NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Sam Vidlak showcased his skills on Saturday night by throwing three of his five touchdown passes in the first half, leading Stephen F. Austin to a dominant 55-6 victory over Houston Christian in Southland Conference action. Vidlak’s impressive performance began with a remarkable 96-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Nabors, igniting the Lumberjacks (5-3, 3-2) after a tough defeat to Southeast Louisiana the previous week.
This game marked a significant turnaround for the Lumberjacks and also celebrated their 50th homecoming victory in the program’s 97-year history. Vidlak has now thrown for a total of 23 touchdown passes in the first eight games of the season, with his long throw to Nabors standing as the second-longest scoring pass in the team’s history.
The scoring began when Chris Campos connected on a 25-yard field goal, putting the Lumberjacks ahead before they took charge in the second quarter. Vidlak’s initial two touchdown passes accounted for 149 yards. The first pass went to freshman Clayton Wayland, who caught a 53-yard touchdown pass for his first career score with 5:42 remaining in the half. Just before halftime, Vidlak accomplished an impressive 29-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Williams, rolling out to the right before delivering a cross-body throw with only 13 seconds left.
As the second half commenced, Vidlak wasted no time, connecting with Kylon Harris on a 20-yard touchdown pass. This was soon followed by Trashawn Adams’ 46-yard punt return for a touchdown. Vidlak then found Wayland again, this time with a 29-yard touchdown pass, showcasing their strong connection.
Vidlak’s final stats showed he completed 20 of 28 passes for 316 yards, although he did throw one interception. Nabors ended the game with three receptions for 108 yards while Wayland recorded three catches for 92 yards. Jaylen Jenkins also had a solid performance, rushing 21 times for 110 yards. In contrast, Houston Christian struggled, with their three quarterbacks combining for just 13 completions out of 30 attempts, totaling only 126 yards.