This college football game needed a mercy rule.
And no, it wasn’t an early season matchup between Alabama and pick a small Division I school, any one.
Trae Self threw four touchdown passes and four Stephen F. Austin quarterbacks combined to throw for eight scores as the Lumberjacks routed NAIA-member Warner, shutting out the Royals 98-0 on Saturday night in Nacodoches, Texas.
Warner managed just 141 yards of offense, including 114 through the air, and was forced to punt eight times.
Four quarterbacks were a combined 29-of-35 passing for 478 yards for Stephen F. Austin. Xavier Gipson caught six passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Twelve receivers caught at least one pass in the game.
The Lumberjacks’ 98 points outburst — a record in the Western Athletic Conference, which was founded in 1962 — were their third most in a game in school history, according to ESPN.
Portland State, who blew out Delaware 105-0 on Nov. 8, 1980, holds the FCS record for points scored in a game, according to the website, and the FBS record came when Wyoming destroyed Northern Colorado 103-0 on Nov. 5, 1949. That also was the largest win in FBS history.
The last FBS team to score 98-plus points was when Houston beat Tulsa 100-6 on Nov. 23, 1968. That was the most points scored against a major college opponent in FBS history.
Stephen F. Austin (2-2) wasn’t the first FCS school to reach the 80-point mark this season. Earlier this month, Southern University drubbed Florida Memorial, 86-0.
It was the first game of the season for Warner, so they only can go up from here, right?
— with AP
