FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — When outmanned, playing perfect football still may not be enough to keep a team in the game.
However, Dixie State played far from perfect football as the Rebels turned the ball over four times and got plastered by Northern Arizona 66-14 Saturday afternoon from the Walkup Skydome.
NAU, a Division I-AA school, opened the game with an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Rebels, competing in their first year at NCAA Division II, matched that score with an 80-yard TD pass from Danny Southwick to Travis Brown to make it 7-7 just a minute into the game.
That was pretty much it for Dixie State. NAU answered with a long drive and then scored on two interception returns on passes thrown by Southwick. By the time the first quarter had ended, the Lumberjacks led 35-7.
Northern Arizona, 1-2, pushed it to 49-14 at halftime and cruised from there. Both teams cleared the benches in the second half.
"They're very good and have a lot of veteran players," Dixie State coach Ron Haun said. "It took awhile for us to adjust to their speed. They have a lot of speed."
Adding injury to insult, the Rebels lost a couple of key players to injury in the game. Linebacker Steve Cook and center Ryan Wright are probably done for the year with knee injuries.
"I'm just sick about those injuries," Haun said. "That was our biggest fear coming in against a bigger program and playing on this turf. We felt like we could make a move in the second half season, but those injuries will hurt us."
The 'Jacks outgained the Rebels 430-246 in total offense and did not turn the ball over in the game. Brown had four catches for 99 yards in the game to lead Dixie State. Pine View High graduate Jesse Ence rushed for 52 yards and also caught a couple of passes for the Rebels.
Dixie State, 0-4, plays its first home game of the season next Saturday (7 p.m.) against Humboldt State (Calif.) at Hansen Stadium.