FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 31, 2023) – Set to face five participants of the 2022 FCS playoffs in 2023, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks will host one of the five at Findlay Toyota Field this coming fall.
Before getting to their eight-game Big Sky Conference schedule, the Lumberjacks will face their familiar in-state FBS foe Arizona, take on a former conference opponent and begin a six-game series with a recent addition to the FCS.
Returning to Tucson for the first time since their historic 21-19 victory during the 2021 season, the Lumberjacks will face the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 2. After finishing that 2021 season with a 1-11 record, the Wildcats improved to 5-7 this past fall with a road victory against No. 9 UCLA and snapped a five-game losing streak to rival Arizona State with a 38-35 victory to close out their 2022 season.
A second straight road game to open the 2023 season sends Northern Arizona back to Grand Forks, N.D. for the first time since 2016. Facing the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Sept. 9 for the second straight season, the Lumberjacks will look for revenge after falling 27-24 this past fall. Northern Arizona leads the all-time series 5-3, including a road victory in 2012. Finishing this past fall 7-5, the Fighting Hawks reached the first round of the FCS playoffs.
The Lumberjacks will open their five-game 2023 home schedule with a game against the Utah Tech Trailblazers to close out non-conference play. Facing off for the first time since the Trailblazers moved to the FCS as members of the WAC, the Lumberjacks will hold their
annual Running of the Freshmen on Sept. 16. The programs have met just once, with Northern Arizona winning 66-14 in 2006, Utah Tech's first season as a Division II program after originally playing as a junior college.
Utah Tech finished the 2022 season 4-7 with Division I wins against No. 19 Stephen F. Austin, Southern Utah, and Tarleton State.
Hosting the Montana Grizzlies to open their Big Sky Conference schedule, the Lumberjacks will hold their
Hispanic Heritage Day on Sept. 23 at Findlay Toyota Field. Northern Arizona last faced Montana in 2021, falling 30-3, with its last victory in the series coming at home in 2016. Northern Arizona beat No. 10 Montana 45-34 thanks to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter but has dropped the past two meetings.
The Grizzlies finished the 2022 season 8-5 overall and ranked No. 14 after reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs before falling to North Dakota State in Fargo.
The Lumberjacks will then head out for back-to-back conference road games against programs ranked among the Top 10 of the final FCS polls. Northern Arizona returns to Sacramento State on Sept. 30 looking to snap a two-game losing streak to the Hornets. Last playing in 2021, Northern Arizona will take on a Sacramento State program coming off a 12-1 record and an appearance in the FCS quarterfinals.
Sacramento State has won at least a share of the past three conference championships awarded in the fall with a 16-0 record in conference games over the past two seasons.
Northern Arizona will then take on the Weber State Wildcats in the second edition of the Red Rock Rivalry, the first in Ogden since the introduction of the new rivalry trophy.
Falling to the Wildcats 33-31 to conclude the 2022 season, the Lumberjacks will look to gain possession of the Red Rock Rivalry Trophy for the first time on Oct. 7. Northern Arizona will look to snap a three-game losing streak to Weber State, who finished this past fall 10-3 with an appearance in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Lumberjacks won four straight from 2014 to 2018, including two games on the road in the series.
Returning home for nearly a month, Northern Arizona will host two games around a bye week in October. Taking on the Portland State Vikings
on Oct. 14 for Family Weekend, the Lumberjacks will also look to bounce back from a 35-27 loss this past fall. Leading the all-time series 18-6, Northern Arizona has won four straight in Flagstaff dating back to the 2008 season.
The Lumberjacks have won eight of the past 10 meetings with the Vikings, with four-game win streaks halted by a lone win for Portland State since 2007.
After both remaining idle on Oct. 21, the Lumberjacks and the UC Davis Aggies will face off at Findlay Toyota Field
on Oct. 28 for Homecoming Weekend and Native American Heritage Day. It will be the third consecutive season with the programs facing off with the Aggies entering the game on a three-game win streak in the series. This past fall, UC Davis won 56-27 in California and won 40-24 in Flagstaff during the 2021 season as the Aggies hold a 14-9 record over the past two seasons.
Tying for the Big Sky Conference championship with Sacramento State, the Montana State Bobcats finished the 2022 season 12-2 and reached the FCS semifinals.
Hosting the Lumberjacks on Nov. 4 in Bozeman, the Bobcats hold a two-game win streak in the all-time series that the Lumberjacks lead 27-25. Northern Arizona last won in Bozeman during the 2016 season and are 3-3 on the road in the series since 2007.
Finishing up their home schedule against the Northern Colorado Bears
on Nov. 11 for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day, Northern Arizona will look to continue the common trend in the all-time series. Northern Arizona has won nine straight home games against Northern Colorado, with the home team winning the past nine games in the series.
The Bears have won the past two games, coming in 2021 and 2022, as the programs have faced off in every fall season since 2006. Northern Arizona has scored at least 34 points in six of seven home games against Northern Colorado since the Bears joined the Big Sky.
Northern Arizona will finish its 2023 regular season with a trip to Cheney, Wash. to face the Eastern Washington Eagles on Nov. 18. Losing four straight in the series, Northern Arizona's last win came in Cheney, 52-30, during the 2015 season. The teams last met during the Spring 2021 season in Cheney, with the 2023 meeting being the third consecutive game at Eastern Washington in the all-time series.
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2023 NAU Football Home Dates and Themes
Sept. 16– vs. Utah Tech – Running of the Freshmen
Sept. 23 – vs. Montana – Hispanic Heritage Day
Oct. 14 – vs. Portland State – Family Weekend
Oct. 28 – vs. UC Davis – Homecoming Weekend/Native American Heritage Day
Nov. 11 – vs. Northern Colorado – Senior Day/Military Appreciation Day
