Football Back in National Polls; Herrick Claims Weekly Honors

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona football team jumped as high as No. 20 in the FCS Coaches Poll released Monday, while improving to No. 22 in The Sports Network poll. It is the second week the Lumberjacks have been ranked this season.

NAU upset the previously ninth-ranked Montana State Bobcats on Saturday. Montana State, which led the Big Sky and ranked second in the FCS in total offense at 516.2 yards per game, was held to just 19 yards in the first half and 123 for the game. The win marked the highest ranked team defeated by NAU at home since 2002 when the Lumberjacks defeated then-ninth-ranked Portland State in the Walkup Skydome.

NAU originally moved into the national polls for the first time this season on Oct. 4, placing 24th in the FCS Coaches Poll.

Senior quarterback Michael Herrick led the upset effort against Montana State and he was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

Herrick, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior from Valencia, Calif., completed 32-of-43 passes for 281 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Northern Arizona 34-7 upset of No. 9 Montana State. The Walter Payton Award candidate completed 23-of-28 passes for 214 yards with all three of his touchdowns in the first half, as the Lumberjacks raced out to a 28-0 halftime lead. Herrick threw 15-yard TD passes to Austin Shanks and Daiveun Curry-Chapman, and also added a 4-yard scoring strike to Curry-Chapman. This is Herrick’s third career player of the week honor.

The Big Sky Conference also honored Eastern Washington linebacker J.C. Sherritt as the defensive player of the week and Montana kicker Brody McKnight is the special teams player of the week.