ARCATA — Legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant once said, "Don't give up at halftime. Concentrate on winning the second half."

For Humboldt State, "the second half" begins this week when the Lumberjacks begin the second round of games against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents. After suffering through a winless first round, the Jacks stand at 0-5 in league and 0-6 overall.

Head Coach Rob Smith's Lumberjacks begin their search for redemption Saturday when they host league leader Azusa Pacific (4-2, 4-1), a team that defeated the Jacks, 28-2, in Azusa on Sept. 21. Kickoff in Redwood Bowl is scheduled for 6 p.m.

"One of the nice things about the GNAC schedule is it provides you with a second chance against an opponent," Smith said. "Most importantly, there are still areas we need to improve upon. And it's about making the plays when we need to make them."

Head-to-Head
During the 26-year history of APU vs. HSU match-ups, the Lumberjacks have won 17 games while falling eight times. Prior to HSU's 28-2 loss to the Cougars on Sept. 21, the Lumberjacks had won five straight, all during Smith's tenure as head coach. …Last year's series was a clear indicator of the Cougars' rapid ascent. After losing to the Jacks, in Redwood Bowl, 42-17, in the season's second game, Azusa Pacific fell just short in a 24-20 nail-biter in Glendora later in the season.

On-the-Air
Humboldt State football can be once again heard over the airwaves on KATA, 1340 AM, the North Coast's ESPN radio affiliate. Former Lumberjack player and BiCoastal Media Sports Director J.B. Mathers describes the action and HSU Hall-of-Famer Burt Nordstrom adds commentary. Airtime is 5:45 p.m. The broadcast will also be streamed live at http://socialstreamingplayer.crystalmedianetworks.com/radio/kataam.

Streaming Video
This week's Lumberjack action can be viewed live online on the Lumberjacks' Stretch Internet channel in real time at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/humboldt.portal#. Live Stats will also be available alongside the video segment.

Injury Report
Offensive lineman Jonathan Bajet sustained an injury in practice last Wednesday, and after missing last week's game against Western Oregon is again unlikely to play.  Probable but not at full strength are offensive linemen Dillon Reagan, Jonathan Rowe and Lucas Govan. …Daniel Wyatt, who returned from his original injury two weeks ago, will be out for the second straight game after suffering another injury. …Free safety Eric Paopao's status for Saturday is undetermined as of Monday.

GNAC Glance
Saturday's Results: Simon Fraser 36 at Azusa Pacific 44;  Dixie State 24 at Central Washington 27;  Humboldt State 21 at Western Oregon 38.  

This Week:  Azusa Pacific at Humboldt State, 6 p.m.; Central Washington at Simon Fraser, 2 p.m.; Western Oregon at Dixie State, 6 p.m.  

Lumberjack Notes
Including two defeats to end the 2012 season, the Jacks have now lost eight consecutive games. Prior to that skid, they had won 24 of their last 29 contests. "During our first two years as a staff, we were in the process of establishing a successful program. That was established, but six years later we've lost eight in a row," Smith said. "We have been doing a lot of introspective thinking as to what we have done and why we're here." …Ball control problems have not only been frequent, but have occurred at key junctures in games. For example, in Saturday's loss to Western Oregon, the Jacks were leading 14-10 and about to regain possession with 4 minutes, 21 seconds remaining until halftime when a CWU punt bounced off a Lumberjack player and was recovered by the Wildcats at the HSU 9-yard line. One play later, the Jacks trailed 17-14. Three possessions later, another untimely turnover occurred when Spencer Phillips' pass was intercepted in the endzone after the Jacks had driven all the way to the CWU 11. …For the season, HSU has committed 22 turnovers to 12 giveaways by opponents…Young players – many of them forced into action because of the plethora of injuries – continue to showcase their talents.… A starter from the season's first game, true freshman Chase Krivashei has been spectacular at wide receiver, with a single-game high of 14 catches against Central Washington ranking No. 2 all-time in the HSU record book. He ranks right behind Hall of Famer Dustin Creager, who had 15 receptions against Western Oregon in 2004. …Redshirt freshman Cameron Buell has been a stalwart presence at linebacker. He continues to lead the Lumberjacks in tackles with 40, including 24 solos. …HSU junior placekicker Matt Bruder missed a field goal for only the sixth time in 25 tries during his HSU career when his 46-yard attempt sailed wide on Saturday. Bruder has missed only two kicks that weren't blocked – both from beyond 40 yards. In addition, he is 95-97 on extra point attempts, including 10-10 this fall.

Opponent Notes
Junior running back Terrell Watson has been a dominant force in the GNAC and is coming off his best performance of the year. His school record 302 yards rushing helped the Cougars overcome a 23-3 halftime deficit to defeat Simon Fraser, 44-36 last week. He also scored a school- and GNAC-record tying five touchdowns, earning him conference offensive player of the week honors. In the earlier matchup with HSU, Watson piled up 155 yards on 31 carries. …Free safety Tyler Thornton had 12 tackles, including eight solos, and also broke up two passes in last week's win. Thornton ranks second on his team in tackles with 52 this season.

Smith Says
"Azusa Pacific is on top of the standings and is coming off a huge win. We're going to have to be ready to take on that challenge. Last time we played they shut down our offense while we gave up big plays." … "(Terrell) Watson is a big, physical running back that in my opinion is a legitimate All-American candidate."