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Jacob Morris, Christopher Thomas Jr., Jamal Johnson vs. William Jewell
Kaitlyn Silva
Christopher Thomas Jr. (15) provides protection as Jacob Morris (13) hands the ball off to Jamal Johnson (24) against the Cardinals on Ray Dennison Memorial Field (Aug. 30, 2025)

Skyhawks look to bounce back under desert lights

9/5/2025 1:30:00 PM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
Fort Lewis at Arizona Christian
Saturday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m. MST | ACU Football Field | Glendale, Ariz.
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DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis football team will head into its hottest test of the season on Saturday night as the Skyhawks (0-1) challenge the Firestorm of Arizona Christian (0-0) under the lights of the ACU Football Field at 8 p.m.
 
Week Zero
Last Saturday, Fort Lewis suffered a 34-14 season-opening setback at the hands of William Jewell College (1-0). While the Skyhawks led the contest in total offense and rushing with 304 yards and 117 yards, respectively, it was four lost fumbles and 12 penalties for 111 yards that ultimately gave the Cardinals the edge it needed to leave Durango with a win. Jamal Johnson had a strong outing running the rock, tallying 68 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries without taking a tackle for loss. Quarterback Jake Jones joined the ground attack as well, rushing for 32 yards and his first collegiate touchdown on a seven-yard option in the third quarter.
 
Different Looks, Different Options
Fort Lewis put three quarterbacks in action last Saturday, highlighted by Jones' 32-yard rushing performance, aided by Jacob Morris' 149 passing yards that helped move the chains. Morris wasn't the only one to sling it downfield, however, as Jones mixed in four completions on six attempts for 28 yards to keep the Cardinals' secondary honest. The Skyhawks offensive line, however, will need to do its part this Saturday afternoon and cut down on the six sacks for 34 yards it surrendered last weekend.
 
Soaring Skyhawks
  • Jacob Morris (QB, R-So.), 12-for-25 passing (48%), 149 yards, 1 interception
  • Jake Jones (QB, R-Fr.), 4-for-6 passing (66.7%), 28 yards, 7 carries, 32 yards, 1 touchdown
  • Jamal Johnson (RB, R-So.) 12 carries, 68 yards, 1 TB, 5.7 yards per carry
  • Zachary Gaumont (WR, Jr.) 3 catches, 50 yards
  • Jamille Humphrey (WR, Sr.) 3 catches, 50 yards
  • Jake Penney (ILB, R-Jr.) 12 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss
  • Samuel Ballas (DB, Jr.) 6 tackles, 1.5 tackles for 2 yards lost
  • Elijah Portela (BS, R-Jr.) 6 tackles, 1 interception
  • Kuba Betlinski (K, R-So.) 6 punts, 217 yards, 2 punts inside-the-20, 2-for-2 point after attempts
 
Series History
Fort Lewis trails Arizona Christian 2-1 all-time since 2022; however, the Skyhawks carry a one-game winning streak heading into Saturday night's contest after topping the Firestorm 17-12 at home in Durango, Colo., last season. It was Stone Walker who led the Skyhawks to victory last fall, throwing for 124 yards and one touchdown on 12 completions while adding another 57 yards and another score on 15 carries. Last time in Glendale, ACU defeated FLC handily by a 49-25 margin.
 
Firestorm's First Test
Arizona Christian was a 2-8 football team last season, also carrying a 1-7 mark in the Frontier Conference play. The two lone wins of the 2024 campaign came by way of a 31-10 victory over Montana State University-Northern (1-9) on Sept. 21, and a staggering 71-27 win over Simpson University (0-9) in the season finale on Nov. 16.
 
As a team, ACU managed 332 yards of total offense per game, backed by 133 yards through the air and 199 yards on the ground. The Firestorm scored 22.5 points per game, but surrendered an average of 40.4 points and 463 yards of total offense to its opponents.
 
There will be a new quarterback under center for ACU this season, with all eyes on sophomore transfer Omari Milton and freshman transfer Cole Meidinger. Milton played in five games last season for Langston University, completing just three passes in five attempts for 11 yards and an interception while also rushing for negative seven net yards and one touchdown. Meidinger, on the other hand, sat out the 2024 season for the Blue Hawks at Dickinson State University, who went 10-2 overall and 8-0 in conference play before taking a second-round exit in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Football Championship Series.
 
Restful Week Ahead
Thanks to the recently instituted week zero option, Fort Lewis will get to enjoy a bye week next Saturday, giving the Skyhawks an extra week of preparation before welcoming Black Hills State (0-1) to Ray Dennison Memorial Field for the 2025 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener on Saturday, Sept. 20, for a 12 p.m. kickoff.
 
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