STEPHEN F. AUSTIN at SMU
Saturday, Sept. 2 • 7 p.m. • ESPN3
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000/FieldTurf)
Dallas, Texas
Television
ESPN3
Dave Raymond and Jay Taylor
Radio
KTCK-FM 96.7 (SMU flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between Stephen F. Austin and SMU … The first matchup was in the 2009 season-opener as the Mustangs were 31-23 winners … SMU took a 56-0 win in 2012 to build a 2-0 series lead … SMU has split its last two matchups against FCS opponents.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
0-0, 0-0 Southland
Head Coach
Clint Conque (Nicholls ’83)
17-18, fourth season at Stephen F. Austin
122-77, 18th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Stephen F. Austin went 5-6 in 2016 as the Lumberjacks dropped five of their last seven games to close the year … .The Lumberjacks have 13 starters back from last year, but will need to replace their starting quarterback and running back … The two returning quarterbacks have thrown a combined four passes … SFA added QB Foster Sawyer, a transfer from TCU, but Sawyer has been sidelined with a knee injury in training camp and may not be available for the season-opener … Sawyer played the final series for TCU against SMU last season, completing his only pass attempt … The Lumberjacks are looking to return to the NCAA FCS Championship for the first time since 2014 … SFA has made seven NCAA appearances in its history, including a national championship game showing in 1989.
SMU
0-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Chad Morris (Texas A&M ’92)
7-17, third season
Notes
SMU improved by three wins from 2015 to 2016 as the Mustangs finished at 5-7 … SMU is hoping that the upward trend continues as the Mustangs look for their first bowl appearance since 2012 … SMU has nine returning starters on offense — a unit that averaged 427.2 yards and 27.7 points per game last season … WR Courtland Sutton was an Associated Press second-team preseason All-America selection on the heels of his 2016 season, when he had 76 catches for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns … QB Ben Hicks was thrust into a starting role as a true freshman last year and showed demonstrated improvement through the season … Hicks threw for 2,930 yards and 19 touchdowns with 15 interceptions … DE Justin Lawler was a first-team all-conference pick last season … The Mustangs led The American with 18 interceptions in 2016.