WEEK 5: #13 (Div. II) NORTHEASTERN STATE

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7:28p, 9/20/26

#6 Stephen F. Austin State (4-0) vs. #13 (Div. II) Northeastern State (3-1)

When: Saturday, Sept. 26 at 5:00 P.M.
Where: Homer Bryce Stadium (Nacogdoches, Texas)
TV: ESPN+
Family Weekend

The Ultimate Turnaround Story
The visiting Northeastern State Riverhawks arrive in Nacogdoches in the midst of one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history. This is a program that endured 12 straight losing seasons, with many of those years generating a dismal 0 to 1 wins. When head coach Darrin Chiaverini stepped into the role in 2024, he inherited a struggling program that had won only 5 games total over the previous 6 seasons.

Chiaverini who played 4 seasons as an NFL wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, and Atlanta Falcons brought a wealth of high-level coaching experience from stints at UCLA, Texas Tech, and Colorado (where he served as Co-Offensive Coordinator, Assistant Head Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator). He immediately got to work running the Division II program like that of a Power 5 powerhouse.

Chiaverini reshaped the entire system with a relentless culture of accountability known as "GRIT," elite quarterback development, and a dominant talent acquisition strategy that brought in 13 Division I transfers.

After a foundational 2-9 season in 2024, the Riverhawks saw the fruits of their labor. They exploded for an incredible 9-3 run in 2025, capped off by winning the First Americans Bowl Championship, which earned Chiaverini the CFB Network Division II Coach of the Year honors.

The Riverhawks carry massive momentum, having won 10 straight games dating back to last year, before moving to a 3-1 record, three games into this 2026 season.

They are incredibly battle-tested against FCS programs (three if you count West Florida's recent move up), proving they can hang with anyone. Their only losses in that span were absolute battles: a 17-23 overtime loss at Northern Colorado, a 21-49 loss at North Alabama, and a tight 24-31 loss to #3 West Florida.

Key Playmakers to Watch
  • Riverhawks' High-Powered Offense: Northeastern State brings a record-setting, innovative offensive attack led by NJCAA All-American quarterback #1 Donnie Smith (6-3, 215 lbs). The senior captain dominated last season, passing for 3,045 yards and 23 touchdowns with just 6 interceptions on a 71% completion rate. Smith has carried that elite form into 2026; through 4 games, he has already racked up 1,102 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions with a 70% completion clip.
  • The Riverhawk Defense: The unit is anchored by sophomore linebacker #33 Kale Charboneau (6-0, 230 lbs), who fields an impressive stat line leading the team with 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss (TFL), 1.0 sack, and 2 quarterback hurries (QBH).
  • The Secondary: SFA's passing game will have to navigate Western Kentucky transfer and Division II All-American defensive back #0 Marvelous Owens (5-11, 195 lbs). The senior playmaker leads the team with 5 pass breakups (PBU), 1 interception, 1 forced fumble (FF), and 1 fumble recovery (FR).
With family weekend it's going to be a packed house in Nacogdoches as the Lumberjacks ride back into town for a much needed home stand looking for win #14 on their regular season run.

Axe'Em!
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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SFASawmillGuy
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8:35p, 9/20/26
Gotta get up on them fast and take hope away.

This is a really well coached team and if they get the thought in their head that they can win, they'll be dangerous.

Gotta take care of business, win by a massive margin, and get out of it healthy.
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SFAXE93
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8:22a, 9/21/26
It's amazing the things they measure now.

"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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8:28a, 9/21/26
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
  • Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll Ranking: 12
  • Regular-Season Games Remaining (Next): 8 (Saturday vs. Northeastern State)
  • Opta Win-Out Probability: 43.9%
  • Notable: SFA, which is 4-0 for the first time since 2004, went unbeaten in the Southland Conference last season.
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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SFAXE93
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8:35a, 9/21/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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SFA Jack Fanatic
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8:38a, 9/21/26
I'd like to see what Rickey Stewart could do running behind the first team O-Line rather than 2nd and 3rd teamers.
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10:32a, 9/21/26
SFA coming in at #6 on the new AFCA FCS Coaches Poll

Lamar staying at #15, Prairie View A&M, UIW, ACU, SLU, and UTRGV all receiving votes.

