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NAU FOOTBALL GAME NOTES - AT ARIZONA
NAU OPENING DRIVE
- The Lumberjacks will be facing the University of Arizona for the first time since the 2017 season and for the 16th time in program history when they travel to battle the Wildcats on Saturday night in Tucson.
- NAU will be looking to open a season 2-0 for the first time since 2015 when it squares off with the Wildcats on Saturday night.
- The Lumberjacks and Wildcats are also scheduled to meet during the 2021, 2023, 2024, 2026 seasons.
- Saturday's game starts a stretch for the Lumberjacks that will see it play three of the next four games away from home.
- NAU will also be seeking its second consecutive victory over an FBS opponent when it faces Arizona on Saturday. The 'Jacks posted a 30-10 win at UTEP on Sept. 1, 2018 which snapped a five-game skid vs. FBS foes.
- NAU head coach Chris Ball posted the first win of his head coaching career and officially became the 30th coach in program history on Thursday, August 29 when the 'Jacks defeated Missouri State 37-23 at the Skydome.
SERIES HISTORY
All-TIME SERIES
NAU trails 1-14 (First Meeting: 1931)
LAST MEETING
9/2/17 - L - Away - 24-62
LAST NAU WIN
10/29/32 - W - Phoenix - 7-6
LAST NAU LOSS
9/2/17 - L - Away - 24-62
NAU STREAK IN SERIES
Lost 13
PREVIOUS FIVE GAMES
9/2/17 - L - Away - 24-62
9/9/15 - L - Away - 13-77
8/30/13 - L - Away - 0-35
9/3/11 - L - Away -10-41
9/12/09 - L - Away - 17-34
NAU HEADS SOUTH TO TAKE ON IN-STATE FOE ARIZONA ON SATURDAY NIGHT
- The Lumberjacks will take to the road for the first time this season as they head south on I-17 to battle the University of Arizona in Tucson in a 7:45 p.m. MST kickoff from Arizona Stadium that will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks with Guy Haberman (play-by-play), Lincoln Kennedy (analyst) and Cindy Brunson (sideline) on the call.
- NAU's showdown with the Wildcats can also be heard on the Lumberjack Radio Network beginning with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. MST with Mitch Strohman (play-by-play), Kevin Stephens (analyst) and Matt Howdeshell (sideline) on the call.
- Arizona will mark the Lumberjacks' lone FCS opponent this season and its first since defeating UTEP 30-10 at the Sun Bowl on Sept. 1, 2018 - which snapped a five-game skid vs. FBS foes.
- Saturday's game will be NAU's first visit to Tucson since the 2017 season and the 16th meeting between the programs all time.
THE 'JACKS ON THE ROAD
- NAU is 31-38 in road games since the 2008 season.
- The Lumberjacks finished 1-4 in road contests during the 2018 campaign.
NAU VS THE FBS
- The Lumberjacks are 9-52 all-time versus FBS/I-A opponents since 1957 following last season's 30-10 victory at UTEP on Sept. 1, 2018.
- The win over the Miners was the 'Jacks' first over an FBS opponent since defeating UNLV, 17-14, on Sept. 8, 2012 in Las Vegas.
LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION IN TUCSON
- The Lumberjacks have dropped each of their last 13 meetings with the Wildcats (all in Tucson) entering Saturday's clash.
- NAU has lost by a combined margin of 215-47 in the last four meetings overall (2017, 2015, 2013, 2011).
- The Lumberjacks came within 17 points of the Wildcats in 2009 when they dropped a 34-17 decision. NAU's lone win over Arizona came during the 1932 season in a game played in Phoenix which the 'Jacks won 7-6.
CHRIS BALL NOTCHES FIRST WIN AS HEAD COACH
- NAU head coach Chris Ball recorded the first win of both his overall and Lumberjack coaching career with the 'Jacks' 37-23 victory over Missouri State on Aug. 29 at the Skydome.
- Ball, the 30th head coach to lead the Lumberjacks in program history, was doused y his players with the traditional Gatorade bath following the historic win.
'JACKS FRESH OFF RARE THURSDAY NIGHT PERFORMANCE
- NAU will enter Saturday's game at Arizona last having played nine days prior having faced Missouri State at the Skydome in a rare Thursday night contest.
