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American college football season
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.
Previous season
The Bearkats finished the 2017 season 12–2, 8–1 in Southland play to finish in second place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs where they defeated South Dakota in the first round and Kennesaw State in the quarterfinals before losing in the semifinals to North Dakota State .
Preseason
Preseason All-Conference Teams
On July 12, 2018, the Southland announced their Preseason All-Conference Teams, with the Bearkats having seven players at nine positions selected.[1]
Offense
1st team
Davion Davis – Sr. WR
Nathan Stewart – Jr. WR
Mitchell Watanabe – Sr. OL
Eric David – Jr. OL
Tristan Wendt – Sr. OL
Davion Davis – Sr. all purpose player
Defense
1st team
Davion Davis – Sr. PR
2nd team
Chris Stewart – Sr. DL
Zyon McCollum – So. DB
Preseason Poll
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
Schedule
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 8 6:00 p.m. Prairie View A&M * No. 4 ESPN+ W 41–329,571
September 15 6:00 p.m. North Dakota * No. 5 Bowers Stadium Huntville, TX ESPN3 L 23–245,373
September 22 3:00 p.m. at No. 18 Nicholls State No. 11 ESPN+ L 7–275,025
September 29 3:00 p.m. No. 13 Central Arkansas No. 21 Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX ESPN3 W 34–31 OT 7,598
October 6 1:00 p.m. vs. Stephen F. Austin No. 17 ESPN3 W 54–2126,548
October 13 6:00 p.m. at Northwestern State No. 15 CST /ESPN3W 42–285,125
October 20 3:00 p.m. at Lamar No. 14 ESPN+ L 23–417,227
October 27 1:00 p.m. Southeastern Louisiana No. 23 Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX ELVN W 28–2510,098
November 3 2:00 p.m. at Incarnate Word No. 21 ESPN3 L 26–435,643
November 10 2:30 pm Abilene Christian Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX ELVN/SLC Digital L 10–176,914
November 17 2:00 p.m. at Houston Baptist SLC Digital W 42–202,002
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time
Source:[5] [6] [7]
Game summaries
Prairie View A&M
Prairie View A&M at Sam Houston State
1
2 3 4 Total
Panthers
9
14 0 9
32
• No. 4 Bearkats
10
17 7 7
41
Date: September 8Location: Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX Game start: 6:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 3:35Game attendance: 9,571Game weather: Temperature: 73 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Overcast • Wind: SW 2Referee: Eddie KelleyTV announcers (ESPN+ ): Randy McIlvoy, Shea Walker, Matt Pedersen
Sources:[8] [9] [10]
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–1
2017
SHSU, 44–31
North Dakota
North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Sam Houston State
1
2 3 4 Total
• Fighting Hawks
7
10 0 7
24
No. 5 Bearkats
7
3 13 0
23
Date: September 15Location: Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TXGame start: 6:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 3:07Game attendance: 5,373Game weather: Temperature: 88 °F (31 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: ESE 4Referee: Kevin BoitmannTV announcers (ESPN3 ): Randy McIlvoy, Shea Walker, Sarah Merrifield
Sources:[11] [12] [13]
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
First meeting
at Nicholls State
Sam Houston State at Nicholls State
1
2 3 4 Total
No. 11 Bearkats
7
0 0 0
7
• No. 18 Colonels
3
7 3 14
27
Date: September 22Location: John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA Game start: 6:24 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 2:52Game attendance: 5,025Game weather: Temperature: 82 °F (28 °C) • Weather: Rainy, Overcast • Wind: SE 6Referee: M. VanderveldeTV announcers (ESPN+): Kooter Roberson, E.P. Garth, Brian Adams
Sources:[14] [15] [16]
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
20–11–1
2017
SHSU, 66–17
Central Arkansas
Central Arkansas at Sam Houston State
1
2 3 4 OT Total
No. 13 Bears
3
7 7 14 0
31
• No. 21 Bearkats
0
14 14 3 3
34
Date: September 29Location: Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TXGame start: 3:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 3:52Game attendance: 7,598Game weather: Temperature: 77 °F (25 °C) • Weather: Drizzly & Overcast • Wind: ESE 4Referee: Mike DefeeTV announcers (ESPN3): Randy McIlvoy, Shea Walker