On the Stats Perform FCS Top 25

SFA moves up 3 spots to #9 , Lamar drops a spot to #15 with SLU, UIW, and HCU all receiving votes.

Which means as of right now 6 of SFA's remaining 8 games will be against teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the polls.

"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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SFAXE93
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10:35a, 9/21/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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SFAXE93
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10:42a, 9/21/26
Northeastern State last season did have RB Ramon McKinney Jr. who rushed for 1,093 yards; 7.0 AVG, 15 TD's. as a sophomore and was on the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team, but he hit the portal like Speedy to move up and now plays for South Dakota State at RB and KR.

On defense they had OLB Ayden Guess who had 44 tackles (13.5 for loss) 4 sacks, 1PBU, 1 FF now at East Tennessee State.

"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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SCH890
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In reply to SFAXE93 • 1:28p, 9/21/26
SFAXE93 said:
SFA coming in at #6 on the new AFCA FCS Coaches Poll

Lamar staying at #15, Prairie View A&M, UIW, ACU, SLU, and UTRGV all receiving votes.

On the Stats Perform FCS Top 25

SFA moves up 3 spots to #9 , Lamar drops a spot to #15 with SLU, UIW, and HCU all receiving votes.

Which means as of right now 6 of SFA's remaining 8 games will be against teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the polls.


Northeastern is actually also ranked in the Coaches Poll in D2 at 19; they were at 15.

https://www.afca.com/polls/
"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life."
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SFAXE93
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1:55p, 9/21/26
We'll keep them at #13 as they were before the FCS loss plus when I posted this. They are at #15 in the other poll so close enough lol.
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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2:02p, 9/21/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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4:39p, 9/21/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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7:54p, 9/21/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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9:18a, 9/22/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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9:22a, 9/22/26
The weather forecast for kickoff at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas calls for mostly sunny and hot conditions with zero chance of rain.

"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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4:46p, 9/22/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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8:31p, 9/22/26
"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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8:36p, 9/22/26

"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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12:27p

"History has no rubbish heap." Louis Blake Duff
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jboy93
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1:55p
I guess gone are the days of we just out scored and out gained the other team therefore we are undefeated!?!?
I will always be old school!
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BigJack85
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2:44p
No alarm bells , but don't think NE OK is going to be a pushover. I think they have won 10 of their last 12 games. Northern Colorado had to mount a significant comeback to pull off the victory I realize that UNC ain't that good but…..
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
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SFA Jack Fanatic
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In reply to jboy93 • 3:35p
jboy93 said:
I guess gone are the days of we just out scored and out gained the other team therefore we are undefeated!?!?
I will always be old school!


Football is getting to be almost (but not quite) as stat-crazy as professional baseball... e.g., a stat for "the number of bugs flying around the lightpole in right center field between the 4th and 5th innings of the 3rd game in the 1982 World Series in old Yankee Stadium with runners on the corners."

But seriously... How are these college player stats accumulated for hundreds of players at each position at dozens of FCS schools all across the country??? Is there a central supercomputer database where schools voluntarily enter their data to be assessed?
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SFASawmillGuy
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In reply to SFA Jack Fanatic • 4:01p
SFA Jack Fanatic said:
jboy93 said:
I guess gone are the days of we just out scored and out gained the other team therefore we are undefeated!?!?
I will always be old school!


Football is getting to be almost (but not quite) as stat-crazy as professional baseball... e.g., a stat for "the number of bugs flying around the lightpole in right center field between the 4th and 5th innings of the 3rd game in the 1982 World Series in old Yankee Stadium with runners on the corners."

But seriously... How are these college player stats accumulated for hundreds of players at each position at dozens of FCS schools all across the country??? Is there a central supercomputer database where schools voluntarily enter their data to be assessed?


The FCS media world may not be anywhere near as big as a fraction of the FBS media world, but if you watch the YouTube shows or listen to the podcasts, these dudes religiously follow FCS ball. They watch all the games, even the bad ones, and they analyze the hell out of these teams.

They to through all of the stats.

I consider myself as having a pretty good knowledge of FCS ball and I do watch a lot more FCS games than I do FBS games(Texas might be the only FBS team I actually watch, the rest of my Saturdays are filled with FCS football). But these dudes treat it like it's a full time job and it's really commendable.

The FCS media is getting so much better. You have to look for it but the FCS has incredibly high level and in depth coverage out there.
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