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Sam Houston Bearkats football

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Sam Houston Bearkats football
2024 Sam Houston Bearkats football team
First season1912; 112 years ago
Athletic directorBobby Williams
Head coachPhil Longo
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumBowers Stadium
(capacity: 14,000)
Field surfaceReal Grass Pro Artificial Surface
LocationHuntsville, Texas
NCAA divisionDivision I FBS
ConferenceConference USA
All-time record573–489–36 (.538)
Bowl record3–1–1 (.700)
Playoff record24–12
Claimed national titles2
(NAIA): 1964
(Div. I FCS): 2020
Conference titles15
RivalriesStephen F. Austin (rivalry)
Texas State (rivalry)
ColorsOrange and white[1]
   
Fight songBearkat Fight Song
MascotSammy Bearkat
Marching bandBearkat Marching Band
OutfitterUnder Armour
WebsiteGoBearkats.com

The Sam Houston Bearkats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Sam Houston State University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 14,000-seat Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, 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 the Southland Conference to join the Western Athletic Conference, which relaunched its football league at the FCS level at that time.[3] Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join Conference USA at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level beginning in the 2023–24 season.[4]

History

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Sam Houston has fielded a football team since 1912 and have played continuously since 1946 following World War II. The only times the Bearkats did not field a football team were in 1918 for World War I, from 1943 to 1945 for World War II, and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (although they did get a make-up season in the spring of 2021). The Bearkats competed independently from 1912 through 1923, in the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) from 1924 to 1931, in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1932 to 1981, in NCAA Division II from 1982 to 1985 and in the Southland Conference of the NCAA Division I FCS from 1986 to 2021. In July 2021, The Bearkats left the Southland Conference to join the Western Athletic Conference, which relaunched its football league at the FCS level at that time.[3] Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join FBS Conference USA beginning in the 2023–24 season.[4]

The Bearkats won their first FCS National Championship in the 2020–21 college football season, beating South 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]

Head coaches

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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, former Delaware head coach K. 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 2016 Eddie 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 Record Postseason
W L T
S. R. Warner 1912 1913 5 3 1
Gene Berry 1914 1919 14 15 1
Mutt Gee 1920 1922 6 7 4
J. W. Jones 1923 1935 54 52 10 1930 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association champions
Henry O. Crawford 1936 1937 7 12 0
Puny Wilson 1937 1951 50 49 6
Paul Pierce 1952 1967 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 20 19 3
Allen Boren 1972 1973 7 14 0
Billy Tidwell 1974 1977 11 30 1
Melvin Brown 1978 1981 12 29 0
Ron Randleman 1982 2004 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 25 28 0
Willie Fritz 2010 2014 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 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 0 0 0
Composite record 1912 present 573 489 36

Interim head coach

Championships

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National championships

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Sam Houston has two national championships, with one during their tenure in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the other coming in FCS. In their NAIA championship game, they played Concordia Cobbers for the championship, with the game resulting in a tie,[15] becoming co-champions with Moorhead.[16] In their third FCS championship game, they defeated South Dakota State to win their first FCS 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

Conference championships

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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

Bowl game appearances

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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 joining Division 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

Playoff appearances

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NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

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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 19–20 OT
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

NAIA

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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

Home stadiums

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Pritchett Field (1912–1985)

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The Bearkats' home for football was on Pritchett Field for 73 years (1912–1985) beginning with their first football game against Rice 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, defeating Washburn 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 the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award to head coach Willie Fritz.[12]

Bowers Stadium (1986–present)

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Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. Home of the Sam Houston Bearkats football team.

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 watch Alcorn State led by NFL bound quarterback Steve McNair in a 48–23 SAM HOUSTON victory on regional ABC-TV.[20][21]

Rivalries

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Stephen F. Austin

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The Sam Houston/Stephen F. Austin rivalry game, also known as the Battle of the Piney Woods, is a yearly rivalry held at NRG Stadium in Houston. 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 the Western Athletic Conference for Conference USA in 2023.

