SFA Pulls Away From Abilene Christian, 26-7, for Historic 3-0 Start

ABILENE, Texas — Stephen F. Austin didn’t start Saturday night looking like the better football team.

It finished looking very much like it.

The Lumberjacks overcame a scoreless opening quarter and an early Abilene Christian lead, scoring 26 unanswered points to defeat the Wildcats 26-7 at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium.

The victory moved SFA to 3-0 and gave the Lumberjacks their first 3-0 start against Division I opponents since 1986, SFA’s first season competing at what was then the Division I-AA level. It is the program’s first 3-0 overall start since 2004.

The game was played in punishing September heat. The official game report listed the temperature at 98 degrees at the 7:02 p.m. kickoff, with sunny conditions and a southeast wind at 13 mph.

ACU, playing its 2026 home opener, struck first.

Quarterback John David Black directed a 10-play, 91-yard drive late in the opening quarter, finishing it with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Bryan Henry with 16 seconds remaining. The score gave the Wildcats a 7-0 advantage after a first quarter in which SFA struggled to establish its offense.

That advantage disappeared quickly.

On SFA’s first possession of the second quarter, quarterback Gavin Rutherford connected with Devaughn Mortimer for a 69-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7. The play opened a 20-point second quarter that changed the complexion of the game.

Rutherford followed with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Gerard Edimo, while Carlos Alvarado added field goals from 26 and 51 yards as the Lumberjacks carried a 20-7 lead into halftime.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but ACU had opportunities.

The Wildcats moved into SFA territory on each of their three possessions after halftime but failed to produce points. The Lumberjacks intercepted Black on one drive and repeatedly generated enough pressure to disrupt ACU’s offense.

SFA finally put the game away early in the fourth quarter. Rutherford capped a 92-yard drive with a 26-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 26-7 with 13:37 remaining.

The statistical difference was particularly pronounced on the ground.

SFA finished with 459 total yards, including 216 rushing, while holding ACU to 300 total yards and just 33 rushing yards. The Lumberjacks averaged 7.0 yards per play compared with 4.8 for the Wildcats and converted seven of 14 third downs. ACU converted four of 13.

Rutherford completed 17 of 31 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns without an interception and added 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jaylen Jenkins led SFA’s rushing attack with 87 yards on 13 carries, while Preston Alford added 73 yards on 13 attempts.

Mortimer caught six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Black finished 21-of-38 for 267 yards, one touchdown and one interception for ACU. Romelo Boykin led the Wildcats with six receptions for 77 yards, but the Wildcats struggled to complement the passing game with a sustained rushing attack.

SFA’s defensive pressure also became increasingly evident as the game progressed. The Lumberjacks recorded three sacks and held ACU scoreless over the final 45 minutes, shutting down several Wildcat possessions that crossed midfield.

The result also ended a significant run for Abilene Christian. The Wildcats entered Saturday having won 10 consecutive home games, the third-longest active home winning streak in the FCS.

The official attendance was announced at 7,739 for ACU’s first home game of the season.

For SFA, the night represented more than another early-season victory.

The Lumberjacks left Abilene unbeaten, with a 13-game regular-season winning streak and their first 3-0 start against Division I competition in four decades.

And after spending the opening quarter trying to find their footing, they spent the remaining three making sure Abilene Christian never found its way back into the game.