FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 26, 2025) – No. 19/18 Northern Arizona opens the 2025 season, 150 miles south of Flagstaff, in Tempe on Saturday at 7 p.m. MST. The Lumberjacks will face No. 11/11 Arizona State, the defending Big 12 champion, at Mountain America Stadium.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, while fans can catch
Mitch Strohman, Joe Gray and
James Malamas on the call on the Northern Arizona Healthcare NAU Lumberjack Radio Network.
Saturday marks the first time in program history that NAU and Arizona State will meet on the gridiron as nationally-ranked teams in their respective polls. It is also the second time, and first since 2016, that NAU is nationally-ranked going into Tempe. On the opposing sideline, No. 11/11 Arizona State is the highest-ranked FBS team NAU has faced in program history.
"In the state of Arizona, our program is being talked about and that is because of the work we've put in and our performance last year," said head coach Brian Wright. "Same with Arizona State. They have a preseason ranking because of all the success they had last year and the fact they are returning just about their whole football team outside of their running back. Both preseason rankings are a testament to the hard work both teams have put in, but once that ball is kicked off Saturday night, those rankings aren't going to matter to any of us until the final whistle blows at the end of the postseason."
The 2025 season marks the 110th in the NAU football history and optimism is high around the Lumberjacks following the program's first FCS Playoff appearance since 2017. NAU is coming off an 8-5 season with the eight wins marking the program's most since 2013. The Lumberjacks tied for third in the Big Sky last season with a 6-2 conference record.
"This is a group that is looking forward to playing as one," Wright said. "Through recruiting, our development and our strength program, I like to think we're a little bigger, faster and stronger this year. When you look at all three phases as a staff, we looked to make improvements in areas we felt we fell short last year. We're excited to implement some new schemes in all three phases of the game."
NAU is ranked No. 19 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 and No. 18 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. It marks the first time the Lumberjacks enter a season nationally-ranked since 2016.
The Lumberjacks were picked fourth in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches Poll and fifth in the Preseason Media Poll. In the coaches poll, NAU earned a first-place vote (Big Sky coaches could not vote for their own team) for the first time in seven years.
NAU returns a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball, including eight of 11 starters. Second-year NAU quarterback Ty Pennington headlines the 'Jacks on offense, earning a spot on the Preseason All-Conference Team. In addition to Pennington, NAU returns its top three rushers (Seth Cromwell, Pennington, Darvon Hubbard), its second-leading receiver (Kolbe Katsis) and three starting offensive lineman (Seth Smith, Ethan Kramer, Connor DePrez).
In his first season in Flagstaff, Pennington was named the Big Sky's Newcomer of the Year after throwing for 2,288 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also showcased his dual threat ability last season with 437 yards rushing and seven touchdowns on the ground.
On defense, NAU brings back six starters. Micah Carreon, who tied for the team-lead with 7.0 tackles-for-loss, was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team alongside Brandon Wong. Mikale Greer anchors the secondary after posting a team-leading four interceptions in 2024.
Pennington, Kramer and Smith are joined by Tausagafou Ho Ching and Quinlan Popham as the Lumberjacks' 2025 team captains for this season. Under the leadership of Wright, NAU is also the only team in the Big Sky to return its entire full-time coaching staff from a season ago.
Looking for its first FBS victory since 2021 – and its first-ever over a ranked FBS team – NAU will take on an Arizona State team that authored one of college football's memorable storylines from the 2024 season, going from being picked last in the 16-team Big 12 Conference to winning the league title in its debut season and earning the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff.
The Sun Devils posted an 11-3 record and earned a bye into the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl as the Big 12 champion. The 11 wins were one off the program record and the most by a Sun Devils team since going 11-1 in 1996.
Sam Leavitt, the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, quarterbacks the Sun Devils with lofty accolades. Leavitt, who was the second-highest graded freshman on either side of the football (88.9) in the FBS last season, set a school record for total offense by a freshman with 3,328 yards. He is on the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Davey O'Brien, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Manning Awards.
Although the Sun Devils lost Cam Skattebo, the fifth-place finisher in the 2024 Heisman Trophy voting, to the NFL, they do return Jordan Tyson, an AP Preseason First Team All-American. Tyson missed the Big 12 Championship and CFP Quarterfinal with an injury, but still managed to record over 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
When NAU squares off with Arizona State on Saturday, it will mark only the second time the Lumberjacks will face a Big 12 Conference opponent, with the first being Arizona last year in Tucson. The only other Power conference opponents NAU has faced are Oregon State (2001) and Ole Miss (2009).
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