FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Northern Arizona plays its fourth road game in six weeks Saturday when it visits Sacramento State for a game scheduled to kick off at 6:05 p.m.
The Lumberjacks, at 4-2 overall, are ranked No. 19 in this week's The Sports Network media poll and No. 21 in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision coaches poll. The Hornets enter at 3-3 overall but 2-0 in the Big Sky.
NAU will be seeking its second straight win over Sacramento State. The two teams last met in 2011, when the Lumberjacks came away with a 27-26 road victory. Prior to that, the Hornets had won two straight in the series.
NAU is 1-1 in Big Sky play after defeating Montana at home two weeks ago and losing to Montana State on the road last week.
The Lumberjacks are led offensively by senior running back Zach Bauman, who became the first NAU player to reach 4,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 28 and now ranks second on the school's career all-purpose yards list with 5,113. Sophomore quarterback Kyren Poe has struggled somewhat in his first season as the starter, going 99 for 168 with two touchdowns and five interceptions. His top targets have been sophomore wideout Alex Holmes, who has a team-high 23 catches, and junior Dezjon Walker, who has nine receptions and both of the team's receiving scores.
NAU leads the Big Sky in both total defense (326.4) and pass defense (164.0) and has intercepted four passes, with all four being returned for touchdowns.
Sacramento State, led by seventh-year coach Marshall Sperbeck, is one of just five teams unbeaten in Big Sky play.
Quarterback Garrett Safron has accounted for much of the Hornets' offense this season, completing 138 of 219 passes with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Safron's top three targets have been Morris Norrise (356 yards), DeAndre
Carter (422 yards) and Shane Harrison (274 yards). Carter leads the
group with 10 receiving touchdowns. Ezekiel Graham is the team's top rusher thus far with 322 rushing yards and a pair of scores.
Sacramento State ranks seventh in the league in scoring offense (25.3) and sixth in total offense (396.8) while ranking 10th in scoring defense (30.5) and eighth in total defense (408.8).
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on KBTK 105.1 FM and www.BigTalkerRadio.com. Mitch Strohman will be providing play-by-play and Kevin Stephens will be doing color commentary. Live stats are available on www.hornetsports.com. The live video stream for the contest can be seen on www.WatchBigsky.com.
