| Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1915; 111 years ago (1915) | ||
| Athletic director | Uri Farkas | ||
| Head coach | Brian Wright 2nd season, 15–10 (.600) | ||
| Stadium | Walkup Skydome (capacity: 10,500) | ||
| Location | Flagstaff, Arizona | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Big Sky | ||
| All-time record | 512–495–23 (.508) | ||
| Conference championships | |||
| Frontier:1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962 Big Sky:1978,2003 | |||
| Rivalries | Southern Utah (rivalry) Weber State (rivalry) | ||
| Colors | Blue and gold[1] | ||
| Website | nauathletics.com | ||
TheNAU Lumberjacks football program is the intercollegiateAmerican football team for theNorthern Arizona University located inFlagstaff, Arizona. The team competes in theNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of theBig Sky Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1915. The team plays its home games at the 10,500 seatWalkup Skydome.Brian Wright was hired as the Head Football Coach on December 3, 2023.
The Lumberjacks have maintained numerous rivalries with their western counterparts. Competition has not only been limited to the west. The Lumberjacks have also taken on eastern programs such as theOle Miss Rebels,Florida Atlantic Owls, and theAppalachian State Mountaineers.
On September 18, 2021, Northern Arizona beatArizona for the first time since1932, winning 21–19. It was their first win against a FBS team sincebeating UTEP in 2018 and their third overall win against an FBS team since2012. It is also the first time they beat a member of thePac-12 Conference.[2][3]
Northern Arizona has won nine conference championships, six outright and three shared.
| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956† | Max Spilsbury | Frontier Conference | 8–2 | 3–0 |
| 1957 | 8–1 | 3–0 | ||
| 1958 | 11–1 | 3–0 | ||
| 1959 | 6–2–1 | 3–0 | ||
| 1960† | 6–3–2 | 2–0–1 | ||
| 1961 | 3–5–1 | 1–0–1 | ||
| 1962 | 6–4 | 2–0 | ||
| 1978 | Joe Salem | Big Sky Conference | 8–2 | 6–0 |
| 2003† | Jerome Souers | 9–4 | 5–2 |
The Lumberjacks have appeared in theNCAA I-AA/FCS playoffs seven times, with an overall record of 1–6.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | First Round | Furman | L 32–41 | Steve Axman |
| 1999 | First Round | @Georgia Southern | L 29–72 | Jerome Souers |
| 2001 | First Round | @Sam Houston State | L 31–34 | |
| 2003 | First Round Quarterfinals | @McNeese State Florida Atlantic | W 35–3 L 25–48 | |
| 2013 | First Round | South Dakota State | L 7–26 | |
| 2017 | First Round | San Diego | L 10–41 | |
| 2024 | First Round | Abilene Christian | L 0–24 | Brian Wright |
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Quarterfinals | Jacksonville State | L 0–35 | Joe Salem |
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Semifinal | Gustavus Adolphus | W 41–12 | Max Spilsbury |
| 1958 | Final | Northeastern State | L 13–19 | Max Spilsbury |
Northern Arizona leadsSouthern Utah 17–10 in the series through the 2025 season.
Northern Arizona is tied withWeber State 29–29 overall in the series through the 2025 season and also has a 2–2 record for the Red Rock Rivalry trophy, with the last meeting in Ogden on November 22, 2025 losing 48–28.
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Brian Wright | Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| Adam Clark | Defensive Coordinator |
| Manako Tuifua | Defensive Line Coach |
| Aaron Cheatwood | Linebackers Coach |
| Rodney Brown | Defensive Backs Coach |
| Nick Fett | Tight Ends Coach |
| Jerry DiMinno | Wide Receivers Coach |
| Bryan Larson | Offensive Line Coach |
| Terry Swanson | Running Backs Coach |
| Josh Robinson | Special Teams Coordinator |
Notable alumni include:
Announced schedules as of October 28, 2025.[5]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| atArizona | atIncarnate Word | atArizona State | McNeese | atArizona | atArizona | atArizona | atArizona | atArizona State |
| vsIncarnate Word | atArizona | atMcNeese | atArizona State | |||||
| atUtah Tech |
Located in:Flagstaff, Arizona | ||
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| History and media | ||
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