Woods” between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austni and a showdown of the league's only two remaining unbeaten teams highlight an exciting weekend of Southland Conference action.
No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana plays at No. 4 McNeese State this week at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles and the winner will claim sole possession of first place in the Southland Conference.
Southeastern is 6-2 overall and cracked the national rankings for the first time this season. McNeese brings a 7-1 record and a No. 4 ranking into Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff.
Each team is 3-0 in league play. The Lions have wins against Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State and Lamar while the Cowboys have beaten Central Arkansas, Sam Houston State and Nicholls. McNeese holds a 22-16 lead all-time in the series though the Lions won last year to snap a six-game win streak by the Cowboys.
Last year, McNeese State jumped out to a 24-10 halftime lead, but did not score again. The Lions added a third-quarter touchdown and scored again with 2:39 remaining in the game. Instead of kicking the game-tying PAT, Michael Chaney ran in the two-point conversion for a 25-24 lead. After the ensuing kickoff, Lions' cornerback Robert Alford intercepted Cody Stroud allowing Southeastern to gobble up the clock before giving McNeese the ball back with 3 seconds to go.
No. 8 Sam Houston has won the last two in the series with SFA and holds a 50-35-2 series lead against the Jacks. The Southland Conference Television Network, which is in its sixth season, will televise the Battle of the Piney Woods game between Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin Saturday at 3 p.m., CT. Randy McIlvoy and Shea Walker will call the action from the press box and Brooke Bentley will be the sideline reporter.
Half of the Southland Conference is nationally ranked with Southeastern Louisiana making its first appearance in the FCS top-25 polls since 2004 and joins three other Southland Conference teams in the polls this week, putting half of the league's football team's among the nation's elite.
The Lions, who are 6-2 and off to their best start since 1981, are No. 25 in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches' polls, their first ranking since the third week of the 2004 season. McNeese State, the Lions' opponent this week, held steady at No. 4 in the Sports Network poll and No. 7 in the coaches' poll. Sam Houston State, the defending two-time Southland champion, slipped to No. 8 in the Sports Network poll and No. 9 in the coaches' poll. Central Arkansas is also ranked this week, checking in at No. 15 in the coaches' poll and No. 18 in the Sports Network poll. No other Southland teams are receiving votes in this week's polls.
The Battle of the Piney Woods between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin returns to Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on Saturday. It will be the 88th football duel between the two rivals. The series is the second oldest FCS rivalry in Texas.
The Battle of the Piney Woods dates back to 1923, with Sam Houston State holding a 50-35-2 edge in the series. The Bearkats won last year, 51-43, in the third of what was originally scheduled to be a four-game series to be played at Reliant. The three games have averaged 25,318 fans. Reliant extended the contract another three years prior to the 2012 game, keeping the Battle of the Piney Woods at Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans, through the 2017 season.
Central Arkansas junior quarterback Ryan Howard was named the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week after he threw four touchdown passes and completed 18 of 30 passing attempts for 403 yards in leading the Bears to a 66-31 victory over visiting Stephen F. Austin.
Sam Houston State linebacker Eric Fieilo earned defensive honors. The senior recorded 11 tackles to lead Sam Houston State in its 44-10 victory over Northwestern State last Saturday. The senior from Euless, Texas made five solo stops and assisted on six tackles.
The Sam Houston State defense produced two turnovers and limited the Demons to 4-and-13 on third down while giving up only a touchdown and a field goal in the game. Fieilo leads Sam Houston with 58 tackles and has 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.
The Southland Conference is home to the top return men in the FCS. Central Arkansas true freshman receiver/return specialist Jatavious Wilson is the national leader, averaging 38.4 yards per kickoff return. He has totaled 422 yards on 11 returns and has scored two touchdowns. The No. 2-ranked return guy in the FCS is also in the Southland Conference.
Southeastern Louisiana sophomore Xavier Roberson averages 37.8 yards per kick return and has totaled 529 yards and two scores on 14 returns. Wilson and Roberson are among the six FCS players that have returned to kickoffs for touchdowns. Wilson scored on an 85-yard return last Saturday against Stephen F. Austin and had a 93-yard return for a score in the season opener vs. UIW on Aug. 29. Roberson had a 92-yard returned for a touchdown Oct. 19 in the Lions' 37-22 win over Northwestern State to go with an 82-yard touchdown return Sept. 14 in a loss at South Dakota State. The Southland has four players in the top 25 of the FCS stats in kickoff returns, including McNeese State teammates Diontae Spencer and Khalil Thomas, who are tied for 21st with average of 27.0 yards per return.
Sam Houston State's Torrance Williams is averaging 19.9 yards per punt return to lead the FCS. He has yet to return a punt for a touchdown, but has a long of 53 yards among his 20 returns for 398 yards, Three other Southland players rank among the top-25 punt returners in the FCS, including Lamar's Kevin Johnson (seventh, 14.9), Stephen F. Austin's Mike Brooks (21st, 10.8) and Northwestern State's Ed Eagan (25th, 9.9). Eagan and Johnson each have returned a punt for a touchdown, both doing so Sept. 28. Eagan's was a 50-yard return against Langston and Johnson' went for 48 yards against Grambling.
Last week, the Bearkats bounced back from a 31-23 loss at McNeese State Oct. 19 with a 44-10 victory over visiting Northwestern State last Saturday. The win extended the Bearkats' home win streak to 20 games, which is the longest win streak in not only the FCS, but also both NCAA Division I subdivisions ... Michigan has a 19-game home win streak to lead the FBS.
Stephen F. Austin lost 66-31 at Central Arkansas on homecoming in Conway. It was the third loss in the last four games for the Lumberjacks, who are 3-5 overall and 1-2 so far in Southland play. Quarterback Brady Attaway completed 41-of-63 passes for 442 yards, one touchdown.
