2018 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

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2018 Sam Houston State Bearkats football
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Record6–5 (5–4 Southland)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRyan Carty (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread option
Defensive coordinatorClayton Carlin (2nd season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumBowers Stadium
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Southland Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 14 Nicholls +^   7 2     9 4  
Incarnate Word +^   6 2     6 5  
Lamar ^   6 3     7 5  
Abilene Christian   5 4     6 5  
Central Arkansas   5 4     6 5  
McNeese State   5 4     6 5  
Sam Houston State   5 4     6 5  
Northwestern State   4 5     5 6  
Southeastern Louisiana   4 5     4 7  
Stephen F. Austin   2 7     2 8  
Houston Baptist   0 9     1 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS poll

The 2018 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bearkats were led by fifth-year head coach K. C. Keeler and played their home games at Bowers Stadium. They were a member of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 6–5, 5–4 in Southland play to finish in a four-way tie for fourth place.

Preseason[edit]

Preseason All-Conference Teams[edit]

On July 12, 2018, the Southland announced their Preseason All-Conference Teams, with the Bearkats having seven players at nine positions selected.[1]

Preseason Poll[edit]

On July 19, 2018, the Southland announced their preseason poll, with the Bearkats selected as the favorites to win the conference.[2]

Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Sam Houston State 187 (10)
2 Nicholls State 173 (6)
3 Central Arkansas 170 (5)
4 McNeese State 159 (1)
5 Southeastern Louisiana 119
6 Stephen F. Austin 90
7 Abilene Christian 89
8 Northwestern State 86
9 Incarnate Word 53
10 Lamar 52
11 Houston Baptist 32

Award watch lists[edit]

Award Player Position Year
Walter Payton Award[3] Davion Davis WR SR
Nathan Steward WR JR
Buck Buchanan Award[4] Chris Stewart DE SR

Schedule[edit]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 86:00 p.m.Prairie View A&M*No. 4ESPN+W 41–329,571
September 156:00 p.m.North Dakota*No. 5
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntville, TX
ESPN3L 23–245,373
September 223:00 p.m.at No. 18 Nicholls StateNo. 11ESPN+L 7–275,025
September 293:00 p.m.No. 13 Central ArkansasNo. 21
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ESPN3W 34–31 OT7,598
October 61:00 p.m.vs. Stephen F. AustinNo. 17ESPN3W 54–2126,548
October 136:00 p.m.at Northwestern StateNo. 15CST/ESPN3W 42–285,125
October 203:00 p.m.at LamarNo. 14ESPN+L 23–417,227
October 271:00 p.m.Southeastern LouisianadaggerNo. 23
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ELVNW 28–2510,098
November 32:00 p.m.at Incarnate WordNo. 21ESPN3L 26–435,643
November 102:30 pmAbilene Christian
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ELVN/SLC DigitalL 10–176,914
November 172:00 p.m.at Houston Baptist
SLC DigitalW 42–202,002
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[5][6][7]

Game summaries[edit]

Prairie View A&M[edit]

Prairie View A&M at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
Panthers 9 1409 32
No. 4 Bearkats 10 1777 41
  • Date: September 8
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 6:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:35
  • Game attendance: 9,571
  • Game weather: Temperature: 73 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Overcast • Wind: SW 2
  • Referee: Eddie Kelley
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Randy McIlvoy, Shea Walker, Matt Pedersen
Sources:[8][9][10]

North Dakota[edit]

North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
Fighting Hawks 7 1007 24
No. 5 Bearkats 7 3130 23
  • Date: September 15
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 6:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:07
  • Game attendance: 5,373
  • Game weather: Temperature: 88 °F (31 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: ESE 4
  • Referee: Kevin Boitmann
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Randy McIlvoy, Shea Walker, Sarah Merrifield
Sources:[11][12][13]

At Nicholls State[edit]

Sam Houston State at Nicholls State
1 234Total
No. 11 Bearkats 7 000 7
No. 18 Colonels 3 7314 27
  • Date: September 22
  • Location: John L. Guidry Stadium
    Thibodaux, LA
  • Game start: 6:24 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 2:52
  • Game attendance: 5,025
  • Game weather: Temperature: 82 °F (28 °C) • Weather: Rainy, Overcast • Wind: SE 6
  • Referee: M. Vandervelde
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Kooter Roberson, E.P. Garth, Brian Adams
Sources:[14][15][16]

Central Arkansas[edit]

Central Arkansas at Sam Houston State
1 234OTTotal
No. 13 Bears 3 77140 31
No. 21 Bearkats 0 141433 34
  • Date: September 29
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 3:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:52
  • Game attendance: 7,598
  • Game weather: Temperature: 77 °F (25 °C) • Weather: Drizzly & Overcast • Wind: ESE 4
  • Referee: Mike Defee
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Randy McIlvoy, Shea Walker
Sources:[17][18][19]

vs Stephen F. Austin[edit]

