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ABILENE, Texas – 40 years have passed since McMurry has played a team now competing in the NCAA Division I. So to make up for last time, head coach Hal Mumme and the War Hawks will play two D1 opponents consecutively beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. in Nacogdoches against Stephen F. Austin before playing their last non-conference game Sept. 10 against UT-San Antonio on the road.

McMurry and SFA have played 11 times in the teams' histories particularly over a seven-year stretch from 1965-71 where both schools were a part of the Lone Star Conference. McMurry leads the series 6-3-2 and won the last matchup in 1971 30-29.

Though many schools choose to play up a division for increased competition or financial game, rarely do you see a Division III school play a Division I opponent of any kind in football.

“If there's ever been a David and Goliath story, this is it,” said Mumme. “If we win this one it'll probably be the biggest win since Appalachian State knocked off Michigan in the big house. They're two divisions above us, they're a really great team and have been to the playoffs the last couple of years.”

The Lumberjacks were 9-3 last season, 6-1 in the Southland Conference and won the SLC championship for the second-straight season. McMurry on the other hand, posted its first winning record in a decade last year with a 6-4 mark and placed fourth in the American Southwest Conference with a 4-4 mark.

Mumme said that he is looking for his team just to give the effort he knows they can give.

“I'm just looking for them to stand up and play with courage and not be intimidated by the crowd or their team,” he said. “I've been fortunate in my career that we've won three of these games.”

Mumme is speaking of three instances where he defeated a team a division or level above him. In 1991, he coached NAIA Iowa Wesleyan to a win over nationally-ranked NCAA Division II Truman State. Then, in 1994 his D2 Valdosta State team knocked off the No. 1 team in NCAA I-AA in Central Florida. Then, in 2004 in just the program's 13th game overall, Mumme's Southeastern Louisiana State team beat No. 3- ranked McNeese State (D1-FCS) 56-17.

“In all those games there was one common factor, and that was we were down 14-0 pretty quick. You just have to hang in there and keep playing and keep doing your thing and hopefully you get a few breaks. You adjust to the speed of the game and if you're fortunate at the end you can hang on and win,” Mumme said.”

“The most important games we have are conference games, and of course our third game is against the perennial big-dog on the block (UMHB). Regardless of the outcome it should prepare us for the speed against them,” said Mumme.

Senior free safety Will Morris played one season for NCAA Division I FBS New Mexico State in 2008. He said that the most memorable games he played in were against Fresno State and Utah State on the road. For his teammates, Morris said there will be jitters.

“It's the first time many of us have played at a D1 school so I think the crowd alone is going to get our nerves pumping a little bit,” said Morris. “Once we get those butterflies out from the pregame and the beginning we should be all good from there.”

SFA returns nine starters on offense minus the 2010 Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Jeremy Moses. Other than the loss of their field general, the Lumberjacks are in good order to repeat as Southland champs with 12 preseason all-Southland Conference honorees.

McMurry boasts experience as well with nine returning starters on both offense and defense and three-preseason all-Americans in Morris, junior quarterback Jake Mullin and senior wide receiver R.J. Long.

“We're a lot better right now than we were two years ago at this time or even last year,” Mumme said. “We're better because of experience and you kind of hope that translates into a good first night.”

Fans can listen to McMurry's game locally on KWKC 1340 AM beginning at 5:45 p.m. or tune in with a live audio / video feed for a subscription at mcmurrysports.com/showcase.