The Lumberjacks will face their third ranked opponent of the season when they travel to battle No. 6/9 UC Davis on Saturday on the road in a 1 p.m. MST kickoff.
The game will be aired live on Pluto TV (Channel 245) with Doug Kelly (play-by-play) and Scott Marsh (analyst) on the call.
calling the action beginning with the pregame show at 12 p.m. MST.
The 'Jacks won last year's matchup with the Aggies 45-31 and have captured five of six meetings overall with the lone loss coming in NAU's last trip to Davis by a 38-24 margin on Oct. 10, 2015.
NAU has met a pair of top-10 ranked opponents previously this season and posted a 1-1 record in those games with a 31-26 loss to then No. 6/5 Eastern Washington (9/8) and 28-24 win over then-No. 6/7 Weber State (10/6). Saturday's game at UC Davis will mark the initial ranked foe that the 'Jacks have met on the road this season and their first since a 48-20 setback at Southern Utah on Nov. 18, 2017.
DON'T GIVE UP 30
The Lumberjacks are a perfect 3-0 when allowing 30 points or less this season and 0-5 when allowing more than that total to their opponent in games this season.
GET ON THE BOARD FIRST
NAU is 3-1 this season when it scores first and winless at 0-4 when it allows its opponent to score the game's first points.
SETTING THE TABLE FOR THE LAST THREE GAMES
The Lumberjacks open back-to-back trips to northern California beginning with Saturday's game at UC Davis and their second consecutive game in a stretch of three straight against teams from the Golden State.
NAU will follow its game at UC Davis (11/3) with a trip to Sacramento State (11/10), before closing out the regular season at home vs. North Dakota on Nov. 17.
NAU VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Lumberjacks own a record of 16-40 in games against ranked FCS opponents since the 2000 season entering this weekend's showdown with No 6/9 UC Davis.
NAU has had solid success at home in recent seasons vs. ranked opponents.
The 'Jacks boast a 5-2 mark against opponents ranked in the top 10 in home games since 2012 and are 6-4 overall at home vs. ranked foes since 2013.
NAU has lost four of its last six games against ranked opponents with the most recent victory against then-No. 6/7 Weber State by a 28-24 margin on Oct. 6, 2018.
THE 'JACKS ON THE ROAD
NAU is 31-37 in road games since the 2008 season.
The Lumberjacks are 1-3 in road contests during the 2018 season.
CASTEEL RACKS UP CAREER BEST 18 TACKLES VS CAL POLY
Jake Casteel totaled a career-best 18 tackles vs. Cal Poly on Oct. 27.
The 18 stops tied for the most by a Lumberjack since the 2000 season, matching Eddie Horn's total of 18 at South Dakota on Sept. 20, 2014.
The NAU all-time single-game record for tackles is 24 by three different players.
DON'T THROW ON THE 'JACKS
The Lumberjacks picked off three passes in the most recent win over Weber State and currently own a total of 14 interceptions this season, which leads the Big Sky Conference and ranks second in all of the FCS.
Junior cornerback
Khalil Dorsey and senior safety
Kam'ron Johnson lead the 'Jacks with three interceptions a piece and rank 23rd nationally among FCS players and third in the Big Sky Conference.
FORCING TURNOVERS
The Lumberjacks' defense has forced a total of 22 turnovers over the first eight games this season - which is second nationally and second in the Big Sky Conference.
NAU has forced recovered eight fumbles and hauled in a total of 14 interceptions this season.
MPUNGI BREAKS OUT VS CAL POLY
True freshman running back
Jacob Mpungi had a breakout performance against Cal Poly on Oct. 27 with nine carries for 98 yards (10.9 avg.).
In addition, Mpungi scored his first career touchdown in the loss to the Mustangs and busted out a 59-yard run - which marked the longest rush by the Lumberjacks through eight games this season.
PORTER PROVIDES A SPARK AT QB VS CAL POLY
Redshirt freshman quarterback
Brandon Porter entered the game vs. Cal Poly on Oct. 27 vs. Cal Poly as the Lumberjacks' primary signal caller during NAU's second possession of the third quarter and the 'Jacks trailing 38-7.
Porter proceeded to lead the Lumberjacks to 21 consecutive points and rushed for 115 yards on 11 attempts (10.5 avg.) after shifting from wide receiver to quarterback.
He also completed 2-of-8 passes for 24 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to
Emmanuel Butler.
BUTLER BECOMES NAU'S CAREER RECEIVING YARDAGE LEADER
Senior
Emmanuel Butler became NAU's career leader in receiving yardage with his first catch of the game at Northern Colorado on Oct. 20.
Butler moved past Clarence Moore's total of 3,042 yards with the initial catch against the Bears and finished the game with a total of 3,067 yards.
Butler currently leads the Lumberjacks' career leader list with 3,103 yards.
'JACKS RUSH FOR OVER 200 YARDS AT NORTHERN COLORADO
NAU posted 200 yards on the ground for the first time this season with 204 on Oct. 20 at Northern Colorado. It marked its highest rushing effort since netting 235 yards in a win over Montana State on Nov. 11, 2017 - a span of seven games.
The Lumberjacks followed that with a season-best 356 rushing effort in a loss to cal Poly on Oct. 27. It marked the most rushing yards for the Lumberjacks since posting 390 yards vs. New Mexico Highlands on Sept. 17, 2016.
CAMPIOTTI BECOMES THIRD QB TO START IN 2018
True freshman
Gino Campiotti became the third signal caller to start for the Lumberjacks this season in the Oct. 20 loss at Northern Colorado.
Campiotti finished 16-of-31 thru the air for 132 yards. He also committed three interceptions.
The three different players at quarterback mark the most for the Lumberjacks since also starting four during the 2014 season (Cartright, Poe, Perry, Holmes)
STOKES TOSSES TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES
Sophomore wide receiver
Justis Stokes tossed touchdown passes in consecutive games against Idaho State (9/29) and Weber State (10/6).
Stokes hit
Brandon Porter for a 43-yard scoring strike in the loss at Idaho State in week five and
Aramis Aldredge with a 30-yard touchdown pass vs. Weber State on Oct. 6.
