1996 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1996 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football Big Sky Conference Big Sky 6 9–3 6–1 Steve Axman 7th Bill Busch 1st Walkup Skydome NCAA Division I-AA First Round L 31–42 vs. Furman The 1996 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference (Big Sky) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The team compiled a 9–3 record and was No. 6 in the NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant rankings. Running back Archie Amerson won the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding offensive player in NCAA Division I-AA football. Schedule 1996 NCAA Division I-AA The Sports Network y y y August 31 1996 Western New Mexico Mustangs Western New Mexico<ncg> 20 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ W 75-0 NAU needs a real test Arizona Daily Sun September 1, 1996 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86617829/nau-needs-a-real-test/ Newspapers.com September 7 at New Mexico<ncg> 16 University Stadium Albuquerque, NM L 33-49 24,892 Lobos Fell Lumberjacks Albuquerue Journal Ed Johnson September 8, 1996 H1, H4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56774403/old-article-on-daniel-torza/ Newspapers.com September 14 1996 Southern Utah Thunderbirds Southern Utah<ncg> 16 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ (rivalry) W 43-13 8,021 Jacked up at the Dome Arizona Daily Sun Jason Stone September 15, 1996 19, 24 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86618065/jacked-up-at-the-dome/ Newspapers.com September 21 at Portland State 16 Civic Stadium Portland, OR W 38-24 10,137 Portland State drops first Big Sky game Statesman Journal Associated Press September 22, 1996 4D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86619193/portland-state-drops-first-big-sky-game/ Newspapers.com Amerson too much for Vikings https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86625989/the-spokesman-review/ The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press September 22, 1996 C3 October 6, 2021 Newspapers.com September 28 Cal State Northridge 13 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ W 32-14 9,028 Matadors Save Face but Lose in Arizona The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Valley Jeff Fletcher September 29, 1996 C10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11716736/csun_19960929_matadors_save_face_but/ Newspapers.com June 15, 2017 October 5 No. 18 Weber State<hc> 12 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ W 59-45 13,877 Amerson saves the day Arizona Daily Sun Matt Wixon October 6, 1996 13, 14 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86618471/amerson-saves-the-day/ Newspapers.com October 12 at Montana State 10 Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT W 49-18 12,967 NAU impressive in win over Bobcats The Montana Standard Associated Press October 13, 1996 B5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86619460/nau-impressive-in-win-over-bobcats/ Newspapers.com October 19 Sacramento State 7 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ W 51-32 14,471 Brown steals the crown: NAU freshman quarterback throws seven touchdowns in Jacks' 51-32 victory Arizona Daily Sun Tom Lisa October 21, 1996 15, 17 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86617466/brown-steals-the-crown/ Newspapers.com October 26 at No. 2 Montana 6 Washington–Grizzly Stadium Missoula, MT L 32-48 18,847 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian-1996-montana-vs-northern/136133512/ The Missoulian Jacks give Griz taste of own medicine October 27, 1996 July 16, 2025 Newspapers.com November 2 Idaho State 8 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ W 50-38 <OT> 9,689 Skydome scare Arizona Daily Star Jason Stone November 3, 1996 21, 23 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86616970/skydome-scare/ Newspapers.com November 9 at No. 20 Eastern Washington 6 Woodward Field Cheney, WA W 13-10 3,915 It's good! Jacks in playoffs: Late kick lifts NAU to 9th win, new level Arizona Daily Sun Matt Wixon November 10, 1996 13, 15 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86616737/its-good-jacks-in-playoffs/ Newspapers.com November 30 No. 13 Furman<ncg> 6 Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ (NCAA Division I-AA First Round) L 31-42 8,700 Season overview In their seventh year under head coach Steve Axman, the Lumberjacks compiled a 9–3 record (6–1 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 506 to 333, and finished second out of nine teams in the Big Sky.2013 Northern Arizona Football Media Guide Northern Arizona University 2013 79 https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/nau.sidearmsports.com/documents/2017/5/26/2013_Football_Media_Guide-Web.pdf September 4, 2021 October 4, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211004022233/https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/nau.sidearmsports.com/documents/2017/5/26/2013_Football_Media_Guide-Web.pdf dead The team played its home games at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome, commonly known as the Walkup Skydome, in Flagstaff, Arizona. During the regular season, the team lost only two games, one against Division I-A New Mexico (33–49) and the other to No. 2 Montana (32–48). The Lumberjacks were invited to play in the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. In the program's first ever Division I-AA playoff game, they lost to Furman by a 42–31 score before a crowd of 8,700 at the Walkup Skydome.Playoff wait turns to pain Arizona Daily Sun Matt Wixon December 1, 1996 13, 14 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86608749/playoff-wait-turns-to-pain/ Newspapers.com Statistical leaders and records The team was led on offense by running back Archie Amerson. He rushed for 2,079 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns (both NAU records) and received the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding offensive player in NCAA Division I-AA football. He had six 200-yard rushing games during the 1996 season, and his single-game totals of 289 yards against Portland State and 281 yards against Weber State rank among the top 10 rushing games in NAU history.2013 Media Guide, p. 53. His seven rushing touchdowns against Weber State established a Division I-AA record.2013 Media Guide, p. 54. Quarterback Travis Brown also had a record-breaking season with 3,398 passing yards (then a school record) and also set NAU single-game records with 474 passing yards against Montana and seven passing touchdowns against Sacramento State.2013 Media Guide, pp. 31, 54-55. Ricky Pearsall also set a Division I-AA record with 216 punt return yards against Western New Mexico. The 1996 team also set the school's single-season scoring record with 63 touchdowns.2013 Media Guide, p. 61. Its 75-0 win over Western New Mexico was the largest point total and largest margin of victory in school history. References Northern Arizona Category:Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football seasons Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football Northern Arizona