SFA knocks off ACU, 41-38, on a wild night in Nacogdoches

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – On an unbelievably wild night in the Piney Woods of East Texas, Stephen F. Austin and ACU put on a show in a non-conference game at Homer Bryce Stadium.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, it was the Lumberjacks who struck the final blow, winning the game, 41-38, on a 51-yard field goal by Chris Campos on an untimed down on the game's final play. That field capped a bizarre final 20 seconds in which each team had the chance to win the game on a field goal. 

The Wildcats – who trailed 21-0 early in the second quarter – had the ball with 3:46 left in the game and the score tied, 38-38, needing just a field goal to win the game. ACU moved as far as the SFA 49 before being forced to punt, giving the ball back to SFA with 59 seconds left.

But on the Lumberjacks' second play of the drive, ACU defensive back Patrick Jolly picked off a Trae Self pass over the middle, giving the ball back to the offense at the ACU 41 with 38 seconds left in the game. After a 5-yard run by ACU quarterback Maverick McIvor moved the ball to the 46, he hit senior wide receiver Kobe Clark with a 17-yard pass to the SFA 37 with 14 seconds to play.

That reception gave Clark nine catches for the night and 236 for his career, moving past current ACU assistant coach Jerale Badon (235 catches from 2004-07) and making him the program's all-time leader in receptions.

ACU tried to get a couple of extra yards on the next play, but McIvor's pass was incomplete, leaving four seconds on the clock and the Wildcats at the 37-yard line. Blair Zepeda came out to try a 54-yard game-winning field goal, but it was well short and returned by SFA All-American wide receiver Xavier Gipson.

Gipson returned the ball to the ACU 49-yard line, and the Lumberjacks got a huge break when the Wildcats were flagged for a horse-collar tackle on the sideline, pushing the ball to the ACU 34-yard line. With one untimed down available, SFA sent Campos onto the field, and he hammered home the game-winning field goal from 51 yards out, sending the Lumberjacks onto the field in celebration and the Wildcats to the locker room in disbelief.

After being outplayed for the first 17:29 of the game and falling behind 21-0, the Wildcats were thoroughly dominating, outscoring the Lumberjacks 38-20 behind sophomore running back Jermiah Dobbins, who carried the ball 31 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns, the second straight game in which he's scored three times. McIvor was terrific as he completed 24 of 45 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns, one to Tristan Golightly and the other to Clark.

ACU (4-2 overall) finally tied the game at 31-31 late in the third quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Zepeda. SFA went back in front 38-31 with 11:04 left in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard run by Self before the Wildcats tied the game at 38-38 on a 3-yard run by Dobbins with 6:28 left in the game.

That set up the wild final minutes of the game that gave SFA (3-3) its third straight win over the Wildcats. This game was a non-conference game, but the teams will meet on Nov. 19 at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium in a Western Athletic Conference game that could have conference title and potential FCS playoff implications.

GAME SUMMARY

How They Scored

1Q (9:41) – Stephen F. Austin won the opening coin toss and moved smartly to an opening-drive touchdown. Quarterback Trae Self kept the drive alive with a 1-yard run on fourth-and-1 at the ACU 23. The Lumberjacks capped the drive four plays later on a 10-yard touchdown run by Jerrel Wimberly.

Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:19. 

Scoring Play: Jerrel Wimberly 10 run (Chris Campos kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 7, ACU 0

1Q (5:08) – ACU went three-and-out on its opening possession, and SFA's Ty Love blocked Logan Burkes' punt, giving the Lumberjacks the ball at ACU's 37. It didn't take long for SFA to push its lead to two scores. The Lumberjacks needed just six plays to score as the drive was capped on a 5-yard scoring pass from Trae Self to Moe Wedman.

Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 2:27. 

