SFA wins fifth-straight win and remain unbeaten in SLC play
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A near 90-minute weather delay coming out of the halftime break and a two hour and 17 minute stoppage midway through the third quarter were not enough to dampen #25/rv Stephen F. Austin’s convincing 34-7 win over Nicholls which began on Saturday night and concluded in the wee hours of Sunday morning inside Homer Bryce Stadium as the ‘Jacks won a fifth-straight game to remain unbeaten in Southland Conference play.
With the lightning momentarily not an issue, punt returner Bugs Mortimer became one and provided his own electricity as the talented return man dazzled with an impressive tight-roping act along the SFA sideline before reversing field on a 66-yard race to paydirt. That score, Mortimer’s second such return of the season, pushed SFA out front 26-0 moments before a second delay hit Jimmy W. Murphy Field.
Mortimer’s magic outlasted the 137-minute stoppage as he returned a Nicholls punt 52 yards down inside the Colonels’ 25-yard line and two plays later, Sam Vidlak connected with Clayton Wayland from 20 yards out as the ‘Jacks crossed over the 30-point mark for the fifth-straight game.
SFA struck first on Saturday night as Jacob Hand drilled his first career field goal attempt, a 54-yarder that would have been good from 60+, to put the ‘Jacks on the board less than two minutes from kickoff.
The Lumberjack defense responded early as Nicholls’ first offensive possession resulted in a lengthy 15-play drive that covered 65 yards and 7:47 of clock but ended with no points as Jaydon Southard recovered a fumble and rumbled the distance, 90 yards for six. The score was negated due to a penalty, but the ‘Jacks were set up just outside midfield and utilized a 12-play, 54-yard drive that was capped on a two-yard run by Gavin Rutherford for a 9-0 advantage.
It was much of the same for the ‘Jacks in the second quarter as the 19th career rushing touchdown from Jerrell Wimbley, a five-yard effort, put the finishing touches on a six-play drive to give SFA a 16-0 lead just under the 13-minute mark of the first half. SFA’s next drive saw Carlos Alvarado connect on his fourth attempt of the season, a 36-yarder, for a 19-0 ‘Jacks advantage.
Defensively, the shutdown of Nicholls’ opening drive was just the start of a dominant half hour of effort by the Lumberjacks. SFA forced five punts following the Colonels’ first possession and Nicholls managed only six yards on 19 plays with the final drive before the half accounting for 16 yards on seven plays. The stout front seven of the Lumberjacks held Nicholls to 18 yards on 17 first half rushing attempts and to just 56 total rushing yards on 34 carries.
SCORING DRIVES
1Q (13:10) | 6 plays, 39 yards, 1:50 | 54-yard FG from Jacob Hand
1Q (1:01) | 12 plays, 54 yards, 4:22 | 2-yard rushing TD by Gavin Rutherford, Carlos Alvarado kick blocked
2Q (12:46) | 6 plays, 55 yards, 2:14 | 5-yard rushing TD by Jerrell Wimbley, Carlos Alvarado kick GOOD
2Q (8:35) | 8 plays, 35 yards, 2:47 | 36-yard FG from Carlos Alvarado
3Q (10:07) | 66-yard punt return by Bugs Mortimer
3Q (4:07) | 2 plays, 21 yards, 0:32 | 20-yard pass from Sam Vidlak to Clayton Wayland, Nabors 2pt RUSH
4Q (4:58) | 7 plays, 79 yards, 3:26 | 16-yard pass from Ean Rodrigue to Everett Hunter, Gabriel Showalter kick GOOD
POSTGAME NOTES
- The ‘Jacks reached 30 points for the fifth consecutive game
- Saturday night/Sunday morning’s content lasted 6:34
- Southard posted 13 tackles and backer mate Malachi Williams added 11
- Bugs Mortimer produced 206 all-purpose yards including 184 punt return yards
- Wayland led SFA in receiving and catches with 4 for 68 and added another gainer of 40+ yards
- Vidlak was 17-of-25 for 197 yards and a touchdown
ABOUT THE WIN
- SFA improves to 27-11 all-time against Nicholls, 15-5 at home and is 5-2 against the Colonels in Homecoming tilts
- The ‘Jacks improve to 43-40-1 in known Homecoming results
- It’s SFA’s second consecutive win against Nicholls, but the first victory over the Colonels inside Homer Bryce since 2015
- The fifth straight victory marks the longest win streak for the ‘Jacks since winning five-straight games to conclude the 2021 regular season
- It is the 38th victory for the ‘Jacks under Carthel which places the Texan in sixth all-time on SFA’s win list
RECORD BOOK REWRITING & MILESTONE MINING
- Hand’s 54-yard field goal, in his first career attempt, is tied for the second-longest FG in program history and marked the longest make by a Lumberjack since Storm Ruiz’s 54-yarder against Northwestern State in 2019
- Mortimer is the first ‘Jack since Xavier Gipson in 2022 to have multiple punt return touchdowns in the same season
- Wimbley’s 69 rushing yards moved him into seventh on SFA’s all-time rushing yards list