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    SFA Travels to Hammond, La.
    Lumberjack football opens conference play against Southeastern Louisiana
    'Jacks open SLC play against SLU.
    'Jacks open SLC play against SLU.

    Oct. 4, 2007

    NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team (0-4) stays on the road this week as it will travel to Hammond, La., to open Southland Conference play against Southeastern Louisiana. The 'Jacks enter the game looking to put a disappointing non-conference slate behind them, and start the SLC schedule on a positive note. The game is slated to begin at 6 p.m., from Strawberry Stadium in Hammond. The Lions enter Saturday's contest 1-3 (.250) on the season, and are coming off a 35-27 setback at Tulane on Sept. 22. Saturday's game will mark the SLC opener for both teams.

    Saturday's game against Southeastern Louisiana will be the 11th meeting between the two schools on the gridiron. The Lumberjacks own a 5-4-1 (.550) all-time record against the Lions. The Lumberjacks are 3-0-1 all-time against the Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond (dating back to the 1981 season), and have won two of the last three games in the series, including a 35-10 decision in Hammond last season.

    SFA utilized a dominating ground attack to defeat the Lions. The 'Jacks racked up 308 yards of rushing behind a career performance from Louie Runnels. The Bellville native carried the ball 22 times for a career-high 205 yards and a touchdown. SFA finished the game with 402 yards of total offense, while holding the Lions to 176 total yards in the 35-10 victory.

    The Lumberjacks are 12-8 (.600) all-time in Southland Conference openers. SFA has won its past two conference openers, and five of its last six. Saturday's game marks the second consecutive season that SFA has started the conference season away from Nacogdoches, and the first time that it has faced the Lions in a league opener.

    Saturday's game will pit a Southeastern Louisiana starting offensive line that averages 6-3, 309 pounds, against a young Lumberjack starting defensive line that averages 6-2, 256 pounds. The Lumberjacks' offensive line enters the game averaging 6-4, 298 pounds. The Lions defensive line averages 6-2, 251 pounds.

    J.C. Harper became the 18th head coach of the SFA Lumberjack football team in December, 2006. Harper spent the past two seasons as the 'Jacks' defensive coordinator, turning the SFA defense into one of the top units in the conference. He is currently 0-4 in his first season as head coach. Southeastern Louisiana head coach Mike Lucas is entering his first full season with the Lions. Lucas took over for the Lions' program two-thirds of the way through the 2006 season on an interim basis. He was named as the full-time head coach following the season. Lucas is currently 1-6 (.143) with the Lions.