FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (September 2, 2025) – In the first of six home games this fall, No. 19/19 Northern Arizona hosts Utah Tech in its 2025 home opener at Findlay Toyota Field at the Walkup Skydome on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Broadcast and streamed live on ESPN+, the game will also be broadcast on the Northern Arizona Healthcare NAU Lumberjack Radio Network with
Mitch Strohman, Kevin Stephens and Adriana Sparks on the call. The NAU Lumberjack Radio Network pregame show begins at 1 p.m.
NAU is riding a seven-game winning streak in the Walkup Skydome dating back to its last two home games of the 2023 season. A victory on Saturday would tie the program's longest winning streak in the Skydome of eight, achieved between the 1978 and 1979 seasons.
Last season, the Lumberjacks posted their third undefeated home record in program history, going 5-0 in Flagstaff. Previously, NAU posted a 5-0 record in the Skydome in 1978 and 2015.
"I was really pleased with our community and the way they came out for our last home game last year against Eastern Washington," said head coach Brian Wright. "We had an opportunity to go undefeated and to go to the playoffs and our community showed up. I hope they'll build off of that and come see a great group of people working extremely hard to put a good product on the field."
Season tickets for the Lumberjacks' six-game home schedule, highlighted by three teams currently ranked in the top 25, are available. Fans can purchase their season tickets, along with single-game tickets and a variety of ticket plans by clicking this link.
The Lumberjacks welcome Utah Tech to Flagstaff for the third time in program history with the teams splitting the previous two meetings in the Skydome. The Trailblazers won the previous meeting in Flagstaff, 50-36, in 2023. NAU owns the 2-1 all-time series lead, including a 45-17 road win last season, against a future Big Sky Conference foe. The Trailblazers, along with Southern Utah, are joining the Big Sky Conference as full members beginning July 1, 2026.
NAU held steady at No. 19 in this week's Stats Perform FCS Top 25, while it dropped a spot to No. 19 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll following a season-opening 38-19 loss to No. 11/11 Arizona State last week. The Lumberjacks fell behind, 14-0, early before heading into the halftime trailing 17-6. NAU remained within two possessions until midway through the third quarter.
The Lumberjacks totaled 331 yards of offense in Week 1, spurred by 242 yards in the air. Through the first week of the season, NAU ranks 29th in the FCS in passing offense. Ty Pennington threw for 204 yards and a touchdown to Nason Coleman. Coleman, who notched his first career reception and touchdown, was one of 11 different Lumberjacks to catch a pass last week.
Kolbe Katsis and Jayson Raines led the receiving committee by accounting for the bulk of the receiving production. The pair combined for 11 receptions and 147 yards. Katsis also added 80 yards in the return game, pushing his all-purpose yard total to 156 to lead all players last Saturday.
Defensively, Ramere Davis paced the Lumberjacks with a career-high nine tackles and Michael Beresford recorded both a forced fumble and an interception. After the first week of the season, Beresford is one of five players in the FCS with both a forced fumble and a pick.
"We battled, we played together, played extremely hard and we never flinched," Wright said. "We got down early and kept sticking with the game plan. We played some good football – not great football – but good football and there are a lot of good things to build off of."
Despite coming off a 1-11 season in 2024, Utah Tech nearly pulled off a Week 1 upset. The Trailblazers held a 24-7 lead over No. 8/7 UC Davis midway through the third quarter before the Aggies rallied with 24 unanswered points to prevail, 31-24.
Bronson Barben earned the start at quarterback against UC Davis and threw for 222 yards and two interceptions. Reggie Graff came into the game and completed 4-of-5 passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns. Together, the duo propelled the Trailblazers to the 16th leading passing offense in the FCS at 272 yards after the first week of the season.
Utah Tech brought the pressure on UC Davis, totaling six sacks as a team, the third-highest total nationally last week. Dallin Havea recorded two of the half-dozen sacks and led the team with eight total tackles.
Utah Tech played a clean game in terms of penalties, only committing three. The Trailblazers were also effective on third down, converting 7-of-16 (46.7%), ranking them 27th in the FCS.
NAU is 81-26-2 (.759) all-time in home openers, including a 66-6 victory over Lincoln last season. In its last three home-opening victories, the Lumberjacks are averaging 45.7 points per game.
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