It will be senior night for the Lumberjacks as they prepare to host their final game of the 2015 season. With only one game left after this contest against Sacramento State, NAU is looking for all the momentum it can muster as the end of the year draws ever closer and seeding for the FCS playoff picture looks like it could be within shooting distance for this year’s team.
Make Sac State Earn Points
The offense in the Big Sky has been impressive up to this point in the year. Only two teams this year have less than 200 points in the entire conference. One of those teams is Sacramento State. The Hornets have had a difficult time generating offense this year with a very limited load out when it comes to weapons. The only player that ranks in the top five in any major offensive category is wide receiver Shane Harrison who sits at fourth on the receptions per game list. The Lumberjacks defense has struggled to show a dominate defense in conference play up to this point as no team has scored less than 21 points in a game in Big Sky play. If the Jacks expect to keep their three game winning streak alive to see a fourth win come in they will need to make sure they don’t allow Sacramento State to suddenly appear as some kind of offensive juggernaut this week.
Still Cooking With Cookus
It is a shock that Case Cookus is playing at the FCS level. That isn’t meant to come off as a dig towards him either. The kid can play football and when he tosses the pigskin around the field he does it with such grace and accuracy you’d think he was an upperclassman. But the kid is just freshman and it looks like a few FBS schools missed out on a steal of a recruit. Cookus has thrown 27 touchdowns this season while averaging over 260 yards per game on 70% accuracy on his throws. If Cookus isn’t in the running for Big Sky player of the year I am not sure who else would even be in the consideration. And Sacramento State is ninth in pass defense in the Big Sky so it could be another game for Cookus to push the discussion for that argument just a tad bit more by the game’s conclusion. It wouldn’t be in coach Jerome Souers’ nature to run up the score on his opponent but with the Jacks gaining momentum and the play of their freshman quarterback gaining so much attention to the program, perhaps we see Cookus zip a few heat seekers into his receivers hands even if it is a run away.
Defending The Dome
The Jacks have had a much better season at home compared to the road. That is the exact same phrase that can be said for the Sacramento State Hornets. The Hornets this year have two wins and those lone victories came at their house. On the road this team has faced buzz saw after buzz saw. The last road win for the program came almost a calendar year ago at UC Davis and this year they have lost by 49, 18, 22, 44 and another game by 22 during their road trips. The Lumberjacks have put up 52 points twice and 63 in the middle game during those three blow outs that have put this team in the top 25 of the coaches poll in the FCS. If this team can put up at least 49 points, as they have done the last three times they have kicked off at the Sky Dome they may find themselves shooting up in that poll as well.
The game will kick off at 2:00 PM in Flagstaff on Fox Sports AZ this Saturday the 14th.