CEDAR CITY, Utah (Oct. 8, 2026) – Southern Utah football heads into its bye week with a 2-4 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Big Sky play after closing the first half of the season with a 46-33 victory at Utah Tech on Oct. 3. With the Thunderbirds taking the week off, it's a good time to take a closer look at the numbers behind the first six games of the 2026 season. Here are 10 numbers that tell the story so far.
All statistics are through games of Oct. 3, 2026. Big Sky rankings are based on the conference's official statistics as of Oct. 5, while national rankings are from the NCAA FCS statistics through Oct. 3.
The Thunderbirds Coaches Show
Don't forget to check out the Thunderbirds Coaches Show live at Cafe Sabor on Tuesdays at 12 p.m. or watch it every Wednesday at noon MT on your favorite platform. This week on the Coaches Show, Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald joined defensive end Myles Amey and host Jon Smith to talk about last weekend's Battle for the Ax in St. George and what to do on bye week.
10 Numbers Through Six Games
Floyd Chalk leads all of FCS football with 823 rushing yards and 137.2 rushing yards per game. He also leads the Big Sky in both categories and in carries (130), ahead of Montana's Eli Gillman (783) and Cal Poly's Jaden Green (782). Chalk ranks fifth in the FCS and third in the Big Sky in all-purpose yards at 154.0 per game, and his eight rushing touchdowns rank fifth nationally.
2. Six for Six: Chalk's 100-Yard Games
Chalk has topped 100 rushing yards in all six games this season: 100 at Montana, 183 against Weber State, 144 at Colorado State, 118 at St. Thomas, 163 against Idaho State and 115 at Utah Tech. His six 100-yard games lead the Big Sky, and no other player in the league has more than three. Southern Utah has now had a 100-yard rusher in every game since Sept. 27, 2025.
3. Two in the Top 10
Southern Utah is the only FCS program with two players in the national top 10 for rushing yards. Chalk is No. 1, and quarterback Will Burns is No. 10 with 558 yards. In the Big Sky, the pair rank first and fifth.
4. 7.8 Yards Per Carry: Will Burns
Burns leads the Big Sky and ranks fourth in the FCS at 7.8 yards per carry. He is the only quarterback in the FCS top 10 for rushing yards, and he has three 100-yard rushing games, tied for second in the league, including 187 yards at Utah Tech. Burns ranks 12th nationally and third in the Big Sky in total offense at 288.5 yards per game, and he has accounted for 15 touchdowns (eight passing, seven rushing).
5. 261.5 Rushing Yards Per Game
The Thunderbirds rank third in the FCS and first in the Big Sky in rushing offense at 261.5 yards per game, nearly 70 yards more than second-place Montana (192.5). Only South Dakota State (291.8) and Lehigh (262.5) are running for more nationally. Southern Utah's 368 rushing yards against Weber State are the most by any Big Sky team in a game this season, and the offense ranks 11th in the FCS in total offense at 457.5 yards per game.
6. 20.9 Yards Per Catch: Mark Bails
Mark Bails ranks ninth in the FCS and sixth in the Big Sky at 20.9 yards per reception. He leads the team with 376 receiving yards on 18 catches, including a 75-yard reception, and has two 100-yard receiving games, including 138 yards at Colorado State.
Parker Vance leads the Big Sky and ranks fourth in the FCS with 0.67 interceptions per game. His four picks include one returned for a touchdown at St. Thomas. Vance also shares the league lead and ranks 16th nationally with 1.33 passes defended per game, while teammate Sean Mays ranks third in the Big Sky and 23rd nationally at 1.20. Vance leads the team with 45 tackles.
8. 99 Yards: Ran Sawyer's Kickoff Return
Ran Sawyer returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown at Utah Tech, and his 138 kickoff return yards that night are the most by any Big Sky player in a game this season. He ranks third in the league at 34.0 yards per return. As a team, Southern Utah ranks 14th in the FCS at 27.0 yards per kickoff return.
9. 44.9 Yards Per Punt: Daniel Valencia
Daniel Valencia ranks 11th in the FCS and third in the Big Sky at 44.9 yards per punt, with five 50-plus-yard punts and seven downed inside the 20. Kicker Jayden Rogers hit a 54-yard field goal against Idaho State, the second-longest in the Big Sky this season.
10. 34:04 Time of Possession
Southern Utah leads the Big Sky and ranks fifth in the FCS in time of possession at 34:04 per game, 1:30 more than second-place Northern Colorado. The Thunderbirds have also outscored opponents 55-40 in the fourth quarter and 88-78 after halftime.
Next Up
The Thunderbirds have a bye this week before hosting UC Davis on October 17. The game against the Aggies will kick off at 6:00 p.m. MT, with live stream available on ESPN+ and live stats available on the schedule link at suutbirds.com.
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