| Sam Houston Bearkats football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1912; 113 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Bobby Williams | ||
| Head coach | Phil Longo 1st season, 2–8 (.200) | ||
| Stadium | Bowers Stadium (capacity: 14,000) | ||
| Location | Huntsville, Texas | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Conference USA | ||
| All-time record | 574–497–36 (.535) | ||
| Bowl record | 3–1–1 (.700) | ||
| Claimed national titles | |||
| Div. I FCS:2020 | |||
| Conference titles | |||
| TIAA:1930 LSC:1955,1956,1961,1964,GSC:1985,1986 Southland:2001,2004,2011,2012,2014,2016,2020 WAC:2021 | |||
| Rivalries | Stephen F. Austin (rivalry) Texas State (rivalry) | ||
| Colors | Orange and white[1] | ||
| Fight song | Bearkat Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Sammy Bearkat | ||
| Marching band | Bearkat Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Under Armour | ||
| Website | GoBearkats.com | ||
TheSam Houston Bearkats football program is the intercollegiateAmerican football team forSam Houston State University located in the U.S. state ofTexas. The team competes in theNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of theConference USA. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 14,000-seatBowers Stadium inHuntsville, Texas. On December 18, 2024,Phil Longo was named the 16th head coach in Sam Houston program history.[2]
In July 2021, the Bearkats left theSouthland Conference to join theWestern Athletic Conference, which relaunched itsfootball league at the FCS level at that time.[3] Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to joinConference USA at theNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level beginning in the 2023–24 season.[4]
Sam Houston has fielded a football team since 1912 and have played continuously since 1946 followingWorld War II. The only times the Bearkats did not field a football team were in 1918 forWorld War I, from 1943 to 1945 forWorld War II, and 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic (although they did get a make-up season in the spring of 2021). The Bearkats competed independently from 1912 through 1923, in theTexas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) from 1924 to 1931, in theLone Star Conference from 1932 to 1984, in theGulf Star Conference from 1982 to 1985 and in theSouthland Conference from 1986 to 2021. In July 2021, The Bearkats left theSouthland Conference to join theWestern Athletic Conference, which relaunched itsfootball league at the FCS level at that time.[3] Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to joinFBSConference USA beginning in the 2023–24 season.[4]
The Bearkats won their firstFCS National Championship in the 2020–21 college football season, beatingSouth Dakota State 23–21.[5]
The Bearkats have 15 conference championships, and have seen postseason NCAA playoff action in 13 seasons, with back-to-back NCAA Division I Championship game appearances in 2011–2012.[6] Sam Houston State also has 3 bowl victories in four games, and one claimed National Championship from NAIA in the 1964 season.[7]
Ron Randleman is Sam Houston's and the Southland Conference's all-time winningest coach with 131 wins over a span of 23 years. Randleman also won conference Coach of the Year honors on four occasions, in the Gulf Star Conference in 1985 and 1986, and in the Southland Conference in 1991, and 2001.[8]
Paul Pierce coached the Bearkats to its only National Championship as a member of NAIA, and also won the 1965 Knute Rockne Little All-American Coach of the Year award.[9]
Willie Fritz coached Sam Houston to back-to-back conference championships and back-to-back national title game appearances in only three years, while being awarded the 2011 AFCA National Coach of the Year award and the 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award. He was also named the 2012 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year.[10][11][12][13]
On January 23, 2014, formerDelaware head coachK. C. Keeler was named the 15th head coach in Sam Houston program history. Under Keeler, Sam Houston consistently made deep runs in the FCS playoffs, making appearances every year from 2014-2017 and claimed the ultimate prize winning the FCS National Championship in 2020 (played in Spring 2021).