Sources:[17] [18] [19]
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
6–6
2017
UCA, 41–30
vs Stephen F. Austin
Battle of the Piney Woods
1
2 3 4 Total
Lumberjacks
14
0 0 7
21
• No. 17 Bearkats
21
23 10 0
54
Sources:
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
55–35–2
2017
SHSU, 27–16
at Northwestern State
Sam Houston State at Northwestern State
1
2 3 4 Total
• No. 15 Bearkats
14
9 11 8
42
Demons
0
28 0 0
28
Sources:
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
20–20
2017
SHSU, 40–36
at Lamar
Sam Houston State at Lamar
1
2 3 4 Total
No. 14 Bearkats
13
0 10 0
23
• Cardinals
10
7 17 7
41
Sources:[20] [21]
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
28–10–1
2017
SHSU, 63–27
Southeastern Louisiana
Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State (Homecoming)
1
2 3 4 Total
Lions
0
10 0 15
25
• No. 23 Bearkats
14
0 7 7
28
Date: October 27Location: Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TXGame start: 1:05 pm CDT Elapsed time: 3:23Game attendance: 10,098Game weather: Clear Temp: 76 Wind: WSW 8mphReferee: Dan LewisTelevision network: ELVN
Sources:[22]
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
12–6
2017
SHSU, 33–23
at Incarnate Word
Sam Houston State at Incarnate Word
1
2 Total
No. 21 Bearkats
0
Cardinals
0
Sources:
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
6–0
2017
SHSU, 57–20
Abilene Christian
Abilene Christian at Sam Houston State
1
2 3 4 Total
• Wildcats
7
0 7 3
17
Bearkats
0
3 7 0
10
Date: November 10Location: Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TXGame start: 2:30 pm CST Television network: ELVN/SLC Digital
Sources:
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
12–11
2017
SHSU, 44–35
at Houston Baptist
Sam Houston State at Houston Baptist
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bearkats
7
21 14 0
42
Lions
3
7 3 7
20
Sources:
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
5–0
2017
SHSU, 53–33
Ranking movements
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final STATS FCS 4 4 5 11 21 17 15 14 23 21 RV RV RV Coaches 4 4 4 11 19 16 14 10 22 22 RV — —
References
^ "Southland Announces 2018 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams" . southland.org . Southland Conference . July 12, 2018.
^ "Sam Houston State Voted To Top Spot In 2018 Football Preseason Poll" . southland.org . Southland Conference . July 19, 2018.
^ "FCS football: 2018 Walter Payton Award watch list" . August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018 .
^ "FCS football: 2018 Buck Buchanan Award watch list announced" . August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018 .
^ "Football – 2018 Schedule" . Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. Retrieved March 10, 2018 .
^ "Southland Announces Week 9 TV Selections" . Southland Conference. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018 .
^ "SOUTHLAND ANNOUNCES WEEK 10 TV SELECTIONS" . Southland Conference. October 22, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ "Prairie View A&M vs. Sam Houston State - Game Summary - September 8, 2018 - ESPN" . espn.com . ESPN. September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ "North Dakota vs. Sam Houston State - Game Summary - September 15, 2018 - ESPN" . espn.com . ESPN. September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ "Sam Houston State vs. Nicholls State - Game Summary - September 22, 2018 - ESPN" . espn.com . ESPN. September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018 .
^ "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 .
^ "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 .
^ "Central Arkansas vs. Sam Houston State - Game Summary - September 29, 2018 - ESPN" . espn.com . ESPN. September 29, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018 .
^ "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 .
^ "Lamar rolls on the ground to upset Sam Houston St. 41-23" . ESPN. Retrieved October 20, 2018 .
^ "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 .
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