Felila, Southern Utah beat Stephen F. Austin 45-38 in OT

Sep 15, 2020, 12:57 pm

CEDAR CITY, Utah -- Chris Helbig had 375 yards passing and James Felila scored two rushing touchdowns, including the eventual winner in overtime, to help Southern Utah beat Stephen F. Austin 45-38 on Saturday night.

Helbig was 35 of 48 with two TD passes to Lance Dawson, Felila finished with 10 carries for 48 yards and Thomas Duckett had 53 yards rushing, including a 17-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that made it 38-all and forced overtime. Dawson had 13 receptions for 131 yards and threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Helbig in the first quarter.

The Thunderbirds (1-2) were facing third-and-30 on the first possession of overtime before Stephen F. Austin was called for pass interference that gave SUU a fresh set of downs and, four plays later on fourth-and-2, Felila scored from 11 yards out.

SFA, after a personal foul on Southern Utah, had a first-and-goal from the 8 before a holding call and then three straight incomplete passes ended it.

Helbig hit Lawson for a 55-yard TD to tie it late in the third but the Lumberjacks (0-3) answered with a 10-play, 81 yard drive to take a 31-24 lead on Trae Self's 24-yard scoring strike to Thomas Hutchings with 12:55 to play. Felila and SFA's Josh McGowen traded short TD runs before Duckett's touchdown with 1:12 left in the fourth quarter.

Self was 27 of 44 for 290 yards and two touchdowns for Stephen F. Austin.