NACOGDOCHES, Texas (Interstat) — Gavin Rutherford threw three touchdown passes and Stephen F. Austin remained unbeaten with a 28-26 victory over visiting Incarnate Word on Saturday in a NCAA Football Championship Division game at Homer Bryce Stadium. The Lumberjacks improved to 6-0. The Cardinals dropped to 2-3. Stephen F. Austin scored 14 points in the first quarter, seven in the second and seven in the third. Incarnate Word scored 10 points in the first quarter, seven in the second, six in the third and three in the fourth.

Gavin Rutherford, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback, was Stephen F. Austin’s top star. He completed 26 of 34 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns and rushed six times for 23 yards. JT Kitna added a 2-yard touchdown run among two carries for six yards. Clayton Wayland, a 6-3, 200-pound receiver, caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. Bugs Mortimer, a 5-9, 170-pound receiver, had six receptions for 40 yards. Stetson Sarratt, a 5-9, 159-pound receiver, caught two passes for 12 yards. Riley Ellefson had one reception for 10 yards. Cameron Kelley, a 6-4, 203-pound receiver, caught one pass for seven yards. Aiden Meeks, a 5-10, 178-pound receiver, had one reception for three yards. Kylon Harris, a 6-1, 175-pound receiver, returned one kickoff for one yard. Dillon McDougal punted six times for 248 yards. Carlos Alvarado, a 5-9, 160-pound kicker, handled extra points and field-goal attempts, while Jaylen Jenkins and Preston Alford each caught touchdown passes from Rutherford.

Emmett Brown, a 5-foot-10, 187-pound quarterback from San Marcos, Calif., led Incarnate Word by completing 27 of 52 passes for 372 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 13 times for 34 yards. Jayden Hibbler, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound running back, rushed eight times for 57 yards and caught seven passes for 64 yards, and he returned two punts for no yards. Jameson Garcia, a 6-1, 190-pound receiver, had four receptions for 86 yards. Jacob Emmers, a 6-0, 196-pound receiver, caught two passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. Zach Phipps added four receptions for 55 yards. Isaiah Champagne, a 5-10, 170-pound receiver, caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. Price Morgan, a 5-11, 190-pound receiver, had three receptions for 19 yards. Lontrell Turner, a 5-11, 180-pound receiver, rushed four times for five yards and caught two passes for 15 yards. David Rasor, a 6-0, 200-pound quarterback, rushed twice for two yards and scored a touchdown. Nick Rigas made field goals from 39 and 43 yards and converted extra points, while missing a 51-yard attempt.

Stephen F. Austin’s defense spread its production across the field. Malachi Williams, a 6-1, 220-pound linebacker, made seven tackles and one quarterback hurry. Davonta Morgan Collins, a 6-0, 175-pound cornerback, and Jaiydyn Johnson, a 5-9, 172-pound cornerback, each had seven tackles, with Johnson adding a quarterback hurry. Eli Ennis, a 6-2, 205-pound defensive back, recorded six tackles. Lowote Jurkin, a 6-4, 238-pound linebacker, posted five tackles, one sack and four quarterback hurries. K’Mard Kimble had four tackles and one quarterback hurry. Larry Jones III, a 5-9, 185-pound receiver, and Kyran Moore each made three tackles. Jaydon Eason, Saco Alofipo, A’Amear Walton, Jacob Penney and Kaiden Turner each finished with two tackles. Eason and Turner each added a quarterback hurry, and Walton added a sack. Emmanuel Harris, Jamel Acosta-Lewis, Makai Frisby, Tim Muhammad, Landon Williams, Jakeon Jackson and Blake Robinson each had one tackle. Acosta-Lewis also had a quarterback hurry and an interception, while Frisby added an interception. Muhammad recorded four quarterback hurries. Chance Sautter, a 5-10, 181-pound safety, had three tackles and one punt return for no yards.

Incarnate Word’s defense was led by Christian Barney with 12 tackles. Jeremiah Young, a 6-0, 255-pound defensive lineman, had nine tackles, three sacks and three quarterback hurries. Jachai Pulley, a 6-1, 210-pound linebacker, added nine tackles. A.J. Tisdell, a 5-11, 195-pound defensive back, made eight tackles. Mekhi Brown, Patrick Batiste, a 6-0, 185-pound defensive back, and D’Arius Carmouche, a 6-0, 165-pound cornerback, each had seven tackles, and Carmouche added an interception. Buddha Garrett, a 5-11, 206-pound safety, finished with six tackles.

Stephen F. Austin opened the scoring when Rutherford hit Jaylen Jenkins for a 45-yard touchdown. Incarnate Word answered with Rigas’ 39-yard field goal. Kitna’s 2-yard touchdown run pushed the Lumberjacks ahead. Rigas made a 43-yard field goal, and Brown connected with Champagne for a 10-yard touchdown. Alvarado missed a 29-yard field goal before halftime. Rasor scored on a 1-yard run for the Cardinals, and Rutherford found Preston Alford for an 8-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Young blocked Alvarado’s 56-yard field goal attempt. Rigas missed a 51-yard field goal, and Alvarado missed a 43-yard field goal. Stephen F. Austin then ran out the remaining time to preserve the win.

Incarnate Word is next scheduled to visit Lamar. Stephen F. Austin is next scheduled to visit Nicholls State. The Lumberjacks have won all six games this season, including victories over Northeastern State, Prairie View, Abilene Christian, Texas A&M-Commerce and McNeese State. The Cardinals have beaten Houston Christian and Oklahoma Panhandle State while falling to Northern Arizona and Texas State before Saturday’s loss.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Stephen F. Austin 54, Incarnate Word 22. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Stephen F. Austin with an 82.2 percent probability to win. Incarnate Word had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of plus-18.5. The total score of 54 went over the over/under line of 55.5.