FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Northern Arizona looks to build upon last week's season-best offensive output as it hosts Northern Colorado at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Walkup Skydome. The game can be seen on FOX Sports Arizona.
Case Cookus threw for 353 yards and four touchdowns and Casey Jahn ran for 126 yards in last week's 52-36 win over Weber State. The Lumberjacks built up a 35-3 first-half lead, then allowed Weber State to close the margin to 42-36 before salting the win away with 10 points in the final five minutes.
The Lumberjacks (4-3, 2-2 Big Sky Conference) are unbeaten at home this season. Cookus has completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,767 yards and 19 touchdowns and ranks first in the Football Championship Subdivision with a passing efficiency rating of 187.28. Jahn has rushed for a team-leading 705 yards, and Emmanuel Butler is the leading receiver with 33 catches for 738 yards (22.4 yards per catch) and nine TDs.
Northern Colorado (4-3, 2-3) is coming off a heartbreaking 43-41 loss to Big Sky Conference leader Eastern Washington, which is ranked fifth in the FCS. The Bears led 41-40 before Eastern Washington secured the win on a last-second field goal.
Northern Colorado already has a pair of road victories over Sacramento State and UC Davis. Quarterback Jacob Knipp has completed 90 of 152 passes for 1,130 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Bears rank first in the FCS in kickoff (31.9-yard average) and punt (24.5) returns and have scored four touchdowns in the return game -- two each by Ellis Onic II and Hakeem Deggs.
NAU leads the all-time series 12-3, but Northern Colorado won last season's matchup, 24-17, in Greeley. The Bears haven't won in Flagstaff since 1964.
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