- The season opener vs. Missouri State represented the first time that the Lumberjacks played a season opener at home on a Thursday night since Sept. 10, 2010 - when it defeated Western New Mexico 48-0.
- The 'Jacks last weeknight game came on August 30, 2013 when they played at Arizona on Friday night and lost 35-0.
NAU vs. THE PAC-12
- The Lumberjacks are a combined 15-38-4 all-time against current members of the Pac-12 Conference.
- NAU has faced current Pac-12 members Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State and Utah previously.
NAU IN ROAD OPENERS
- The Lumberjacks have posted wins in two of their previous four road openers, including a 30-10 victory at FBS member UTEP in 2018.
- The 'Jacks also opened 2015 with a win in their opening road contest at Stephen F. Austin.
- Prior to that however, you have to go back to the 2001 season for the last time that NAU had been victorious in its opening road clash - when it defeated Southern Utah 41-12.
- Preceding that were 13 losses that came against either Arizona or Arizona State that spanned from 2001-13 and an additional setback against San Diego State in 2014.
NAU - TUCSON CONNECTION
- The Lumberjacks have a number of players who hail from the Tucson area and will be enjoying a homecoming of sorts on Saturday.
Below is a list of 'Jacks from the greater Tucson area
Taylor Powell, Senior, Linebacker (Salpointe Catholic)
Terrell Hayward, Freshman, Wide Receiver (Cienega)
Luis Aguilar, Junior, Kicker (Nogales)
Max Michalczik, Sophomore, Tight End (Catalina Foothills)
Noe Becerra, Freshman, Long Snapper (Ironwood)
Chase Laurita, Junior, Offensive Line (Ironwood Ridge)
Jonas Leader, Sophomore, Offensive Line (Canyon Del Oro)
Seamus Button, Freshman, Offensive Line (Sahuarita)
Caden Wechsler, Freshman, Offensive Line (Sabino)
Seth Clem, Sophomore, Defensive Line (Marana)
AGUILAR NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF WEEK (Sept. 2)
- Junior kicker Luis Aguilar had a career performance in the Lumberjacks' 37-23 victory over Missouri State in the season opener on Aug. 29 and was honored as the season's first Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 2).
- He is the first Lumberjack honored with a weekly honor by the conference this season.
- Aguilar was a perfect 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts and nailed a total of seven kickoffs for touchbacks - both career-best efforts. He was connected on all three of his extra point attempts.
- Aguilar drilled a 48, 46 and 21-yard field goal - the 48-yarder represents a career long - which was previously 38 yards.
NAU OPENS BIG SKY-MISSOURI VALLEY CHALLENGE WITH A VICTORY
- The Lumberjacks posted a 37-23 win over Missouri State in the opening game of the Big Sky-Missouri Valley Challenge - which the Big currently leads 2-0.
- The Lumberjacks will take part in two games during the Big Sky-MVC Challenge as they also travel to battle Illinois State in Normal on Sept. 21.
- The series is entering its third year. In 2018, the MVFC won the series, 5-3.
BRANDON PORTER DOES IT ALL IN OPENER VS. MISSOURI STATE
- Sophomore Brandon Porter was displaying his arsenal of weapons in the 'Jacks' season-opening win over Missouri State as he hauled in a career-high six catches for a career-best 140 yards and two touchdowns.
- Porter wasn't done however as he also tossed a 55-yard touchdown pass on the backend of a double pass to Stacy Chukwumezie that helped spark the NAU scoring burst.
- In addition, Porter's 62-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter vs. the Bears marked the longest reception of his career.
COOKUS ECLIPSES 8,000 PASSING YARDS
- Senior quarterback Case Cookus became the fifth signal caller in NAU history to record 8,000 passing yards in a career with his completion to Hendrix Johnson in the first quarter of NAU's win over Missouri State on Aug. 29.
- Cookus boasts 8,258 yards and is 1,381 shy of Jeff Lewis (9,639) for the fourth-highest total in program history.
- Cookus also currently holds the top yards per attempt total (8.4) in program history entering this week's matchup with Arizona.
