Lumberjacks face challenge in first road game of season
The NAU football team faced a big test in their home and season opener against Sam Houston last week.
The Lumberjacks face another challenge in their first road game of the season on Saturday.
After falling to Sam Houston, the defending FCS champion last week, 42-16, NAU (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky) faces South Dakota at 11 a.m.
The Coyotes (0-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), coached by Bob Nielson, nearly beat Kansas last week on the road in their season opener before falling, 17-14.
“They are very physical. Watching them, they play a very physical brand of football,” NAU coach Chris Ball of South Dakota. “They are very well coached, he does a great, great job with them and he is building the program.”
South Dakota's defense could test the Lumberjacks.
Allowing just 24 points per game in the spring and 17 to Kansas last week, South Dakota hasn’t allowed an opponent to break 30 points since No. 1 North Dakota State scored 49 in the penultimate game of the 2019 season. That average would have ranked fourth in the Big Sky during the 2019 season and third among teams playing at least two games last spring.
NAU will look to take care of the ball better than it did against Sam Houston.
Northern Arizona’s own turnovers or missed scoring opportunities opened the door for Sam Houston, which scored 21 points off turnovers or missed field goals last week.
“It’s five to eight plays a game ... That’s why the emphasis is every rep counts in practice,” Ball said. “We are trying to stay healthy and keep our guys fresh, so we have done things differently practice-wise which puts a lot more emphasis on your reps. What the kids need to understand is, it comes down to five to eight plays that change the game.”
The game will be available to stream through ESPN+ and also air on the Lumberjack Radio Network and at NAUAthletics.com/listen.