HOUSTON, Texas – Houston Christian University had its 2025 Homecoming game spoiled as it fell 50-3 to 17th-ranked Stephen F. Austin at Husky Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Jacks jumped out in front quickly, forcing a punt on HCU's opening possession that Bugs Mortimer returned 74 yards for the score. SFA went for two, converting on a short toss by Gavin Rutherford to Gerrard Edimo for an 8-0 lead.
After a couple of empty possessions by both squads, Stephen F. Austin would get the ball back and go 66 yards in eight plays, capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Rutherford to Isaiah Davis as the Jacks took a 15-0 lead with 3:20 left in the first quarter of play.
HCU got the ball on the ensuing kickoff and drove 48 yards with the big gainer coming on a 32-yard hookup from
Reilly Garcia to
Braylon Finney. The drive stalled however, but
Ryan Zuckert made good on his first career field goal from 45 yards out to put the Huskies on the board just under a minute into the second quarter.
Midway through the second session, the Jacks got on the board again. A 51-yard drive was capped by another TD strike from Rutherford, this one of 17 yards to Kylon Harris to take a 22-3 lead with 8:56 on the first half scoreboard. The Lumberjacks would add another score just before the half on a one-yard touchdown plunge by Jerrell Wimbley to take a 29-3 lead into the break.
The Huskies struggled against an SFA defense ranked third in the nation, amassing just 134 yards of total offense on the afternoon.
Reilly Garcia made his first start of the season under center for the Huskies and went 12-19 for 132 passing yards. Xa'Shaun Edwards rushed 15 times for 30 yards on the day while
Braylon Finney and
Deuce McMillan had 32 and 30 yards receiving respectively.
Trent Zappe had 10 tackles and
Rodney Dansby added nine for the Huskies defense.
Stephen F. Austin (8-2 / 6-0 SLC) was led by quarterback Gavin Rutherford who was 11-16 for 132 yards and three touchdowns in the air while also adding 55 yards on the ground. Braden Lewis had 57 yards on nine carries while Jerrell Wimberly rushed 15 times for 48 yards and a score.
HCU falls to 2-8 overall and 1-5 in Southland Conference play. The Huskies will return to action next Saturday when they travel to Commerce to tackle East Texas A&M University in a 4 pm kickoff at Memorial Stadium.
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