Weber State football will hit the road and take on Northern Arizona University on Nov. 19 for the No. 7 Wildcats’ final regular season game of the 2022 season.

This will be the 55th meeting between the two programs and the series is split 27–27. Both teams hold winning records when playing at home, Weber State is 19–9 in Ogden against NAU, and NAU is 18–8 against the Wildcats in Flagstaff.

Both Weber State and Northern Arizona introduced the new name and trophy for the rivalry, the “Red Rock Rivalry,” on Nov. 14.

The trophy was designed and crafted by a local Flagstaff artist, Joshua Meyer, who used elements shared between the two universities’ geographical locations that include red rock, wood and steel.

The two programs previously met annually, alternating locations between Flagstaff and Ogden, until Southern Utah University joined the Big Sky Conference in 2012. The series was moved to a rotation of every few years to cater to the unbalanced conference schedule. Due to SUU leaving the Big Sky, the two programs will return to annual meetings.

NAU joins Idaho State as the two programs who play against Weber State every year.

NAU has traveled up to Stewart Stadium for the program’s last two meetings and have fallen to the Wildcats both times.

The ‘Cats broke the Lumberjacks’ four-game winning streak in 2019 with a 51–28 victory. Weber State went on to share the Big Sky Championship with Sacramento State.

The last matchup between the two schools was in the 2020-2021 spring season where Wildcat quarterback Randall Johnson threw a 50-yard Hail Mary to Justin Malone in the end zone. Wildcat fans now refer to that famous play as the “Hail Malone.”

The touchdown secured the ‘Cats a 28–23 win.

Key players in the previous matchup that will also be playing on Nov. 19 include Noah Atagi, Bronson Barron, Josh Davis, Ty MacPherson and Malone.

NAU is currently 3–7. In conference play the ‘Jacks have handed Cal. Poly and Idaho State losses while losing to the University of Idaho, Portland State, UC Davis, Montana State and the University of Northern Colorado.

Following the game, the FCS Playoff Selection Show will be held on Nov. 20, where the Wildcats will find their seeding and learn their next opponent.