NATCHITOCHES – Sam Goodwin guided Northwestern State football to its greatest success in 40 seasons of Division I competition, including some stirring wins over rival Stephen F. Austin.
 
That makes it especially appropriate that Goodwin, who coached the Demons from 1983-1999, will be the Exchange Bank Demon Great of the Game Saturday afternoon as NSU hosts SFA in the 3 o'clock season finale for both squads.
 
Goodwin will be recognized on the field and on the videoboard as the Great of the Game during a timeout in the opening quarter.
 
It will be the 20^th anniversary of one of the most dynamic games in Demon football history. On Nov. 20, 1997, Goodwin's squad delighted a Turpin Stadium throng of 10,194 by upsetting No. 12-ranked SFA 38-24 to capture the Southland Conference championship and an FCS playoff berth. The south goalposts were yanked down by students and paraded around the field, then downtown in the celebration.
 
That was one of four conference championships in Goodwin's 17 seasons, which produced a school record 102 victories and playoff trips in 1988 (quarterfinals), 1997 and 1998 (semifinals).
 
Twice, the Demons brought the Southland championship trophy and the biggest trophy in the sports world, Chief Caddo, back across Toledo Bend from Stephen F. Austin. The 1988 Southland championship was won by NSU 20-17 over the No. 1-ranked Lumberjacks. The 1998 Demons won 35-21 at SFA.
 
A Demon Great of the Game is spotlighted at each home football game. In its first four years, the Demon Great of the Game presented by Exchange Bank and Trust has honored 24 outstanding figures in the 109-year history of NSU athletics.
 
Harris Wilson Jr., known as "Coach Black" to his legion of friends, was the first 2017 Demon Great of the Game, spotlighted at the Sept. 16 win over Lamar. Since 1996, he has worked with all of the NSU sports. He was schoolmates with Goodwin's son, Jay, who began bringing Wilson to the Demon football offices after school in their last two years at Natchitoches Central High School.

Legendary retired track and field coach Leon Johnson was the Sept. 30 Great of the Game. Johnson was NSU's head coach for 31 years until his 2013 retirement, and had an epic collection of accomplishments in his career. He and Goodwin worked closely to great benefit, as many football players also competed for Johnson.
 
At Homecoming, Goodwin's 1997 Southland Conference champion team took the spotlight. Nine players on that squad reached the NFL.
 
For the Nov. 4 win over Abilene Christian, another championship team was honored, Coach Jack Clayton's 1957 Gulf States Conference titlelists.
 
Exchange Bank and Trust has been a key supporter of NSU Athletics throughout its long history as the oldest financial institution in Louisiana.