NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word football team fell, 31-24, to Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night at Homer Bryce Stadium.
 
Jon Copeland led the Cardinals, going 35-for-62 for 349 yards. Kamden Perry registered a career-best 105 yards.
 
The Lumberjacks took the first lead of the game. With 12:10 left in the first quarter, Thom Hutchings capped a six-play, 34-yard drive with a two-yard rush into the end zone. The teams went back and forth for most of the quarter, but SFA extended its advantage with nine seconds remaining when Cam Arnold ran for a 20-yard score and a 14-0 Lumberjack lead.
 
The Cardinals then scored 21 straight points to take the lead. First, UIW's defense stepped up with 12:46 left in the half. SFA fumbled a bad snap and the ball rolled into the end zone. UIW's Andy Jennings dove on the ball, scoring for the Cardinals and cutting the Lumberjack lead to 14-7.
 
UIW's offense found a rhythm and scored with 8:18 remaining before the break. The nine-play, 61-yard drive took 2:56 off the clock and was highlighted by a 32-yard pass from Copeland to Jaelin Campbell. Four plays later, Copeland used a quarterback keeper and ran, untouched, into the end zone from one yard out to even the score at 14-14.
 
The Cardinals took their first lead of the game with 30 seconds left in the half. Copeland hit Perry for 23 yards and Gunnar Henderson for 31 yards to give UIW the ball on the SFA 15-yard line. Two plays later, Copeland connected with Campbell for a seven-yard score. The eight-play, 87-yard drive put UIW ahead, 21-14.
 
The Lumberjacks tried to even the score with a Hail Mary as time expired in the half, but Jerick Pitre jumped in front of the receivers to grab his third interception of the season, preserving the 21-14 UIW advantage.
 
SFA drew even (21-21) to start the second half when Hutchings used a 21-yard touchdown rush to cap a nine-play, 73-yard drive. The Lumberjacks then regained the lead with 13:26 remaining in the game when Arnold threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Gipson. Storm Ruiz then kicked a 38-yard field goal with 7:27 left to put SFA ahead, 31-21.
 
The Cardinals cut into SFA's lead with 5:19 left in the game when Carson More finished a 10-play, 48-yard drive with a 32-yard field goal, but the comeback fell short as the Lumberjacks secured the 31-24 win.