Battle of the Piney Woods
1 234Total
Lumberjacks 14 007 21
No. 17 Bearkats 21 23100 54
Sources:

At Northwestern State[edit]

Sam Houston State at Northwestern State
1 234Total
No. 15 Bearkats 14 9118 42
Demons 0 2800 28
Sources:

At Lamar[edit]

Sam Houston State at Lamar
1 234Total
No. 14 Bearkats 13 0100 23
Cardinals 10 7177 41
  • Date: October 20
  • Location: Provost Umphrey Stadium
    Beaumont, TX
  • Game start: 3:00 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:14
  • Game attendance: 7,227
  • Game weather: Overcast Temp: 74 Wind 9 mph
  • Referee: Ed Bourgeois
  • Television network: ESPN+
Sources:[20][21]

Southeastern Louisiana[edit]

Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State (homecoming)
1 234Total
Lions 0 10015 25
No. 23 Bearkats 14 077 28
  • Date: October 27
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 1:05 pm CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:23
  • Game attendance: 10,098
  • Game weather: Clear Temp: 76 Wind: WSW 8mph
  • Referee: Dan Lewis
  • Television network: ELVN
Sources:[22]

At Incarnate Word[edit]

Sam Houston State at Incarnate Word
1 2Total
No. 21 Bearkats 0
Cardinals 0
Sources:

Abilene Christian[edit]

Abilene Christian at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
Wildcats 7 073 17
Bearkats 0 370 10
  • Date: November 10
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 2:30 pm CST
  • Television network: ELVN/SLC Digital
Sources:

At Houston Baptist[edit]

Sam Houston State at Houston Baptist
1 234Total
Bearkats 7 21140 42
Lions 3 737 20
Sources:

Ranking movements[edit]

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre123456789101112Final
STATS FCS44511211715142321RVRVRV
Coaches44411191614102222RV

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Southland Announces 2018 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams". southland.org. Southland Conference. July 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Sam Houston State Voted To Top Spot In 2018 Football Preseason Poll". southland.org. Southland Conference. July 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "FCS football: 2018 Walter Payton Award watch list". August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  4. ^ "FCS football: 2018 Buck Buchanan Award watch list announced". August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  5. ^ "Football – 2018 Schedule". Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  6. ^ "Southland Announces Week 9 TV Selections". Southland Conference. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  7. ^ "SOUTHLAND ANNOUNCES WEEK 10 TV SELECTIONS". Southland Conference. October 22, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "Prairie View vs Sam Houston State (Sep 08, 2018)". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  9. ^ "Kats take down Panthers, 41–32 - GoBearkats.com - Sam Houston State Athletics". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  10. ^ "Prairie View A&M vs. Sam Houston State - Game Summary - September 8, 2018 - ESPN". espn.com. ESPN. September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  11. ^ "North Dakota vs Sam Houston State (Sep 15, 2018)". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  12. ^ "UND Snaps Kats' Home Win Streak - GoBearkats.com - Sam Houston State Athletics". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  13. ^ "North Dakota vs. Sam Houston State - Game Summary - September 15, 2018 - ESPN". espn.com. ESPN. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  14. ^ "Sam Houston State vs Nicholls State (Sep 22, 2018)". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  15. ^ "Kats Fall At Nicholls - GoBearkats.com - Sam Houston State Athletics". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  16. ^ "Sam Houston State vs. Nicholls State - Game Summary - September 22, 2018 - ESPN". espn.com. ESPN. September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  17. ^ "Central Arkansas vs Sam Houston State (Sep 29, 2018)". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 29, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  18. ^ "Kats Outlast Bears In 34–31 Overtime Victory - GoBearkats.com - Sam Houston State Athletics". gobearkats.com. Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. September 29, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  19. ^ "Central Arkansas vs. Sam Houston State - Game Summary - September 29, 2018 - ESPN". espn.com. ESPN. September 29, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  20. ^ "Scoring Summary (Final) 2018 Sam Houston State Bearkat Football Sam Houston State vs Lamar (Oct 20, 2018 at Beaumont, Texas)". Sam Houston State University. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  21. ^ "Lamar rolls on the ground to upset Sam Houston St. 41-23". ESPN. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  22. ^ "Scoring Summary (Final) 2018 Sam Houston State Bearkat Football Southeastern La. vs #23 Sam Houston State (Oct 27, 2018 at Huntsville, Texas) Southeastern La. (3-6,3-4) vs. Sam Houston State (5-3,4-2)". Sam Houston State Athletics. Retrieved October 28, 2018.