Scoring Play: Moe Wedman 5 pass from Trae Self (Chris Campos kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 14, ACU 0

2Q (12:31) – SFA had two big plays in the scoring drive, including a 27-yard pass from Trae Self to Xavier Gipson in the first half. Later in the drive, Self hit Gipson for 18 yards on third-and-2 down to the ACU 19-yard line. The Lumberjacks scored four plays later on a 2-yard run by Miles Reed.

Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 4:45. 

Scoring Play: Miles Reed 2 run (Chris Campos kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 21, ACU 0

2Q (10:04) – The Wildcats got on the board, thanks to their most consistent offensive weapon the last two weeks: sophomore running back Jermiah Dobbins, the reigning TicketSmarter WAC Offensive Player of the Week. On the sixth play of ACU's third drive of the night, Dobbins – who ran for 130 yards and three scores in last week's win at Utah Tech – got into the open field and scored from 46 yards out, his longest career run.

Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 2:21. 

Scoring Play: Jermiah Dobbins 46 run (Blair Zepeda kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 21, ACU 7

2Q (5:56) – The Lumberjacks responded to ACU's first scoring drive by pushing down the field for a Chris Campos field. The Lumberjacks' drive covered 57 yards in six plays, the biggest a 48-yard pass from Trae Self to Xavier Gipson to the ACU 12-yad line. But the Wildcats' defense stiffened in the Red Zone, forcing SFA to settle for a 22-yard field goal.

Drive: 6 plays, 57 yards, 2:05. 

Scoring Play: Chris Campos 22 field goal

Score: Stephen F. Austin 24, ACU 7

2Q (2:34) – The Wildcats answered the SFA field goal with their second touchdown drive of the night. ACU overcame a third-and-7 near midfield when Maverick McIvor hit Kobe Clark for nine yards, and then took advantage of a pass interference penalty on SFA on fourth-and-3 from the SFA 35 to keep the drive alive. On the second play after the penalty, McIvor hit Tristan Golightly for a 30-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 3:14. 

Scoring Play: Tristan Golightly 30 pass from Maverick McIvor (Blair Zepeda kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 24, ACU 14

2Q (0:03) – The Wildcats – who trailed 21-0 early in the second quarter – pulled to within three points at halftime with a 65-yard touchdown drive just before halftime. After the defense forced an SFA punt after the touchdown pass to Golightly, the ACU offense returned to work with 1:40 left in the half. Jeremiah Dobbins ripped off an 18-yard run on the first play of the drive, followed by an 11-yard scramble by Maverick McIvor. Later in the drive, McIvor hit Kobe Clark for 13 yards to the SFA 19 on third-and-6. Two plays later, McIvor hit Golightly – who made a spectacular catch – down to the 4-yard line and ACU called its final timeout with eight seconds left in the half. On first-and-goal, McIvor hit Clark from four yards out for a touchdown that cut SFA's halftime lead to 24-21.

Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 1:37. 

Scoring Play: Kobe Clark 4 pass from Maverick McIvor (Blair Zepeda kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 24, ACU 21

3Q (10:48) – The Wildcats received the opening kickoff and were moving toward points, but Maverick McIvor was intercepted on a deep ball, and it was returned to the ACU 18 by Bruce Harmon. Jerrel Wimbley went for 19 yards on the first play of the drive before Trae Self and Xavier Gipson connected on passes of 8 and 25 yards on the next two plays. Two plays later, Wimbley scored from 30 yards out, putting a quick end to the touchdown drive.

Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards. 

Scoring Play: Jerrel Wimbley 30 run (Chris Campos kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 31, ACU 21

3Q (10:48) – The Wildcats responded once again, moving 75 yards in 10 plays to another Jermiah Dobbins touchdown run, this time from 1 yard out. Maverick McIvor hit Blayne Taylor 23 yards on the drive, and then connected with freshman tight end Colt Cooper for a 23-yard gain down to the SFA 2-yard line. Dobbins scored two plays later to cut SFA's lead back to three points.

Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:44. 

