Stephen F. Austin vs. Sam Houston State
October 6, 2018 - 1 PM
NRG Stadium - Houston, Texas

TV: ESPN3 (Also available through WatchESPN app and ESPN College Extra)
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats: SFAJacks.com
Twitter: @SFA_Football

Tickets for the game are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets through the SFA Ticket Office by calling the number below by Friday, October 5 or use our online purchasing system by clicking the link below by Wednesday, October 3. Ticket prices range from $15 to $43. Call: 936-468-5225.

Purchase Tickets Online

Will Call: Amegy Bank Gate (right by the Bud Light Plaza). Look for the SFA Ticket sign!

***CLEAR BAG POLICY WILL BE IN EFFECT.***

Will there be a clear bag requirement for ticket holders on gameday? Anyone entering the stadium will be required to have a clear bag. Check out NRG Stadium's Clear Bag Policy (PDF) for complete details. SFA branded clear bags are currently on sale in the SFA Barnes and Noble Bookstore as well as online. The SFA clear bags will also be available for sale outside the stadium on gameday.

SFA Headquarters

JW Marriott Galleria

5150 Westheimer Road

Houston, Texas 77056

Special Fan Rate: $119 per night

Specify "SFA Fan Block"

Last day to book by: 9/21/18

Call: 1-800-228-9290 or book online: https://book.passkey.com/go/StephenFAustinRoomBlock

Another option to book a room in Houston is to visit our partner Booking Community's website. For exclusive login information contact our office or check your email. Rooms through them are up to 70% off other popular travel sites.

Departure: 8 AM - Tracie D. Pearman Alumni Center

Cost: $30 (does not include game ticket - tickets available at SFAJacks.com)
Snacks, drinks, & adult beverages provided.

Pay online, over the phone via credit card, or write a check payable to the SFA Alumni Association.

Reserve Seat/Questions:
Contact SFA Alumni Association at 936-468-3407.

Additional Info:
- Seating is limited! 1st come, 1st served basis! 

Advantages:
- Don’t have to pay for parking or find a place to park.
- Don’t have to drive.
- Front door drop-off service to the stadium.

On Saturday, October 6, in addition to the availability for individual tailgating for SFA fans, alumni and students in the Blue Lot beginning at 9 am, SFA will host a tailgate party at the southeast corner of NRG Stadium adjacent to the Astrodome beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m. Food will be available for the first 500 fans, and cash bars will be open throughout the event. The stadium gates open at 11:30 a.m. and kick-off is slated for 1:00 p.m.

Gameday Ticket Policy: For the 2018 version of the Battle of the Piney Woods, NRG Park will require fans who wish to stay and tailgate outside of the stadium beyond kickoff of the Battle of the Piney Woods to possess a game ticket or Tailgate Ticket.

Children are Exempt: Children 15 years of age or younger who are attending the game with their parents or a guardian will be allowed on NRG Park property without a game ticket or Tailgate Ticket, however they must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Where it is enforced: All NRG Park property, including but not limited to all parking lots and the stadium.

What will happen to non-ticket fans: Any fan that does not have a game ticket or Tailgate Ticket will not be permitted to stay on NRG Park Property past kickoff of the Battle of the Piney Woods. Tailgate Tickets may be purchased for $15 from NRG Park Tailgate Ambassadors roaming the parking lot after kickoff of the Battle of the Piney Woods.

Tailgate Ticket Policy FAQs

If I have a game ticket, do I need to also purchase a tailgate ticket if I do not want to enter NRG Stadium? No, having a game ticket allows you to stay on NRG Park property for the entirety of the game.

Why does NRG Park charge $15 for the tailgate ticket? NRG Park has set the price of a tailgate ticket at $15, to cover the additional expenses required to host extra patrons on property. That money will provide additional security, facilities, and parking personnel to manage the added patrons that will remain on property after all other game ticket members have gone inside the stadium.

How much is parking and can I use a debit or credit card? Parking is $15 and can be purchased upon arrival to NRG Park.

NRG PARK ONLY ACCEPTS CASH FOR PARKING. CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR PARKING TRANSACTIONS.

Does paying for parking alone allow my friends and I to tailgate for the entire game? No, you must possess a game ticket or a tailgate ticket in addition to paying to park in order to remain on NRG Park property past the kickoff of the game.

Pregame Activities: Tailgating Guidelines and Rules

NRG Park not only allows tailgating, they encourage it! They want NRG Stadium to provide the finest tailgating experience in college football and have established a few guidelines to make your tailgating party great:

PARKING LOT OPENS AT 9 AM.

The use of "Unmanned Aircraft Systems"(UAS) or "Drones" and other remotely controlled aircraft or ground vehicles is strictly prohibited at NRG Stadium and NRG Park. Anyone possessing or operating such devices at NRG Park is subject to confiscation of the item, removal from NRG Park and possible legal action in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws.

For safety, fans may not stand, sit, or congregate on the tops of vehicles, buses or RV's.

No Music system speakers may exceed 18" tall and 12" wide

Music speakers may not produce sound greater than 68 decibels in accordance to the City of Houston sound ordinance Sections 30.1-30.9

Liquid charcoal starter or other flammable liquids are strictly prohibited. Charcoal may be started with an electrical starter designed for this purpose or quick starting charcoal is recommended. Open flames are allowed but all barbecue pits left unattended must be extinguished.

Ash containers, trash containers and port-o-lets are located in each lot. Hot ashes, cinders, smothering coal, or other hot materials must be disposed of in the

Orange dumpsters only, and trash must be disposed of the in the Green dumpsters only.

For safety purposes, all tents, chairs, etc. must be put away before entering NRG Stadium.

In order to ensure the safety of our fans, no golf carts, Segways, motorized coolers, skateboards, bicycles, or large balloons will be allowed for use by fans in the parking lots.

NRG Stadium and the Houston Texans do not grant the right to display advertising, banners or signs, or distribute promotional items on property. Fans may be asked to remove inappropriate banners or signs. No promotional activity is permitted at NRG Stadium or in parking lots.

All cooking equipment shall be situated away from crowds, buildings, vehicles or combustible materials. A minimum clearance distance of 3 feet is required, and a minimum class 2A-10B:C fire extinguisher with a current service tag is required at each cooking area.

LP-gas cooking appliances shall be UL listed and approved for use. LP-gas cylinders shall be secured in an upright position to keep from falling and positioned to prevent impact from vehicle traffic. Portable generators are not to be filled while running and fuel must be in a UL listed safety can (2 gal. max).

Any violation of the fire safety regulations will be subject to citations being issued by the City of Houston Fire Inspector.

A Tradition Is Born

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 NRG 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 NRG 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 NRG Stadium in both 2010 and 2011 with the games ranking as the top two most attended regular season games in Southland 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!

NRG Stadium Information

Below is a link to the official NRG Stadium information page.

NRG Stadium