Keeler finished with a record of 97-39, winning four conference titles in his 11 seasons as head coach. The winner of the 2016Eddie Robinson Award, as a Bearkat, Keeler became both the all-time FCS playoffs wins leader and the only coach to win an FCS title with two different schools.[14]
| Name | From | To | Season(s) | Record | Postseason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | |||||
| S. R. Warner | 1912 | 1913 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | |
| Gene Berry | 1914 | 1919 | 6 | 14 | 15 | 1 | |
| Mutt Gee | 1920 | 1922 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 4 | |
| J. W. Jones | 1923 | 1935 | 13 | 54 | 52 | 10 | 1930 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association champions |
| Henry O. Crawford | 1936 | 1937 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 0 | |
| Puny Wilson | 1937 | 1951 | 15 | 50 | 49 | 6 | |
| Paul Pierce | 1952 | 1967 | 16 | 94 | 52 | 7 | 1955 Lone Star Conference co-champions, 1956 LSC champions, 1964 LSC, NAIA National co-champions, 3 bowl wins in 4 appearances |
| Tom Page | 1968 | 1971 | 4 | 20 | 19 | 3 | |
| Allen Boren | 1972 | 1973 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 0 | |
| Billy Tidwell | 1974 | 1977 | 4 | 11 | 30 | 1 | |
| Melvin Brown | 1978 | 1981 | 4 | 12 | 29 | 0 | |
| Ron Randleman | 1982 | 2004 | 23 | 131 | 125 | 3 | 1985 Gulf Star Conference co-champions, 1986 GSC champions, 2001 Southland Conference co-champions, 2004 SLC co-champions |
| Todd Whitten | 2005 | 2009 | 5 | 25 | 28 | 0 | |
| Willie Fritz | 2010 | 2014 | 5 | 40 | 15 | 0 | 2011 SLC champions, 2011 NCAA Division I Finalist, 2012 SLC co-champions 2012 NCAA Division I Finalist |
| K. C. Keeler | 2014 | 2024 | 11 | 97 | 39 | 0 | 2014 SLC co-champions, 2014 NCAA Division I Semifinalist, 2015 NCAA Division I Semifinalist, 2016 SLC champions, 2016 NCAA Division I Quarterfinalist, 2017 NCAA Division I Semifinalist, 2020 SLC champions, 2020 NCAA Division I National Champions, 2021 WAC champions, 2021 NCAA Division I Quarterfinalist |
| Brad Cornelsen† | 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2024 New Orleans Bowl Champions | |
| Composite record | 1912 | present | 114 | 573 | 489 | 36 | |
† Interim head coach
Sam Houston has two national championships, with one during their tenure in theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the other coming in FCS. In their NAIA championship game, they playedConcordia Cobbers for the championship, with the game resulting in a tie,[15] becoming co-champions with Moorhead.[16] In their thirdFCS championship game, they defeatedSouth Dakota State to win their firstFCS national championship.
| Season | Coach | Selector | Record | Result | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Paul Pierce | National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics | 9–1–1 | T 7–7 | Concordia College |
| 2020 | K. C. Keeler | NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision | 10–0 | W 23–21 | South Dakota State |
Sam Houston has won 15 conference titles, seven shared and eight outright.
| Year | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association | J. W. Jones | 9–1 | 5–0 |
| 1955† | Lone Star Conference | Paul Pierce | 6–1–2 | 5–1–1 |
| 1956 | 10–0 | 7–0 | ||
| 1961 | 8–1 | 7–0 | ||
| 1964†* | 9–1–1 | 5–1 | ||
| 1985† | Gulf Star Conference | Ron Randleman | 8–3 | 4–1 |
| 1986 | 9–3 | 4–1 | ||
| 2001† | Southland Conference | 10–3 | 5–1 | |
| 2004† | 8–3 | 4–1 | ||
| 2011 | Willie Fritz | 14–1 | 7–0 | |
| 2012† | 11–4 | 6–1 | ||
| 2014† | K. C. Keeler | 11–5 | 7–1 | |
| 2016 | 12–1 | 9–0 | ||
| 2020 | 10–0 | 6–0 | ||
| 2021 | Western Athletic Conference | 11–1 | 5–0 |
† Denotes shared title.[17]
Conference affiliations
Sam Houston appeared in five bowl games during their time in the NAIA, going 3–0–1 in these bowl games, with the final one notably being for the NAIA championship. Since joiningDivision I FBS, the Bearkats have been invited to one bowl game.
| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Shrimp Bowl† | Northeastern State (OK) | W 41–20 |
| 1953 | Refrigerator Bowl† | College of Idaho | W 14–12 |
| 1956 | Refrigerator Bowl† | Middle Tennessee State | W 27–13 |
| 1958 | Christmas Festival Bowl† | Northwestern State | L 11–18 |
| 1964 | Championship Bowl† | Concordia College | T 7–7 |
| 2024 | New Orleans Bowl | Georgia Southern | W 31–26 |
† non-Division I bowl game
The Bearkats have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs 13 times with an overall record of 24–12. They were NCAA Division I National Champions in 2020.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | First Round | Arkansas State | L 7–48 |
| 1991 | First Round | Middle Tennessee State | L 19–20OT |
| 2001 | First Round Quarterfinals | Northern Arizona Montana | W 34–31 L 24–49 |
| 2004 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Western Kentucky Eastern Washington Montana | W 54–21 W 35–34 L 13–34 |
| 2011 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Stony Brook Montana State Montana North Dakota State | W 34–27 W 49–13 W 31–28 L 6–17 |
| 2012 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Cal Poly Montana State Eastern Washington North Dakota State | W 18–16 W 34–16 W 45–42 L 13–39 |
| 2013 | First Round Second Round | Southern Utah Southeastern Louisiana | W 51–20 L 29–30 |
| 2014 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Southeastern Louisiana Jacksonville State Villanova North Dakota State | W 21–17 W 37–26 W 34–31 L 3–35 |
| 2015 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Southern Utah McNeese State Colgate Jacksonville State | W 42–39 W 34–29 W 48–21 L 10–62 |
| 2016 | Second Round Quarterfinals | Chattanooga James Madison | W 41–36 L 7–65 |
| 2017 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | South Dakota Kennesaw State North Dakota State | W 54–42 W 34–27 L 13–55 |
| 2020 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Monmouth North Dakota State James Madison South Dakota State | W 21–15 W 24–20 W 38–35 W 23–21 |
| 2021 | Second Round Quarterfinals | Incarnate Word Montana State | W 49–42 L 19–42 |
The Bearkats appeared in the NAIA playoffs one time, with a combined record of 1–0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Semifinals National Championship | Findlay Concordia–Moorhead | W, 32–12 T, 7–7 |
The Bearkats' home for football was on Pritchett Field for 73 years (1912–1985) beginning with their first football game againstRice University in 1912. The field was named after Joseph Pritchett, brother of the university's fourth president Henry Carr Pritchett, and former owner of the land the field rests on.
