Stephen F. Austin snagged their 16th consecutive regular-season victory Saturday night, beating Incarnate Word 28-26 in a nail-biter. That’s a serious streak, folks, and it shows exactly why the Lumberjacks are sitting pretty at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Southland Conference.
The Streak is Absolutely Electric Right Now
Look, 16 straight regular-season wins? That’s not just good, that’s program-defining. Stephen F. Austin is rolling, extending their Southland Conference win streak to 11 games too. They haven’t dropped a conference matchup since Incarnate Word themselves beat them back on November 16, 2024, for the Southland title. Talk about a statement win here. These Lumberjacks, ranked No. 7 in the Stats Perform poll, are off to their best start since way back in 1995 when they ripped off seven straight to kick off that season. And home field advantage? Totally real. They’ve locked down their home turf for 11 straight games now. Gavin Rutherford was slinging it, throwing for three touchdown passes to keep that offense moving. Preston Alford grabbed an 8-yard TD catch and run, and Clayton Wayland hauled in another 8-yard score early in the fourth quarter that put them up 28-20.
Kicking Chaos and a Wild Finish
Okay, so Rutherford was on point, and the defense got a HUGE play from sophomore Makai Frisby with his fourth interception this season. But let’s be real, this game was WILD because of the kicking situation. Stephen F. Austin kicker Carlos Alvarado had a rough, rough night. The dude missed field goal attempts from 29, 56, and 43 yards. The 56-yarder even got blocked by Incarnate Word’s Jeremiah Young, who had an absolute career-high with three sacks, too. You just don’t see a team miss three field goals and still win that often. It almost cost them everything. Incarnate Word’s Emmett Brown was throwing dimes, going 27-of-52 for 373 yards and two touchdowns, but he also tossed two picks. David Rasor gave UIW their first lead with a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, capping a 10-play, 70-yard drive to make it 20-14. Brown made it interesting right at the end, hitting Jacob Emmers for a 53-yard touchdown with just 22 seconds left to pull within two points. But after an offensive pass interference wiped out a two-point conversion to Price Morgan, Brown’s pass to Jayden Hibbler fell incomplete. SFA held on by the skin of their teeth. Phew.
What’s Next for the Undefeated Lumberjacks
Incarnate Word is heading to Lamar next Saturday, trying to bounce back from that heartbreaker. Meanwhile, Stephen F. Austin gets ready to play at Nicholls on October 17th. You gotta wonder if that kicking game is gonna clean itself up, but for now, the Lumberjacks are undefeated and riding an incredible 16-game regular-season win streak. That’s serious momentum, and it makes their next game one to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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