Scoring Play: Jeremiah Dobbins 1 run (Blair Zepeda kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 31, ACU 28

3Q (1:59) – ACU's defense got its first turnover of the night, and the ACU offense capitalized. The Wildcats got the ball back when Tyrin Bradley sacked SFA quarterback Trae Self, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jordan Paup at the SFA 35-yard line. Maverick McIvor had the biggest play of the drive when he scrambled for 21 yards to the SFA 18 on third-and-14. The drive stalled at the SFA 7-yard line before Blair Zepeda hit a 24-yard field goal to get the game tied, 31-31.

Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards, 3:23. 

Scoring Play: Blair Zepeda 24 field goal

Score: Stephen F. Austin 31, ACU 31

4Q (11:04) – Stephen F. Austin blocked its second punt of the night, this time by Ja'Terio Evans, and the ball went out of bounds on the ACU 37-yard line. On second-and-8 from the ACU 22, Jerrel Wimbley went up the middle for 18 yards to the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Trae Self scored from four yards out to put the Lumberjacks back in front in the back-and-forth battle.

Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 1:27. 

Scoring Play: Trae Self 4 run (Chris Campos kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 38, ACU 31

4Q (6:28) – The Wildcats – as they did all night – got off the mat and drove the field to tie the game once again. The drive's key play was a 27-yard run by Jermiah Dobbins on third-and-3 from the ACU 46-yard line. However, Dobbins fumbled at the end of the run, but it was recovered by ACU's Blayne Taylor to keep possession with the Wildcats. Three plays later, Dobbins went 15 yards on third-and-4 to the SFA 1-yard line. Two plays later, Dobbins scored from 3 yards out and after Blair Zepeda's PAT, the game was tied 38-38.

Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:36. 

Scoring Play: Jermiah Dobbins 3 run (Blair Zepeda kick)

Score: Stephen F. Austin 38, ACU 38

4Q (0:00) – The Lumberjacks struck the final blow in this wild contest at the end of a bizarre final 2 minutes as Chris Campos hit a 51-yard field goal on an untimed down to give SFA a 41-38 win, extending its winning streak at Homer Bryce Stadium to 12 games.

Drive: 1 play, 0 yards, 0:00. 

Scoring Play: Chris Campos 51 field goal

Score: Stephen F. Austin 41, ACU 38

KEY STAT

Jermiah Dobbins is the first player in ACU's NCAA Division I era (since 2013) to have three straight 100-yard rushing games. The last time ACU had a player rush for 100-plus yards in three straight games was Reggie Brown in 2009: 106 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville on Oct. 31, 104 at Midwestern State on Nov. 7, and 116 at Midwestern State in an NCAA Division II first-round playoff win on Nov. 14.

POST-GAME NOTES

• Stephen F. Austin quarterback Trae Self was 10 for 10 for 93 yards and one touchdown in the first quarter. He started the game 12 for 12 and didn't throw his first incompletion until there were a little more than 12 minutes left in the first half.

• SFA led ACU 14-0 at the end of the first quarter, meaning ACU has now been outscored 59-20 by opponents in the first quarter this season. But ACU outscored SFA 21-10 in the second quarter, giving the Wildcats a 55-26 advantage over opponents in that quarter through five games.

• With his 73 receiving yards Saturday night, senior Kobe Clark now has 2,550 career receiving yards, pushing him past the late Johnny Perkins (2,529 yards from 1974-76) for fourth on ACU's all-time receiving yards list.

• With his eight points scored Saturday night against SFA, senior placekicker Blair Zepeda now has 215 career points, moving him into ninth place on ACU's all-time scoring list. He passed former running back Charcandrick West (210 points from 2010-13) for ninth on the all-time list.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats will be back in action next Saturday at 3:25 p.m. when it hosts Southern Utah in the annual Homecoming contest at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium. The Wildcats are 55-35-1 all-time on Homecoming and have won three straight Homecoming contests. ACU is 6-2 in Homecoming games in its NCAA Division I era (since 2013) with the 2020 game having been canceled because of COVID.

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