| Northern Arizona vs. Southern Utah |
CLICK ON THE TEAM'S NAME FOR THIS WEEK'S GAME NOTES FOR NORTHERN ARIZONA AND SOUTHERN UTAH.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 14, 2021) – Still in the early stages of their rivalry, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks and Southern Utah Thunderbirds have kept it interesting as Big Sky members across the past decade.
While the all-time series dates back to 1982, with the Lumberjacks leading 15-10, things didn't really start to pick up for another quarter of a decade. The programs have faced off every season dating back to 2008, with the first four as non-conference opponents before Big Sky play began with the Thunderbirds joining in 2012. During the stretch, the teams are an even 7-7 and Southern Utah leads 6-4 since the introduction of the Grand Canyon Trophy in 2012.
However, Southern Utah's impending move to the WAC, effective for the 2022-23 academic year, means Saturday will be the final time the two play within the Big Sky, as well as the last meeting with the Grand Canyon Trophy on the line until the newly announced 12-year scheduling agreement kicks in for the 2028 season.
"We're fired up about it," NAU head coach
Chris Ball said. "If we win this, we keep it for seven years and get to stare at that thing for a long, long time."
It'll be the first time the teams face off on Northern Arizona's Homecoming Weekend, where the Lumberjacks are 57-35-2. Kickoff from the Walkup Skydome is scheduled for 1 p.m. MST and will be available on
ESPN+, as well as
Hulu with a subscription to the Disney Bundle.
The game will also be available on the Lumberjack Radio Network and at NAUAthletics.com/listen, with coverage beginning at 12 p.m.
After facing off in the penultimate game of the 2019 season, coupled with the two meetings during Northern Arizona's five-game spring season, the two programs have grown rather familiar with one another.
"First, we are tired of playing them. I think we will have played them four times in the last 13 games," Ball said, with Southern Utah becoming the first team Northern Arizona will have faced three times in a calendar year. "We know each other really well. They haven't changed a lot and we haven't changed a lot. It's a Big Sky football game. I just saw Idaho State beat UC Davis this week, so anybody can beat anybody."
In February, Northern Arizona drove 81 yards in just 53 seconds as
Keondre Wudtee and
Coleman Owen connected for the walk-off touchdown as time expired. Less than two months later, the programs were back together on the field in Cedar City, Utah, where the Thunderbirds took a 14-0 lead before 28 straight points by the Lumberjacks sent them to their first road win in the series since 2013.
Justin Miller finished with five touchdowns and 288 yards through the air in the first meeting, completing 72.5 percent of his passes and throwing just one interception. Miller added another 342 yards and two touchdowns in Cedar City, again throwing just one interception across his 54 attempts.
Three of those touchdown passes went to Brandon Schenks, all in the first meeting in Flagstaff, who leads the team with three touchdowns this spring. Schencks has caught 18 passes for 207 yards while Ethan Bolingbroke leads the team with 24 receptions and 247 yards.
Through six games, Miller has totaled 1,182 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions as Southern Utah has faced a challenging schedule with a pair of FBS opponents and No. 2-ranked Eastern Washington. Southern Utah is also led up front by All-American offensive tackle Braxton Jones.
"We have got to be well prepared," Ball said. "I feel like they are a well-coached football team. They have got a good quarterback, they have good receivers, they have got an NFL offensive tackle. They have some things they bring to the table."
AN ADVANTAGE IN THE AIR
Southern Utah's defense ranks 122nd of 123 teams in the FCS in a pair of statistical categories as the Thunderbirds are allowing opponents to convert 55.1 percent of the time on third down and hold a 186.21 passer rating.
Teams have passed for 14 touchdown passes this season, compared to just three interceptions, on just 160 passing attempts. San Jose State, Tarleton State and Eastern Washington each threw for four touchdowns in the respective games against Southern Utah.
Allowing 38.7 points per game, the Thunderbirds have held just one team under 35 points this season, a 20-13 loss to Portland State in Cedar City two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks are coming off their best passing game of the season with
RJ Martinez throwing for 369 yards and three touchdowns against Idaho State. An additional 25-yard touchdown by
Jeff Widener, who stepped in for Martinez when he was forced to the sideline to bandage his hand, pushed Northern Arizona's total to 394 yards and four scores.
GAMEDAY INFO
Saturday's game serves as Northern Arizona's Hispanic Heritage Game, with tickets purchased at
loslumberjacks.com including an exclusive T-shirt. All tickets for Saturday and the rest of the team's home games this fall can be purchased online at
www.nauathletics.com/buy and questions can be directed to the Lumberjack Ticket Office at LumberjackTicketOffice@nau.edu or 928-523-0639.
Northern Arizona has introduced mobile ticketing at both the Walkup Skydome and Rolle Activity Center this season. For step-by step instructions and resources, click
here. Students will need to claim their tickets online this season with step-by-step instructions available
here.
Lots will open to tailgating at 9 a.m. while the Ponderosa will open at 10 a.m. ahead of the 1 p.m. kickoff. Shuttle services also begin at 10 a.m. with pick up locations at P62 and at the campus bookstore. Doors to the Skydome will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
Fans can also present their tickets to the football game at Northern Arizona's volleyball match against Weber State at 6 p.m. and receive free admission.
