NAU Football Opens Up The Season With A Big Win Over Lincoln

An Early Season Shutout

The Northern Arizona University (NAU) football team opened its season with a decisive 21-0 victory over Lincoln University on Thursday night at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff.

Highlights:

• NAU's defense dominated the game, holding Lincoln to just 156 total yards of offense and forcing three turnovers.
• The Lumberjacks' offense was efficient, scoring on three of their four trips to the red zone.
• Quarterback RJ Martinez threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Kevin Daniels rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown.

The win is the first for NAU under new head coach Chris Ball and is the program's first season-opening shutout since 2017.

A Strong Start for Flagstaff

The victory is a positive sign for an NAU team that is looking to improve upon its 5-6 record from last season.

Looking Ahead:

• The Lumberjacks travel to San Diego next Saturday to face the University of San Diego.
• NAU's home opener is scheduled for September 10 against Northern Colorado.

With a strong performance in their season opener, the Lumberjacks have set the tone for a successful season.

Quotes from the Game

"I'm really proud of our guys," said Ball. "They played hard and executed the game plan. It was a great team win."

"Our defense was outstanding tonight," said defensive coordinator Andy Avalos. "They set the tone for the game and gave our offense a chance to get going."

"It was a great win for us," said Martinez. "We came out and played physical and executed our game plan. I'm proud of the way our team played tonight."

Conclusion

NAU's season-opening win over Lincoln is a promising sign for the program. The Lumberjacks will look to continue their success next Saturday when they travel to San Diego to face the University of San Diego.