| Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1923; 103 years ago (1923) | ||
| Athletic director | Michael McBroom | ||
| Head coach | Colby Carthel 7th season, 43–37 (.538) | ||
| Stadium | Homer Bryce Stadium (capacity: 14,575) | ||
| Location | Nacogdoches, Texas | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Southland | ||
| All-time record | 436–547–30 (.445) | ||
| Bowl record | 1–0 (1.000) | ||
| Conference championships | |||
| Gulf Star:1985 SLC:1989,1999,2009,2010,2025 WAC:2022 | |||
| Rivalries | Northwestern State Demons (rivalry) Sam Houston Bearkats (rivalry; dormant) | ||
| Colors | Purple and white[1] | ||
| Website | www.sfajacks.com | ||
TheStephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football program is the intercollegiateAmerican football team forStephen F. Austin State University (SFA) located in the U.S. state ofTexas. The team competes in theNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as members of theSouthland Conference, which SFA rejoins for the 2024 season after a three-year absence.[2] SFA had played the 2023 season in theUnited Athletic Conference (UAC), newly formed for the 2023 season as a merger of the football leagues of SFA's previous home of theWestern Athletic Conference (WAC) and theAtlantic Sun Conference (ASUN). It replaced an alliance between the two conferences that operated in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.[3][4]
SFA had long been a member of theSouthland Conference (SLC) before joining the WAC in July 2021, the same time that conference relaunched itsfootball league at the FCS level.[5] It returned to the SLC for 2024 and beyond. Stephen F. Austin's first football team was fielded in 1923. The team plays its home games at the 14,575 seatHomer Bryce Stadium inNacogdoches, Texas.
| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985† | Jim Hess | Gulf Star Conference | 9–2 | 4–1 | |
| 1989 | Lynn Graves | Southland Conference | 12–2–1 | 6–0–1 | |
| 1999† | Mike Santiago | 8–3 | 6–1 | ||
| 2009† | J. C. Harper | 10–3 | 6–1 | ||
| 2010 | 9–3 | 6–1 | |||
| 2022 | Colby Carthel | Western Athletic Conference | 6–5 | 3–1 | |
| 2025 | Southland Conference | 11–3 | 8–0 | ||
| Conference championships | 7 | ||||
† Co-champions
Notable alumni include:
|
The Lumberjacks earned a berth in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs in 2009, the first postseason appearance for the team since 1995. The 2010 season marked the first time that the school had won an outright conference championship since 1989.
The team's onlybowl game was the 1973Poultry Bowl, in which the team defeatedGardner–Webb, 31–10, inGainesville, Georgia.
The Lumberjacks have made nineappearances in the Division I-AA/FCS playoffs, with an overall record of 8–9.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | First Round Quarterfinals | Jackson State Georgia Southern | W 24–0 L 6–27 |
| 1989 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Grambling State Southwest Missouri State Furman Georgia Southern | W 59–56 W 55–25 W 21–19 L 34–37 |
| 1993 | First Round | Troy State | L 20–42 |
| 1995 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Eastern Illinois Appalachian State Montana | W 34–29 W 27–17 L 14–70 |
| 2009 | First Round Quarterfinals | Eastern Washington Montana | W 44–33 L 0–51 |
| 2010 | Second Round | Villanova | L 24–54 |
| 2014 | First Round | Northern Iowa | L 10–44 |
| 2021 | First Round | Incarnate Word | L 28–35OT |
| 2025 | Second Round Quarterfinals | Abilene Christian Montana State | W 41–34 L 28–44 |
The Lumberjacks have active rivalries with theNorthwestern State Demons and theSam Houston Bearkats.
Announced schedules as of January 29, 2026.[6]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| atAbilene Christian | Abilene Christian | atTexas Tech | atCal Poly | atLouisville |
| atPrairie View A&M | Prairie View A&M | |||
| Northeastern State |
