Atlanta, Ga. – Halfway through the SAA season, Trinity leads the pack in the conference standings. The fifth-ranked Tigers have won five in a row and hold a 1.5 game lead over Berry, Sewanee, and Hendrix heading into their bye week. The Vikings fell in a thriller to the Tigers earlier in the year while Sewanee and Hendrix will get their chance against Trinity later in the season. Rhodes has won its last two to even its conference record and is alone in fifth in the standings.
 
Around the League:
SAA Football Standings
SAA Football Stats
 
Athletes of the Week:
OFFENSIVE: Jacorin Thomas | Sewanee | First Year | Augusta, Ga. – Drove the Tigers offense on the ground and through the air, topping 260 all-purpose yards and scoring three touchdowns. The newcomer ran for 82 yards and a pair of touchdowns with a long run of 23 yards. He was also 17-of-22 passing for 178 yards, including a 43-yard play, and another touchdown.
 
DEFENSIVE: Caleb Harmel | Trinity | Fifth-year | Burton, Texas – Racked up 15 total tackles and led Trinity to a 31-1 win over Centre. The fifth-year filled the box score with 2.5 tackles for loss, a 10-yard sack, and a forced fumble. Harmel also had two quarterback hurries and anchored a defense that allowed just 58 rushing yards and had two fourth-down stops inside their own five-yard line.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS: Lamont Nickleberry | Trinity | First-year | Childress, Texas – Returned a punt 66-yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to give Trinity a two-score lead. The first year had a pair of punt returns on the day, totaling 72 yards.
 
Notable Performances:

• Blake Hembree (Berry) - Threw for 258 yards on 16-of-26 passing with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Completed two scoring strikes of 35-yards and another for 28-yards. 
• Ryan Merrifield (Trinity) – Hauled in five passes for 126 yards and a touchdown against Centre. The fifth-year caught a 40-yard pass late in the first quarter to set up the Tigers first score. He also had back-to-back catches that totaled 44 yards to set up another score and grabbed a 23-yard touchdown in the third, his seventh in the last three weeks.
• Robert Daniel (Rhodes) – Ran for 140-yards on 17 carries and scored three touchdowns for the Lynx. Started the day with a 31-yard touchdown run and scored again late in the first to put Rhodes up 14-0. Topped his day with a 38-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
• Kobe Hughes (Birmingham-Southern) – Racked up 116 yards and two touchdowns to lead BSC over Sewanee. The junior averaged over six years per carry and also had a 13-yard catch out of the backfield.
• Ty Armstrong (Birmingham-Southern) – Tallied eight tackles, all solo, and led BSC to its first conference win over Sewanee.
• Nick Floyd (Rhodes) – Snagged an interception and returned it 13-yard to highlight a big defensive day for the Lynx. Also totaled solo tackles and five total stops.  
• Joseph Becherer (Centre) – Totaled four tackles, two for loss, and recorded a key sack on third down to stop Trinity’s first drive.
• Tae Hills (Millsaps) – Had five kickoff returns that totaled 166 yards, including a long run of 49-yards. Also grabbed two catches for 40-yards.
• Austin Smith (Rhodes) – Totaled 72 return yards; running back a pair of kickoffs for 49 yards with a long of 25, and returning a punt 23 yards.
•  Cole Porch (Birmingham-Southern) – Knocked four punts for a total of 193 yards, including two inside the 20 and two over 50-yards.

 
Looking Forward:
SAA Football Schedule
 
Football Weekly Report Archive
Week 1 – Sept. 5
Week 2 – Sept. 11
Week 3 – Sept. 18
Week 4 – Sept. 25
Week 5 – Oct. 2