Texas State

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Sam Houston's second longest rivalry (dating back to 1915) is Texas 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 the Southland Conference for the Western Athletic Conference in 2012, eventually ending up in the Sun Belt Conference only a year later in 2013. The football rivalry has since been renewed beginning in the 2024 season.

Notable former players

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Bearkats in the National Football League

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Sam Houston has had 30 alumni play in the National Football League, with 21 players selected in the Draft.[22][23] During the 2018 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders selected defensive lineman P. J. Hall in the second round. This represents the highest a Bearkat player has been drafted by an NFL team.

Individual awards

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National awards

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Sam Houston has had a total of 96 players selected into the College 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.[24] 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

Conference awards

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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.[25]

Individual program records

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Rushing records

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  • Most rushing attempts, career: 999, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
  • Most rushing attempts, season: 298, Timothy Flanders (2011)
  • Most rushing attempts, game: 39, Charles Harris vs North Texas (1993)
  • Most rushing yards, career: 5,664, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
  • Most rushing yards, season: 1,644, Timothy Flanders (2011)
  • Most rushing yards, game: 287, Timothy Flanders vs Montana (2011)
  • Most rushing touchdowns, career: 66, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
  • Most rushing touchdowns, season: 22, Timothy Flanders (2011)
  • Most rushing touchdowns, game: 5, Timothy Flanders (September 20, 2011, vs. New Mexico)
  • Longest rush from scrimmage: 90 yards, Charles Harris vs Rice (1993), Arthur Louis vs SFA (1978), Dennis Gann vs Texas A&I (1966)
  • Most games with at least 100 rushing yards, career: 30, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
  • Most games with at least 100 rushing yards, season: 10, Timothy Flanders (2012)
  • Most games with at least 200 rushing yards, career: 2, Charles Harris (1993), D. D. Terry (2006), Timothy Flanders (2011–2012)
  • Most games with at least 200 rushing yards, season: 2, Charles Harris (1993, D. D. Terry (2006)[26]

Passing records

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  • Most passing attempts, career: 1,328, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
  • Most passing attempts, season: 579, Jeremiah Briscoe (2017)
  • Most passing attempts, game: 69, Rhett Bomar vs Southeastern Louisiana (2008)
  • Most passing completions, career: 1,328, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
  • Most passing completions, season: 333, Dustin Long (2004)
  • Most passing completions, game: 38, Dustin Long vs Eastern Washington at FCS Quarterfinals (2004)
  • Most passing yards, career: 11,488, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
  • Most passing yards, season: 5,003, Jeremiah Briscoe (2004)
  • Most passing yards, game: 577, Dustin Long vs McNeese State (2004)
  • Most passing touchdowns, career: 116, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
  • Most passing touchdowns, season: 57, Jeremiah Briscoe (2016)
  • Most passing touchdowns, game: 7, Jeremiah Briscoe (2016)
  • Longest pass completion: 99 yards, Binky Ford to Frankie Reescano vs Howard Payne University (1980)
  • Most games with at least 300 passing yards, season: 11, Jeremiah Briscoe (2016)
  • Most Victories as a Starting Quarterback: 39, Brian Bell (2010–2013)[27]

Receiving records

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  • Most receptions, career: 294, Yedidiah Louis (2014–2017)
  • Most receptions, season: 99, Jarrod Fuller (2004)
  • Most receptions, game: 13, Four Times: Jason Mathenia (2004), Torrance Williams (2013), Davion Davis (2017, 2018)
  • Most receiving yards, career: 3,942, Yedidiah Louis (2014–2017)
  • Most receiving yards, season: 1,648, Nathan Stewart (2017)
  • Most receiving yards, game: 268, Nathan Stewart vs McNeese (2016)
  • Most touchdown receptions, career: 40, Davion Davis (2015–2018)
  • Most touchdown receptions, season: 18, Jonathon Cooper (2001)
  • Most touchdown receptions, game: 4, Matt Dominguez vs Nicholls State (1999)
  • Longest pass reception: 97 yards, Frankie Reescano from Blinky Ford vs Howard Payne (1980)
  • Most games with at least 100 receiving yards, career: 16, Nathan Stewart (2016–2019)[28]

