FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 21, 2017) - The No. 22/RV Northern Arizona football team scored 35 unanswered points after falling behind 7-0 to extend its current winning streak to five consecutive games as it rolled to a 45-31 victory over UC Davis in Big Sky Conference action on Saturday at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
The five-game winning streak represents the longest for the 'Jacks since 2013 when it posted six consecutive victories. With the win, Northern Arizona improves to 5-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Big Sky Conference action. UC Davis slips to 3-4 on the season and 1-3 in conference play with the loss.
"The best of part the game that I really liked is our response to the early turnover," NAU head coach
Jerome Souers said. "The way
Maurice Davison stayed in position and then they overthrew the ball and he picked it. Then our offense climbed on top and scored, then we got a stop and scored. It was 35 unanswered points and that was huge. It didn't put the game out of reach but it forced them to have to take a lot of chances."
NAU finished the game with 202 rushing yards led by a game-high 94 (7.2 yards per carry) and two touchdowns by
Cory Young and
Joe Logan who added 87 and a pair of scores.
UC Davis (3-4, 1-3 Big Sky) got on the board first following an interception of Cookus in the end zone, his first pick in his last 204 pass attempts. The Aggies capitalized on the turnover by driving 80 yards on 12 plays and capping the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass from Jake Maier to Keelan Doss for the early 7-0 advantage with 48 ticks left in the opening quarter.
Running back
Cory Young answered on the very next drive for the Lumberjacks as the junior busted off a 43-yard run up the middle and took it in for the score to deadlock the game at 7-7 with 13:21 remaining in the second quarter of action.
Northern Arizona (5-2, 4-0 Big Sky) took its first lead of the game at 14-7 with 6:46 left in the second quarter on Young's second touchdown rush of the game, this time from four yards out, capping a 15-play, 83-yard drive.
Davison set up the 'Jacks on the ensuing drive with his third interception in as many weeks as he picked off a pass by Maier and returned it 21 yards to the UC Davis 37-yard line.
Cookus took over from there by hitting
Elijah Marks three plays later from 32 yards out to increase the 'Jacks advantage to 21-7 with 5:08 remaining before intermission. The touchdown grab marked Marks' sixth of the season and his fifth straight game with a scoring reception.
Hunter Burton hauled in Cookus' second scoring toss of the game from eight yards out to cap a six-play, 65 -yard drive at the end of the half, making the score 28-17. The drive benefited from a roughing the passer penalty against UC Davis on a previous 17-yard completion from Cookus to Burton.
The Lumberjacks kept the pressure on in the second half as they took advantage of a botched snap on a punt attempt by the Aggies with a quick four-play, eight-yard drive that was capped off by a two-yard run by
Joe Logan for a 34-7 lead at the 11:31 mark in the third quarter.
Namane Modise tried to create a spark for UC Davis with a 100-yard return for a touchdown on the following kickoff to trim the margin to 34-14.
Following a stop by the Aggies' defense, UC Davis managed to drive down inside the Lumberjacks' 10-yard line but had to settle for a field goal, making the score 35-17.
UC Davis added another touchdown with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter on a 41-yard scoring strike from Maier to Keelan Doss, trimming the 'Jacks lead to 35-24 entering the final 15 minutes of action.
NAU placekicker
Griffin Roehler connected on 21-yard field goal to make the score 38-24 with 13:03 left in regulation.
Sophomore running back
Joe Logan punched in his second touchdown of the season from two-yards out with 7:47 left in the game to increase the NAU advantage to 45-24. The drive was sparked by a 30-yard toss from Cookus to Marks.
UC Davis' Logan Montgomery hauled in a 37-yard pass from Brock Dale with 1:51 remaining in regulation to account for the game's final points.
The Lumberjacks conclude their two-game homestand next weekend on Saturday, Oct. 28 when they host Sacramento State in a 4 p.m. MST kickoff in the annual homecoming game from the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
Postgame Notes – vs. UC Davis
Saturday's win extended the Lumberjacks' current winning streak to five consecutive games – their longest since 2013 when it won six straight contests and qualified for the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
NAU finished with 495 yards of total offense – the sixth time in seven games this season it has eclipsed 400 yards.
Following Saturday's win, NAU now leads the all-time series with UC Davis 4-1 and are a perfect 3-0 vs. the Aggies in Flagstaff.
NAU improves to a perfect 5-0 when it leads at the half after Saturday's win over UC Davis.
Quarterback
Case Cookus' interception in the first quarter was his first in his last 204 pass attempts – dating back to Sept. 9 vs. Western Illinois.
Junior running back
Cory Young's 43-yard score in the second quarter marked his team-best fifth rushing touchdown of the season.
UC Davis linebacker Anthony Baumgart was ejected from the game with 7:46 remaining in the second quarter for targeting.
Senior receiver
Elijah Marks' second quarter touchdown reception extended his currently streak of games with a touchdown catch to five straight.
Junior cornerback
Maurice Davison's interception in the second quarter marked the third consecutive game in which he has intercepted a pass.
Cory Young and
Joe Logan each posted a pair of rushing TDs in the win over UC Davis. It represented the first time an NAU player has posted multiple rushing touchdowns since Young scored a pair in the season opener at Arizona on Sept. 2.
NAU scored 35 unanswered points in Saturday's win over UC Davis after falling behind 7-0.
Elijah Marks finished with 174 receiving yards – his fifth straight game with 100 yards through the air and his sixth in seven games this season.
