(Sports Network) - Stephen F. Austin kicked off its season with a rout Friday
night, just as it did a year ago.
The trick is not to continue a similar run as last season.
The 20th-ranked Lumberjacks rolled past Southwestern Oklahoma, 49-14, at Homer
Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Up next is a difficult stretch of games, including at SMU next Saturday. A
year ago, a similar schedule led to five straight losses for SFA.
Quarterback Brady Attaway looked ready for the upcoming games Friday night.
He completed 21-of-37 pass attempts for 354 yards and three touchdowns in 2
1/2 quarters of action.
He gave way to Joe Minden, who threw for another 86 yards in SFA's 440-yard
effort through the air.
Gus Johnson rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries for SFA,
which had a 49-0 lead.
On Thursday, the Top 25 spotlight belonged to CAA Football and the Big Sky
Conference.
The lone one to fall was last year's CAA champion, No. 7-ranked Towson, whose
41-21 loss at Kent State marked the fourth time in five seasons that the
Tigers opened with a defeat against an FBS opponent.
Meanwhile, 14th-ranked New Hampshire beat Holy Cross of the Patriot League,
38-17, and No. 15 Delaware topped Division II West Chester, 41-21, to extend
its series win streak to 19 straight games.
Later in the night, two Big Sky teams won as No. 4 Montana State topped
Division II Chadron State, 33-6, and No. 12 Eastern Washington handled FBS
member Idaho, 20-3.
The Sports Network FCS Top 25
All Times ET
1. Sam Houston State (0-0), Idle
Last year's Southland Conference champion and FCS runner-up hosts Incarnate
Word in its season opener Sept. 8.
2. North Dakota State (1-0), Robert Morris, 7 p.m. Saturday
3. Georgia Southern (0-0) vs. Jacksonville, 6 p.m. Saturday
4. Montana State (1-0) 33, Chadron State 6
Junior quarterback DeNarius McGhee completed 29-of-40 passes for 176 yards and
four touchdowns, including two to John Ellis. The Bobcats had a 401-135
advantage in total offense.
5. James Madison (0-0) vs. St. Francis (Pa.), 6 p.m. Saturday
6. Appalachian State (0-0) at East Carolina, noon Saturday
7. Kent State (1-0) 41, Towson (0-1) 21
Towson couldn't find its run game - 2011 Jerry Rice Award winner Terrance West
was held to 31 yards on 14 carries - and the Golden Flash never looked back.
8. Old Dominion (0-0) vs. Duquesne, 6 p.m. Saturday
9. Northern Iowa (0-0) at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. Saturday
10. Wofford (0-0) at Gardner-Webb, 6 p.m. Saturday
11. Montana (0-0) vs. South Dakota, 3:30 p.m. Saturday
12. Eastern Washington (0-0) 20, Idaho (0-1) 3
Quarterback Kyle Padron, in his first start since transferring from SMU, was
13-of-33 for 260 yards and one touchdown, completing five passes to Brandon
Kaufman for 148 yards. Quincy Forte rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries and
teammate Jordan Talley added another 63 yards on 18 carries.
13. Youngstown State (0-0) at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. Saturday
14. New Hampshire (1-0) 38, Holy Cross (0-1) 17
Any questions the Wildcats had at the QB position were answered. Sean Goldrich
and Andy Vailas combined to go 25-for-35 for 252 yards and three touchdowns.
15. Delaware (1-0) 41, West Chester (0-1) 21
Too close for comfort late, but the Blue Hens gladly took the win as Bowling
Green transfer Trent Hurley threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns, with
three interceptions.
16. Lehigh (0-0) vs. Monmouth, 12:30 p.m. Thursday
17. Stony Brook (0-0) vs. Central Connecticut State, 6 p.m. Saturday
18. Eastern Kentucky (0-0) at Purdue, 3:30 p.m. Saturday
19. Illinois State (0-0) vs. Dayton, 2 p.m. Saturday
20. Stephen F. Austin (1-0) 42, Southwestern Oklahoma (0-1) 0
Brady Attaway completed 21-of-37 pass attempts for 354 yards and three
touchdowns in 2 1/2 quarters of action. The Lumberjacks threw for 440 yards as
a team, with 13 players catching passes.
21. Maine (0-0), Idle
The Black Bears, coming off an impressive 9-4 season, visit Boston College in
their opener Sept. 8.
22. Jacksonville State (0-0) at Arkansas, 7 p.m. Saturday
23. Indiana State (0-0) at Indiana, 8 p.m. Saturday
24. Central Arkansas (0-0) at Ole Miss, 7 p.m. Saturday
25. Harvard Crimson (0-0), Idle
When the Ivy League season begins Sept. 15, the defending champion Crimson
will host San Diego in non-conference action.
The Sports Network