Backup QB Jake Blumrick leads SFA Lumberjacks by ACU

Published 10:18 pm Saturday, September 22, 2018

By Kevin Gore, Sports Correspondent

SFA Athletics/File PhotoSFA quarterback Jake Blumrick (10) fires down field as ACU's Corey Smith (52) rushes Sept. 22 at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdochces. The Lumberjacks lost to Lamar, 24-17, on Saturday.

NACOGDOCHES — The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks found their missing offense in their belated home opener Saturday night.
Along with the offense came finding the win column for the first time this season.
Putting a frustrating 0-2 start behind them that also included a rainout of the Sept. 8 home opener with Tarleton, the Lumberjacks defeated Abilene Christian 24-21 at Homer Bryce Stadium.
SFA accumulated 365 yards offense, led by backup quarterback Jake Blumrick’s 258 yards passing and one touchdown pass.
Playing in place of starter Foster Sawyer, Blumrick was 26-of-38 passing, including a 17-yard scoring toss to Remi Simmons.
Simmons, a sophomore transfer from Garden City Community College in Kansas, caught seven passes for 72 yards.
Overall, SFA’s receivers had several strong performances.
Junior Tamrick Pace, from Brownsboro, had five receptions for 72 yards, and senior Terian Goree, a former high school star at Carthage, added five catches for 56 yards.
Sawyer sat out the game after leaving last week’s loss to Incarnate Word with an injury, reportedly related to concussion symptoms.
SFA rushed for 107 yards, including 55 yards on 10 carries by Josh McGowen.
The Lumberjacks also made some key plays on defense, the biggest being an eight-yard fumble return for a touchdown  by Trenton Gordon in the second half that extended SFA’s lead to 17-7.
SFA’s final score was an eight-yard run by backup quarterback Josh Covey with 11:34 left in the game for a 24-14 lead.
ACU (2-2) made it 24-21 lead on Josh Fink’s 2-yard catch from quarterback Luke Anthony with 1:24 left.
SFA then recovered the on-side kick and ran out the clock.
 
Anthony was 28-of-43 for 283 yards with one TD pass and an interception.
SFA held the Wildcats to 54 yards rushing. ACU missed three field goals.
SFA totaled just 619 yards total offense in its first two games, losses to Mississippi State and Incarnate Word.
 
But against ACU, the Lumberjacks were 7-of-17 on third down, kept the ball for more than 33 minutes and were 3-for-3 on red-zone scoring opportunities.



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