The final football game played on Pritchett Field was a victory for the Bearkats with a score of 51–7, defeatingWashburn University. Sam Houston Football began playing games at Bowers Stadium following the 1985 season. The complex is currently home to Sam Houston Women's Soccer and Club Lacrosse.[18]
On April 18, 2013,[19] football was played on Pritchett Field for the first time since 1985 for the annual Orange-White spring game. The event also included the presentation of theLiberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award to head coachWillie Fritz.[12]
Bowers Stadium, formerly Bearkat Stadium (1986–1989), is currently home to both Sam Houston Football and the Track and Field programs beginning with the 1986 season. Bowers Stadium has a capacity of 14,000. However, 16,148 fans packed Bowers Stadium in 1994 to watchAlcorn State led byNFL bound quarterbackSteve McNair in a 48–23 SAM HOUSTON victory on regional ABC-TV.[20][21]
Due to renovations at Bowers Stadium, specifically the construction of a new press box, the Bearkats are playing their 2025 home games atShell Energy Stadium inHouston, home ofMajor League Soccer'sHouston Dynamo FC and theNational Women's Soccer League'sHouston Dash. Going into the 2025 season, the Bearkats had played 47 games in Houston, although only one had been at the venue now known as Shell Energy Stadium. According to the Sam Houston athletic administration, the temporary move "allows Sam Houston Athletics to offer expanded fan amenities and a full gameday experience which would not be possible in a reduced-capacity Bowers Stadium during the renovation process."[22]
The Sam Houston/Stephen F. Austin rivalry game, also known as the Battle of the Piney Woods, is a yearly rivalry held atNRG Stadium inHouston. The two teams have met 91 times with Sam Houston leading the series 60–34–2. The Battle of the Piney Woods is Texas' second longest FCS rivalry. The most recent meeting ending with the Bearkats defeating the Lumberjacks 21–20 and clinching their 10th win in a row. However, the rivalry is now in question as Sam Houston left theWestern Athletic Conference forConference USA in 2023.
Sam Houston's second longest rivalry (dating back to 1915) isTexas State University. The two teams held annual rivalry games in mainly football and basketball with Texas State boasting a 50–37–5 record in football (last game in 2011) and a 64–51 record in men's basketball (last game in 2012). The two universities are in the same university system (sharing many similarities) and competed in the same athletic conferences until Texas State left theSouthland Conference for theWestern Athletic Conference in 2012, eventually ending up in theSun Belt Conference only a year later in 2013. The football rivalry has since been renewed beginning in the 2024 season.
Sam Houston has had 30 alumni play in theNational Football League, with 21 players selected in theDraft.[23][24] During the2018 NFL draft, theOakland Raiders selected defensive linemanP. J. Hall in the second round. This represents the highest a Bearkat player has been drafted by an NFL team.
Sam Houston has had a total of 96 players selected into theCollege Football All-America Team, including 66 NCAA All-Americans and 30 NAIA All-Americans. A number of these players have also been considered for major national awards.[25] In 2016, quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe became the first Bearkat to win the Payton Award. In 2017 he became the first Bearkat to win two Payton Awards and only the second FCS player to win multiple Payton Awards after former Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards became the first in 2009.
Major honors
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Sam Houston has had 750 All-Conference selections and honorable mentions, including 15 in Conference USA, 28 in the Western Athletic Conference, 433 in the Southland Conference, 27 in the Gulf Star Conference, 239 in the Lone Star Conference, and 8 in the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association.[26]
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Future non-conference opponents announced as of July 1, 2025.[31]
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2033 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNLV | atTroy | atLouisiana–Monroe | atColorado State | Troy | Georgia Southern | atTulsa | atUNLV |
| atHawaii | Tulsa | Colorado State | atHouston | atGeorgia Southern | Oregon State | ||
| atTexas | Nicholls | atTCU | Louisiana–Monroe | ||||
| atOregon State | atTexas Tech |
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