FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 29, 2026) – Down 24-3, the Northern Arizona football team never flinched. In the end, the No. 25/24 Lumberjacks started the 2026 season in winning fashion, downing Eastern Washington, 34-27, on Saturday.
 
"I'm really proud of this football team," said head coach Brian Wright. "It was a hard-fought game and I thought Eastern Washington had a great gameplan. We hung in there and showed resilience. It was a quality team win. It took everyone. It took some tough rushing yards, some big plays in the passing game and a couple of big defensive stands."
 
The Lumberjacks received a spark from true freshman Lindsey Graves, who on his second career touch, found a lane and raced down the right sideline for a 100-yard kickoff return to immediately answer the Eagles' third touchdown drive of the first half.
 
After Graves' return injected energy into the crowd at Findlay Toyota Field at the Walkup Skydome, Jahaad Fort picked off Nate Bell, giving NAU possession at the Eagles' 35-yard line. Six plays later, Quran Gossett punched in a touchdown from two yards out, for NAU's second touchdown in less than three minutes and propelling the Lumberjacks into halftime trailing only 24-17.
 
"We needed a spark and Lindsey gave us that," said Jeter Purdy, who led the Lumberjacks with a career-best seven receptions for 105 yards. "We never got down. We knew we were going to come back, but Lindsey popped it off and it kickstarted it. The defense got a stop, we score a touchdown and we're back in the ball game."
 
NAU snapped a 20-game losing streak when trailing at halftime with the victory, its first when down at the half since Oct. 30, 2021 at Idaho.
 
Eastern Washington clearly controlled the first 27 minutes, scoring on four of its first five drives in building a 24-3 advantage. However, NAU scored 24 consecutive points and 31 of the last 34 to snatch victory away from the visitors.
 
The Lumberjacks took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter with 12:46 left on the clock when Ty Pennington connected with Purdy on a 30-yard score. Purdy, who hauled in all seven of his targets, gave NAU a 27-24 lead, only for Eastern Washington to march right down the field on the ensuing drive and tie the game with a 37-yard field goal from Soren McKee.
 
Undeterred, Gossett shouldered the offense on an eventual game-winning 11-play, 75-yard drive spanning more than six minutes. Gossett racked up 61 of his 103 yards rushing on five carries on the drive, which set up a short 2-yard scoring toss from Pennington to Nassim Isaac with 3:54 remaining. The reception and touchdown on 4th-and-goal were the first of Isaac's career.
 
"We've practiced that play many times and once it was called, I knew I had to do my 1/11th and get to my spot," Isaac said. "I trust (Ty) to make the right throw, the right decision and it was an amazing feeling."
 
NAU forced a 3-and-out on the next Eastern Washington drive, but could not close out the game on offense, giving the Eagles one more drive with 1:52 to go. The Eagles needed just three plays to get into Lumberjack territory and another two plays to move inside the 10-yard line. However, NAU's defense sealed the victory with three stops in the redzone, the last of which resulted in Bell's pass soaring into the back of the endzone.
 
The Lumberjacks were outgained offensively, 429-365, but held the ball for nearly four minutes more than the Eagles winning the pivotal time of possession battle. NAU found success on the ground, particularly in the second half, and wound up with 201 yards rushing at 5.0 yards per carry.
 
In addition to Gossett's 103 yards rushing, Pennington ran for 61 yards on eight carries and Kenveon Stone added a career-best 38 yards. Pennington threw for 164 yards and two touchdowns, completing 15-of-27 passes.
 
Defensively, a trio of newcomers – Jackson Murray, Shoes Brinkley and Bryson Torrie – led the Lumberjacks with nine tackles apiece. Francisco Orduno Jr. was perfect in his debut, splitting the uprights on a pair of field goals and making all four of his extra point attempts.
 
NAU travels to Tucson, Ariz. to face Arizona next Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6:30 p.m. MST.
 
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