NACOGDOCHES, Texas (AP) Gavin Rutherford threw three touchdown passes Saturday night to help Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks beat Incarnate Word Cardinals 28-26, the Lumberjacks' 16th consecutive win in the regular season and 11th straight in Southland Conference play.

The Lumberjacks (6-0, 3-0 Southland Conference), ranked No. 7 in the Stats Perform poll, are off to their best start since they started the 1995 season with a program-record seven straight wins.

Stephen F. Austin, which also extended its home win streak to 11 games, hasn’t lost a conference game since UIW beat the Lumberjacks 27-20 on Nov. 16, 2024 to claim the Southland title.

Emmett Brown was 27-of-52 passing for 373 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Incarnate Word (2-3, 1-1). Jeremiah Young had a career-high three sacks.

Brown threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Emmers with 22 seconds left. After an offensive pass interference penalty took away his pass to Price Morgan for the 2-point conversion, Brown’s pass to Jayden Hibbler fell incomplete and the Lumberjacks held on.

David Rasor rushed for a 1-yard touchdown that capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive and gave Incarnate Word its first lead at 20-14 about 6 1/2 minutes into the third quarter.

Rutherford connected with Preston Alford for an 8-yard TD catch-and-run 4 1/2 minutes later and hit Clayton Wayland for an 8-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter that made it 28-20.

Lumberjacks kicker Carlos Alvarado missed field-goal attempts from 29, 56 (blocked by Young) and 43 yards, the last of which came with 48 seconds left.

Sophomore Makai Frisby, a Norfolk State transfer, had his fourth interception this season for the Lumberjacks.

Incarnate Word: Visits Lamar next Saturday.

Stephen F. Austin: Play Oct. 17 at Nicholls.

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