McNeese vs Stephen F. Austin

McNeese struck first on its opening drive. Quarterback Jake Strong hit Elisha Edwards for a 45-yard touchdown pass, capping a 5-play, 75-yard march that took just 2:41 off the clock.

SFA answered immediately. Rutherford found Bugs Mortimer for a 37-yard touchdown strike on a 4-play, 82-yard response, tying the game 7-7 with 10:58 left in the first quarter. The Lumberjacks then took the lead after a Jake Strong fumble was recovered by Lowote Jurkin at the McNeese 20-yard line. SFA turned the short field into a 31-yard Carlos Alvarado field goal, making it 10-7.

The second quarter belonged entirely to SFA. Rutherford led a 7-play, 68-yard drive capped by Jaylen Jenkins' 1-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 17-7. The Lumberjacks added another score before halftime — the AP report notes SFA returned a Strong interception for a touchdown — taking a 24-7 lead into the break after holding McNeese scoreless in the second quarter.

Rutherford opened the third quarter by hitting Clayton Wayland for a 35-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 31-7. Omiri Wiggins answered for McNeese with a 75-yard touchdown run on a 3-play drive, trimming the deficit to 31-13. But Rutherford capped a 7-play drive late in the third quarter with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Stetson Sarratt, making it 38-13.

McNeese mounted a fourth-quarter rally. Devin Lippold — who replaced Strong at quarterback — threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Wiggins, then scored on a 1-yard run himself. That cut the deficit to 38-27, but McNeese got no closer.

Strong's fumble late in the first quarter. With McNeese leading 7-0 and driving near midfield, Strong lost the ball on a scramble. Jurkin's recovery gave SFA possession at the McNeese 20-yard line. Though the Lumberjacks only managed a field goal, the turnover shifted momentum entirely. McNeese's offence failed to score again until the fourth quarter.

Gavin Rutherford (SFA): Completed 18 of 29 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns — to Mortimer (37 yards), Wayland (35) and Sarratt (33). A precise, downfield performance that kept McNeese's defence off balance.

Omiri Wiggins (MCN): Rushed for 126 yards on 12 carries (10.5 yards per carry), including a 75-yard touchdown run. Also caught a 7-yard touchdown pass.

Jaylen Jenkins (SFA): Carried 19 times for 82 yards and a 1-yard touchdown. Provided the ground-game balance that kept SFA's play-action effective.

Bugs Mortimer (SFA): Caught 2 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. His 37-yard grab was the equaliser that erased McNeese's early lead.

SFA outgained McNeese 429-407 in total yards, but the distribution reveals the decisive edge: SFA's 302 passing yards (to McNeese's 208) were the separator. The Lumberjacks converted all four of their fourth-down attempts while McNeese went 0-for-2. McNeese actually outrushed SFA 199-127, though 75 of those yards came on Wiggins' single third-quarter run. SFA collected 23 first downs to McNeese's 18, reflecting sustained drives versus explosive-but-intermittent possessions from the Cowboys.

SFA (1-0, 1-0 Southland) entered 2026 ranked No. 13 in the FCS Stats Perform Top 25 and validated that with a road conference win. The Lumberjacks host East Texas A&M on Sept. 5. McNeese (0-1, 0-1) opens with a home conference loss. The Cowboys travel next week seeking to clean up the turnovers that proved decisive.

SFA looked every bit like a Top-25 FCS side, jumping on McNeese early and never letting the Cowboys breathe. Rutherford's arm was the difference, and the Lumberjacks' defence forced the critical turnover that flipped the game. McNeese's fourth-quarter fight is a positive sign, but two first-half turnovers decided the outcome.