No. 22 NAU Football Returns Home Looking for Fifth Straight Victory
Football / October 17, 2017
| GAME 7: #22/RV Northern Arizona (4-2, 3-0 Big Sky) vs. UC Davis (3-3, 1-2 Big Sky) |
GAME NOTES (PDF)
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Oct. 17, 2017) - The No. 22/RV Northern Arizona football team returns to its home turf on Saturday, Oct. 21 looking to extend its current winning streak to five games when it plays host to UC Davis in a 4 p.m. PT kickoff at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
Saturday's game will be televised live on Phoenix's CW6 and on NAU-TV. The Big Sky showdown will also be streamed via live video on Pluto TV (Channel 239).
The game will also be available on the Lumberjack Radio Network with
Mitch Strohman (play-by-play),
Kevin Stephens (color) and
Zach Worhack (sideline) on the call beginning with the pregame show at 3 p.m. PT.
The Lumberjacks are 2-1 at home this season entering Saturday's action with the Aggies and have won three of four meetings overall against UC Davis.
Northern Arizona will be looking for its first five-game winning streak on Saturday since the 2013 campaign when it posted six straight wins over Sacramento State, Idaho State, Cal Poly, Northern Colorado and Southern Utah.
UC DAVIS SERIES INFO
- Northern Arizona leads the all-time series with UC Davis 3-1.
- The last time the Aggies paid a visit to Flagstaff came on Nov. 8, 2014 and resulted in a 23-21 victory for the Lumberjacks.
- The Lumberjacks dropped the most previous meeting to the Aggies 38-24 on Oct. 10, 2015.
- NAU are a perfect 2-0 against the Aggies in games played in Flagstaff.
UC DAVIS CONNECTIONS
- Current UC Davis offensive coordinator Tim Plough was a member of the Lumberjacks' coaching staff from 2013 through last season. He spent his first two years in Flagstaff as NAU's wide receiver coach before being promoted to the offensive coordinator role in 2015 before leaving after the 2016 campaign.
- In addition, current UC Davis defensive backs coach Cha'pelle Brown spent the two previous seasons in Flagstaff as the cornerbacks (2015) and secondary (2016) coach for the 'Jacks.
STRIVE FOR FIVE
- The Lumberjacks are seeking their first five-game winning streak since 2013 when it posted six straight wins against Sacramento State, Idaho State, Cal Poly, North Dakota, Northern Colorado and Boise State from Oct. 12 - Nov. 23.
- The 2013 season was also the last time that NAU qualified for the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
COOKUS ON FIRE
- NAU QB Case Cookus has tossed a total of 14 touchdown passes during Northern Arizona's current four-game winning streak – and has not tossed an interception in any of the four wins.
- Overall, Cookus has gone a total of 195 pass attempts without allowing an interception entering Saturday's game vs. UC Davis.
ALL-PURPOSE MARKS
- Senior wide receiver Elijah Marks leads all players in the FCS with an average of 177.0 all-purpose yards per game.
- Marks has tallied a total of 771 receiving yards, 259 kickoff return yards, 28 punt returns yards and 4 rushing yards thru six games.
DEFENSE PLAYING LIKE ITS 1995
- The NAU defense has limited each of its last four opponents to 20 points or less following last Saturday's 42-20 victory at Portland State.
- The last time that the Lumberjacks defense has posted four consecutive games allowing 20 points or less came back during the 1995 season when it pulled the trick against Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State and Weber State in succession from Oct. 21 - Nov. 11, 1995.
- The last time NAU had five straight games with an opponent held to 20 points or less was also during the 1995 season against Sacramento State, Abilene Christian, CSU Northridge, Montana State and Boise State (Sept. 9 - Oct. 7).
BALL HAWK LUMBERJACKS
- The Lumberjacks secondary enters Saturday's game against UC Davis ranked first in the Big Sky in both interceptions (11) and passing yards allowed (188.0).
- Over the current four-game winning streak, NAU has pulled down nine of those 11 interceptions and returned a pair for touchdowns. NAU had a total of eight picks all of last season (2016).
- Nationally, the 'Jacks sit fourth interceptions among FCS leaders and 30th in passing yards allowed entering Saturday's showdown with UC Davis.
- The secondary will be tested Saturday as the Aggies will enter with the second-ranked passing attack in the Big Sky Conference and fifth nationally at 351.6 yards per game.
- Junior safety Kam'ron Johnson leads the Lumberjacks with a team-best three interceptions.
