The FBS college football family is expanding for the 2023 season, with the addition of two former FCS schools. After winning an FCS National Championship in 2021, one of those teams will have their sites set on establishing themselves as an immediate force in the FBS. Introducing, the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
History of the Sam Houston State Bearkats
Let’s start with the basic information about the new kids on the Conference USA block. The Bearkats represent Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, Texas. They play their home games at Bowers Stadium, a 12,600-capacity arena that has been home of the Bearkats since 1986.
We’d ordinarily finish off the previous paragraph with the Bearkats’ biggest rivals.
However, with Sam Houston State switching to the FBS, their most-storied rivalry will come to an end. The “Battle of the Piney Woods” has been a long-standing rivalry clash with Stephen F. Austin, but that game will no longer continue.
With a close geographical relationship and conference alignment, Louisiana Tech could become a future rivalry game for the Bearkats.
The history of the program dates back to 1912, when Sam Houston State was known as “The Normals.” The program’s first-ever game was a 20-6 defeat against Rice, and they played as an independent program from then until 1923.
For that 1923 campaign, the program joined the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA). It wasn’t the only notable moment in Sam Houston State history that year, however.
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The program officially became the Bearkats, taking their name from the slogan “as tough as a Bearkat,” with the unusual spelling in reference to a mythical creature rather than the animal native to South and Southeast Asia.
Seven years later, Sam Houston State landed the first of their 15 conference titles. The Bearkats have won titles in the TIAA, Lone State Conference (4), Gulf Star Conference (2), Southland Conference (7), and the Western Athletic Conference (1).
From 1931 to 1983, Sam Houston State competed at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level, where they held a share of the 1964 National Championship after a 7-7 tie with Concordia-Moorhead.
Although they tasted conference success on multiple occasions following their transition to the FCS in 1984, and have appeared in the FCS playoffs 13 times, the Bearkats had to wait until 2021 to add another national championship to the Sam Houston State history books.
In one of the most disrupted seasons in college football history, the Bearkats defeated two titans of FCS football — North Dakota State and James Madison — during the spring of 2021, before beating South Dakota State 23-21 to lift their first-ever FCS National Championship.
Despite going 11-1 the following regular season, the Bearkats fell short of defending their title at the quarterfinal stage, losing 42-19 to Montana State. With their transition to the FBS, Sam Houston State finished their FCS tenure ineligible for postseason play but missed out anyway after a difficult 5-4 season.
Famous Sam Houston State Players
According to drafthistory.com, there have been 29 players from Sam Houston State that were drafted into the NFL.
The most recent Bearkat to hear his name called in the NFL’s annual selection event was cornerback Zyon McCollum, a fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2022 NFL Draft. McCollum tallied 13 interceptions for Sam Houston State — the second most in program history — before making three starts as a rookie.
Perhaps the most famous Sam Houston State alum is NFL journeyman quarterback Josh McCown. A third-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2002, McCown made 76 starts in the NFL with 102 appearances across nine teams. The former Bearkat threw for 17,731 yards and 98 touchdowns in his NFL career.
Defensive tackle P.J. Hall holds the Sam Houston State program records for sacks and tackles for loss, and remains the highest-drafted player from the program. The 57th overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, Hall made 27 starts for the Raiders and Texans with 82 tackles and 2.5 sacks between 2018 and 2020.
After setting the Sam Houston State record for career tackles, Stan Blinka was drafted by the New York Jets in 1979. Making an immediate impact at the NFL level, Blinka was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and was the starting linebacker for four years, leading the team in tackles in 1979 and 1980.
With 121 starts across nine seasons, versatile defensive linemen Michael Bankston is arguably Sam Houston State’s longest-tenured NFL player. Meanwhile, cornerback Jimmy Hill was a three-time Pro Bowler and 1962 All-Pro. Finally, four former Bearkats have a Super Bowl ring, with program interception leader Dax Swanson being the most recent in 2015.
Bearkats Career Record Holders
Sam Houston State program records from the official Bearkats record book.
- Career rushing yards: Timothy Flanders, 5,644 yards
- Career rushing touchdowns: Timothy Flanders, 66 touchdowns
- Career passing yards: Jeremiah Briscoe, 11,488 yards
- Career passing touchdowns: Jeremiah Briscoe, 116 touchdowns
- Career receiving yards: Nathan Stewart, 4,494 yards
- Career receiving touchdowns: Davion Davis, 40 touchdowns
- Career total tackles: Stan Blinka, 538 tackles
- Career tackles for loss: P.J. Hall, 102 tackles for loss
- Career sacks: P.J. Hall, 42 sacks
- Career pass interceptions: Dax Swanson, 14 interceptions
- Career punting yards: Bart Bradley, 10,880 yards
- Career field goals made: Miguel Antonio, 51 field goals
Sam Houston State Success Against FBS Foes
When Sam Houston State takes to the field on Sept. 2 against BYU, it will mark the beginning of its tenure as an FBS program. However, it’s not the first time that they’ve come face to face with FBS opposition. Furthermore, the Bearkats have clawed their way past several FBS programs in their history.
According to their records book, Sam Houston State has played 33 games against FBS opponents. Their first game was a close-fought 38-34 loss to Houston in 1987, with the Bearkats’ most recent encounter against Texas A&M — a 31-0 defeat in the 2022 college football season.
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While the Bearkats have lost 30 of their matchups with FBS opposition, there are three wins on their résumé since the turn of the millennium. Sam Houston State defeated Louisiana 21-14 in 2000, with a second FBS win coming the following year with a 20-9 victory over Louisiana-Monroe.
The Bearkats’ most recent FBS win was their most entertaining. After falling behind to an opening kickoff-return touchdown, Sam Houston State and New Mexico duked it out through four quarters but still couldn’t be separated. When the Bearkats held the Lobos to a field goal in overtime, a Timothy Flanders four-yard touchdown gave them a 48-45 win in Albuquerque.
Sam Houston State 2023 College Football Schedule
- at BYU Cougars, Sept. 2
- vs. Air Force Falcons, Sept. 9
- at Houston Cougars, Sept. 23
- vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks, Sept. 28
- at Liberty Flames, Oct. 5
- at New Mexico State Aggies, Oct. 11
- vs. FIU Panthers, Oct. 18
- vs. UTEP Miners, Oct. 25
- vs. Kennesaw State Owls, Nov. 4
- at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, Nov. 11
- at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Nov. 18
- vs. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, Nov. 25