Defensive records

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  • Most tackles, career: 538, Stan Blinka (1975–1978)
  • Most tackles, season: 211, Stan Blinka (1978)
  • Most tackles, game: 24, Stan Blinka (1978 vs Stephen F. Austin)
  • Most sacks, career: 42, P. J. Hall (2014–2017)
  • Most sacks, season: 15, Andre Finley (1988)
  • Most sacks, game: 4, Michael Bankston (1991 vs Angelo State), Will Henry (2010 vs Nicholls State)
  • Most interceptions, career: 14, Daxton Swanson (2009–2012)
  • Most interceptions, season: 8, Daxton Swanson (2011)
  • Most interceptions, game: 3, Charles Stanley vs. Howard Payne (1977), Mark Hughes vs. McNeese State (2004)[29]

Future non-conference opponents

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Future non-conference opponents announced as of December 11, 2024.[30]

2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
UNLV at Troy at Louisiana–Monroe at Colorado State Troy Georgia Southern at Tulsa
at Hawaii Tulsa Colorado State at Houston at Georgia Southern Oregon State
at Texas at Texas Tech at TCU Louisiana–Monroe at UNLV
at Oregon State

References

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  1. ^ "Athletic Branding". Sam Houston State University Department of Marketing and Communications. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "Longo hired as Bearkat head coach" (Press release). Sam Houston Bearkats. December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "WAC Announces Expedited Entrance for Four Texas Institutions" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Sam Houston accepts invitation to join Conference USA". KBTX. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  5. ^ "2021 FCS Championship Game: Date, time, history". NCAA. 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  6. ^ "Sam Houston Football Record Book" (PDF). Sam Houston State Athletics. 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  7. ^ "1964 National Co-Champion team holds reunion". Sam Houston State Athletics. October 24, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  8. ^ "SHSU's Ron Randleman to Retire". Southland Conference. December 12, 2004. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  9. ^ "Sam Houston State Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  10. ^ "Sam Houston State gets second chance in FCS title game". Houston Chronicle. January 4, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  11. ^ "SHSU's Willie Fritz Named AFCA Coach of the Year". Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Football Back At Pritchett Thursday Night". Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  13. ^ "Willie Fritz earns AFCA Regional Coach of the Year". Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  14. ^ "Keeler Claims Eddie Robinson Award". Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  15. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ "Sam Houston State Bearkat History". GoBearkats.com. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  17. ^ "Sam Houston State Conference Championships". Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  18. ^ "Joseph Pritchett Field". Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  19. ^ "Orange-White Spring Scrimmage". Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  20. ^ "Sam Houston Bearkat Athletic History". Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  21. ^ McNair Hurt As Alcorn St. Loses, 48–23. Washington Post (September 25, 1994). Retrieved July 17, 2014. via HighBeam Research
  22. ^ "Sam Houston Players/Alumni". Pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  23. ^ "Sam Houston Football Record Book" (PDF). Sam Houston State Athletic Department. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  24. ^ Sam Houston Football Records – National Awards (PDF). Sam Houston Athletics. p. 51.
  25. ^ Sam Houston Football Records – All Conference Players (PDF). Sam Houston Athletics. pp. 53–58.
  26. ^ Sam Houston State Football Records – Rushing (PDF). Sam Houston State Athletics. pp. 16–21.
  27. ^ Sam Houston State Football Records – Passing (PDF). Sam Houston State Athletics. pp. 12–14.
  28. ^ Sam Houston State Football Records – Receiving (PDF). Sam Houston Athletics. pp. 16–18.
  29. ^ Sam Houston State Football Records – Defensive (PDF). Sam Houston State Athletics. pp. 21–22.
  30. ^ "Sam Houston Bearkats Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
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