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 Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southland Conference. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 12,593 seat Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. They are coached by K. C. Keeler.
In 2017, the Bearkats defeated South Dakota State in the FCS quarterfinals, before losing to James Madison in the semifinals. It was their deepest run in the playoffs since reaching the final in 2012. The Bearkats have appeared in ten NCAA Division I Football Championship games, compiling a record of 6–4. Their most recent appearance was in 2019, when they lost to North Dakota State in the championship game.
The Bearkats have appeared in five Division II playoffs, compiling a record of 5–5. Their most recent appearance was in 1981, when they lost to Florida A&M in the quarterfinals. Sam Houston has won ten conference championships, the most recent coming in 2019. The Bearkats are one of only two teams in the FCS to have won conference championships in four different conferences, having won titles in the Southland Conference, the Lone Star Conference, the Missouri Valley Conference, and the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Bearkats have had seventeen players selected in the NFL Draft, including two first-round picks: safety Michael Griffin in 2007 and defensive end P. J. Hall in 2018. The Bearkats have had four players selected in the CFL Draft, including first-round pick Corey Grant in 2013. The Bearkats have had fifteen players selected in the Arena Football League Draft, including two first-round picks: wide receiver Casey Murphy in 2006 and offensive lineman Kyle Young in 2009.
The Bearkats have had four players selected in the UFL Draft, including first-round pick linebacker Jesse Nading in 2010. The Bearkats have had six players selected in the XFL Draft, including first-round pick quarterback Eric Dungey in 2020.
The Bearkats have had four head coaches selected as Coach of the Year by various organizations, including Bill Yeoman in 1981 and Art Briles in 2010. The Bearkats have had two players selected as Offensive Player of the Year by various organizations, including Charles McClendon in 1963 and Brian Jones in 1998. The Bearkats have had five players selected as Defensive Player of the Year by various organizations, including Ray Childress in 1984 and John Randle in 1990.
The Bearkats have appeared in ten bowl games, compiling a record of 3–7. Their most recent appearance was in the 2019 New Mexico Bowl, where they defeated the University of New Mexico Lobos, 45–14.
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