Battle of the Piney Woods

On Oct. 20, 2009, the athletic leadership at Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State made an announcement that will forever change one of the oldest Football Championship Subdivision rivalries in the country. The respective administrations of the two schools, in conjunction with Lone Star Sports and Entertainment and the Houston Texans, publicly announced an agreement that will put the Battle of the Piney Woods at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, for at least the next four seasons. The move was just the latest effort to help grow the second-oldest FCS rivalry in the state. Two years prior, the student leadership at both universities worked together to revive an old tradition by creating a traveling trophy to be handed to the game's winner each season. The move to Reliant Stadium only increased the rivalry's visibility, as well as that of the two football programs, in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States. With the two schools estimating a combined alumni population of over 80,000 in the greater Houston area alone, the game had potential for a strong crowd year-in and year-out, and through two years, the results cannot be denied. The teams have combined to bring in more than 24,000 fans to Reliant Stadium in both 2010 and 2011 with the games ranking as the top two most attended regular season games in Southlan Conference history. But to keep the Battle of the Piney Woods as one of the elite games in the FCS, that's where the fans come in. We need you to help get the word out to friends, family and fellow alumni. Let them know that you're excited about the chance to root on your team in one of the finest football facilities in the world and encourage them to come along for the game. The stadium experience is guaranteed to be second to none, and the rivalry will definitely have all the fire and passion fans have come to expect. We can't wait to see you in Houston. Axe 'em Jacks! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------