With the football season on hold for the time being, it is a good time to look back at some of the best games in history for Sam Houston State University’s program.
Sept. 13, 1986 vs. Montana State
The year 1986 was a big one for SHSU’s football team. It was the first year the team was classified as a Division I school. It was also the same year Elliott T. Bowers Stadium was built. The stadium, now a staple in the town of Huntsville, was named in honor of Dr. Elliott T. Bowers, the then president of the university who retired in 1989 after 20 years of service. The Bearkats won their inaugural game at Bowers Stadium as a Division I team 23-6. The victory also marked the Bearkats’ first win of the season on their way to a 9-3 campaign. The 9-3 mark was good enough for SHSU to snag the Gulf Star Conference Championship.
Oct. 14, 2017 vs. Northwestern State
The Sam Houston State University Bearkats snuck out a close victory 40-36 against the Northwestern State Demons. The victory held significance for a number of reasons. First, the Bearkats, who were ranked ninth at the time, extended their win streak at Bowers Stadium to 15 straight. Second, it was the first time SHSU had trailed at home going into the fourth quarter and came out victorious since Oct. 31, 2009, against Northwestern State. And finally, two players for the Bearkats cemented themselves in the historical archives of Sam Houston State University athletics. Davion Davis became the third Bearkat receiver and fifth Southland player to post four touchdowns in a single game. Jeremiah Briscoe, not to be outdone, threw for a career-high 509 yards, which stands, to this day as the second-highest mark by an SHSU quarterback.
Oct. 27, 2018 vs. Southeastern Louisiana
The Bearkats’ football team has shown a propensity for winning their homecoming games, especially in recent years. No game is a better example of this will to win during homecoming than their 28-25 win against Southeastern Louisiana in 2018. The victory marked the tenth consecutive homecoming win for the Bearkats, a streak that was kick-started with a 44-21 victory against Nicholls back in 2009. The game also held implications in the standings at the time. SHSU sat just a single game out of the top spot in the Southland Conference and needed every bit of quarterback Ty Brock’s 320 passing yards.
