BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University scored a touchdown with nine minutes remaining to pull within seven and got the ball back with 1:49 on the clock but Robert Coleman's pass (with seconds remaining from the Stephen F. Austin 21-yard line) fell incomplete as the Lumberjacks held on to upset the 22^nd-ranked Cardinals, 27-20, Saturday afternoon on Homecoming at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
 
The loss drops LU to 3-3 (.500) on the season and 0-1 to start Southland Conference play.
 
The Cardinals outgained SFA putting up 456 yards of total offense while the visitors ended the day with 443. Lamar did the majority of its damage through the air with 297 passing yards.
 
Coleman finished the day completing 22-of-41 passes for 279 yards and a touchdown but was picked off once. His touchdown pass went for 80 yards to senior Sevonne Rhea – who hauled in six catches for 166 yards. Rhea was one of nine receivers to catch a pass for LU Saturday.
 
The Cardinals ground attack was led by senior Khalan Griffin who carried the ball 11 times for 59 yards and a score. He was one of four Cardinals to rush for at least 20 yards.
 
Juniors Kristian Pugh and Ronnie Hamrick and senior Jalen Freeman led Lamar with eight tackles each. Hamrick and Freeman were also credited with 1.5 tackles for eight yards in losses.
 
The Lumberjacks raced out to a 13-0 first half lead before the Cardinals would answer. Lamar got on the scoreboard with just over seven minutes remaining in the opening half when Griffin carried the ball over the goal line from two yards out. Griffin's score capped a drive that went 84 yards in seven plays and consumed nearly three minutes off the clock.
 
Trailing by just six, LU got the ball back with 3:27 remaining in the half and moved the ball out to their 41-yard line before the drive stalled forcing the Cardinals to punt the ball away. LU went into the locker room down, 13-7.
 
SFA got the ball to start the third quarter and on its opening drive of the half converted an 11-play drive into seven points. After alternating punts, Lamar got the ball back with 4:07 remaining in the third and waisted no time as Coleman connected with Rhea down the left sideline. Rhea caught the ball just beyond midfield, eluded one defender and had an easy jog into the endzone.
 
Unfortunately, Big Red was unable to capitalize on the momentum as the Lumberjacks responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Qualan Jones 10-yard run for the score. Lamar would answer with one more score but could get no closer than a touchdown before the final horn sounded.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday, Oct. 19^th when they travel to Commerce, Texas to face Texas A&M-Commerce. The game against the Lions will kick off at 3:30 p.m. from Commerce Memorial Stadium.