1999 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team

The 1999 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 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their second year under head coach Jerome Souers, the Lumberjacks compiled an 8–4 record (6–2 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 409 to 370, and tied for second place in the Big Sky.^[1] The Lumberjacks were invited to play in the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they lost in the first round to eventual national champion Georgia Southern by a 72–29 score.

1999 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 29–72 at Georgia Southern
Conference	Big Sky Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 16
Record	4–8, 4 wins forfeited (2–6 Big Sky, 4 wins forfeited)
Head coach	Jerome Souers (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Brent Pease (1st season)
Home stadium	Walkup Skydome
Seasons ← 1998 2000 →

1999 Big Sky Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 8 Montana $^		7	–	1					9	–	3
No. 20 Portland State		6	–	2					8	–	3
Eastern Washington		6	–	2					7	–	4
Cal State Northridge		5	–	3					6	–	5
Sacramento State		3	–	5					6	–	5
Weber State		3	–	5					4	–	7
Idaho State		2	–	6					4	–	7
Montana State		2	–	6					4	–	7
No. 16 Northern Arizona ^		2	–	6					4	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Portland State games did not count in conference standings. Northern Arizona forfeited four conference wins, to Idaho State, Montana State, Weber State, Cal State Northridge. Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Northern Arizona later forfeited four conference victories—over Idaho State, Montana State, Weber State, and Cal State Northridge—due to use of ineligible player. This dropped their overall record to 4–8 and put them in the last-place tie in the Big Sky at 2–6.^[2][3]

The team played its home games at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome, commonly known as the Walkup Skydome, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 9	Cal Poly*	No. 21	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	W 55–21	6,821[4]
September 18	at New Mexico*	No. 16	University Stadium Albuquerque, NM	L 14–45	22,079[5]
September 25	at Southwest Texas State*	No. 17	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	W 29–26	9,295[6]	[7]
October 2	Eastern Washington	No. 15	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	L 10–14	12,863[8]
October 9	Idaho State	No. 23	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	L 43–28 (forfeit)	6,572[9]
October 16	No. 7 Montana	No. 21	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	L 23–43	13,304	[10]
October 23	at Sacramento State		Hornet Stadium Sacramento, CA	W 51–49 3OT	7,136
October 30	Montana State	No. 24	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	L 49–20 (forfeit)	4,044	[11]
November 6	at Weber State	No. 22	Stewart Stadium Ogden, UT	L 36–19 (forfeit)	4,110[12]
November 13	No. 13 Portland State	No. 20	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	W 40–24	7,188[13]
November 20	at Cal State Northridge	No. 17	North Campus Stadium Northridge, CA	L 30–10 (forfeit)	4,963	[14][15]
November 27	at No. 1 Georgia Southern*	No. 17	Glenn Bryant Field Statesboro, GA (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 29–72	7,140	[16]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "Grizzlies cap Big Sky title with 49–3 rout". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 21, 1999. p. C10. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
2. "Team used ineligible players, professors changed grades". The Associated Press. December 13, 2002. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
3. "2013 Northern Arizona Football Media Guide" (PDF). Northern Arizona University. 2013. p. 79. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
4. Toby, Al (September 10, 1999). "NAU Runs Over Mustangs". Arizona Republic. p. 46. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
5. Hall, Mike (September 19, 1999). "NAU Finds Step Up Too Much". Arizona Republic. p. 217. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
6. Southwest Texas State Athletics Department (November 22, 1999). "Southwest Texas Game Results (as of Nov 22, 1999)". Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
7. Lang, Chris (September 26, 1999). "Jacks' defense steps up, offense cashes in en route to wild victory". Arizona Daily Sun. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Cook, Doug (October 3, 1999). "Stat Book - E. Washington 14, NAU 10". Arizona Daily Sun. p. 14. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
9. Cook, Doug (October 10, 1999). "Stat Book - NAU 43, Idaho State 28". Arizona Daily Sun. p. 14. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
10. Cook, Doug (October 17, 1999). "Grizzlies gang up". Arizona Daily Sun. pp. 13, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Cook, Doug (October 31, 1999). "Bringing down the 'Cats". Arizona Daily Sun. pp. 13, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Weber State Athletics Department. "Weber State Univ. Game-by-Game Statistics". Retrieved December 28, 2023.
13. Cook, Doug (November 14, 1999). "Jacks' Senior Spoil Vikings' Big Sky Title Dreams in Final Home Game". Arizona Daily Sun. p. 13. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
14. Cook, Doug (November 21, 1999). "Jacks make case". Arizona Daily Sun. pp. 13, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Kowalick, Vince (November 21, 1999). "Northridge Finished Off by Northern Arizona". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. D17. Retrieved October 27, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Cook, Doug (November 28, 1999). "Not much Southern hospitality: NAU ripped, 72–29, at Georgia Southern in playoff opener". Arizona Daily Sun. pp. 13, 14 – via Newspapers.com.