| Northern Arizona vs. Northern Colorado |
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Nov. 10, 2023) – For one last time in 2023, the Northern Arizona University football team takes to Findlay Toyota Field inside of the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz., for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day against Northern Colorado.
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Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Mountain Standard time on Nov. 11, with the game broadcast on ESPN+ and on the Northern Arizona Healthcare NAU Lumberjack Radio Network with Mitch Strohman, Kevin Stephens, and Ava Nichols on the call.
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After playing two-straight ranked opponents and six total on the season, the Lumberjacks get a break from a ranked foe and welcome the 0-9 (0-6 Big Sky Conference) Bears to town. All three of Northern Arizona's wins (3-6 overall, 3-3 Big Sky) have come over ranked conference opponents.
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Prior to the game, the Lumberjacks will honor 16 seniors, several of which were a part of head coach
Chris Ball's first recruiting class. The 16 include
TC Carey,
Mark Ho Ching,
Shawn Dourseau,
Dimitri Georgiadis,
Hendrix Johnson,
Krikour Koustanian,
Eloi Kwete,
Heston Lameta,
Que Baker-McCaulay,
Dawson McPeak,
Marcus Phillips Jr.,
George Steele,
Jeff Widener,
Eriq Williams,
Jhasi Wilson and
Alec Wyble-Meza.
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Johnson, who has played in and started all 48 games as a Lumberjack, has a chance to make history during his final game inside the Skydome. He enters Saturday with 198 career receptions, needing just four more to break Shawn Collins's school record of 201 set in 1985-88. Additionally, he currently sits in fifth all-time for career receiving yards with 2,620 needing 60 more to move into fourth.
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Northern Arizona is coming off a 45-21 loss at No. 6/8 Montana State last week. Quarterback
Angel Flores earned his first career start, but it was fellow quarterback
Daniel Britt who provided the spark off the bench. Britt came in a threw two touchdown passes, a 12-yard reception to
Coleman Owen to solidify his place in NAU's receiving touchdown career top-ten, and a 43-yard pass to
Xander Werner for his first career score. Britt was also Northern Arizona's leading rusher with 41 yards on five carries.
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Continuing on the offensive side of the ball, Owen leads NAU with 562 receiving yards on 48 catches with four touchdown receptions, plus a punt return for a touchdown.
Devon Starling has rushed for a team-high 525 net yards on 112 carries plus four rushing scores.
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Eloi Kwete, who became NAU's all-time sack leader against UC Davis with 24 in his career, leads the league with eight sacks on the year. True freshman
Alex McLaughlin, who is on the Jerry Rice Award Watchlist, has racked up 58 tackles to lead the team and has three interceptions on the year.
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As a team, the Lumberjacks put up 352.2 yards of total offense while allowing 402.7.
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Northern Arizona leads the all-time series with the Bears, 15-7, but have lost two-straight. Both losses, one which was decided in overtime and the other by a point, happened in Greeley as the Bears have never won in Flagstaff. A win on Saturday would mark the first for NAU over UNC since the 2019 season. The Lumberjacks have scored at least 34 points in six of seven home games against the Bears.
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Much like Northern Arizona, the Bears have also played six ranked opponents this season. In conference action, UNC allows just 29.2 points per game and are led by Jordan Knapke who ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 63 total tackles. David Afari ranks seventh in the conference with 589 rushing yards, good for 4.5 yards per carry, while Blake Haggerty is the team's top receiver with 385 yards. Jacob Simon has spent most of the time at quarterback, completing nearly 60 percent of his pass attempts.
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The final week of the regular season takes Northern Arizona to Eastern Washington on Saturday, Nov. 18, to conclude the year. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Mountain Standard time at Roos Field in Cheney, Wash. The Lumberjacks have lost four-straight to the Eagles and haven't won in Cheney since 2015. EWU is currently 4-5 overall and 3-3 in Big Sky play, taking on Montana State in Bozeman on Saturday.
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