Houston Christian Falls 37-6 at No. 2 Stephen F. Austin as the Jacks' Defense Records Eight Sacks
The Huskies drove to the Stephen F. Austin 5-yard line in the first half and got two field goals from Lukasz Smolen, but the nation's No. 2 FCS team scored 13 points in 50 seconds in the third quarter and pulled away, 37-6, in Nacogdoches.
NACOGDOCHES - Houston Christian's best chance came early, and No. 2 Stephen F. Austin spent the rest of Saturday afternoon making sure it was the Huskies' only one. The Lumberjacks beat HCU 37-6 at Homer Bryce Stadium behind a defense that set season highs with eight sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 10 passes defended.
HCU's opening drive covered 42 yards before a 48-yard field goal missed, and the Huskies later pushed the ball to the SFA 5 before settling for a 23-yard field goal - their only points of the first half. Jaylen Jenkins opened the scoring on a seven-yard run late in the first quarter, and Gavin Rutherford's 35-yard touchdown pass to Clayton Wayland late in the second stretched the lead before halftime.
The game broke open in a 50-second span of the third quarter. After an SFA score 26 seconds into the half made it 24-3 and Lukasz Smolen answered with a 43-yard field goal - matching his season best - to cut it to 24-6, Wayland scored on a 46-yard catch and Makai Frisby returned an interception for a touchdown on the next series: 13 points in 50 seconds, and 37-6. Wayland finished with six catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns, and HCU became the sixth opponent SFA has held under 100 rushing yards.
Stephen F. Austin improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Southland Conference, and its 13th straight home win ties the program record set from 2019 to 2022. Houston Christian falls to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in league play, and comes home for its Homecoming game against McNeese next Saturday at 4 p.m. at Husky Stadium.
