TXST FOOTBALL
Bobcats renew longstanding rivalry with Sam Houston
The Countdown to Kickoff series takes a look at the upcoming 2024 season for the Texas State Bobcats.
This week will be a preview the Bobcats neutral site game at NRG Stadium in Houston and the renewal of one of their longest-played series against the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
The Bearkats completed their first ever season at Football Bowl Subdivision having joined Conference USA after just two seasons in the Western Athletic Conference and 33 seasons in the Southland Conference.
Sam Houston State finished their season with a 3-9 overall record and started the season 0-8 despite five of the losses coming within one possession. The Bearkats rallied to win three out of their last four games of the season beating future conference member Kennesaw State, Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee.
Sam Houston will look to improve their offense that averages just 20 points per game.
Returning for the Bearkats are running backs Zach Hrbacek and John Gentry. Hrbacek led the team in rushing during the 2022 season before only playing five games last season. Gentry led the Bearkats in rushing with 391 yards on 119 carries and scoring three touchdowns.
Texas State is looking for their second straight win over a Power 4 opponent following the Bobcats win over the Baylor Bears last season. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
Wide receiver Noah Smith also returns for the Bearkats. Smith caught 79 passes for 783 yards and six touchdowns.
Sam Houston’s defense last season held opponents to just 26.1 points per game.
Returning to the defense is linebacker Kavian Gaither who was second in total tackles with 72 along with 45 solo tackles.
Defensive back Da’Marcus Crosby also returns having made 55 total tackles along with four interceptions.
The Texas State-Sam Houston series is one of the longest running football rivalries in Texas with the first game between the two teams coming in 1915.
The Bobcats lead the overall series 49-36-5 with 90 meetings between the two teams, making it the ninth most played series between two in-state schools in Texas at the FBS level.
Both Texas State and Sam Houston have seemingly been tied at the hip, having founded the Lone Star Conference in 1931 where they would become conference rivals.
Both schools, along with Stephen F. Austin, left the LSC in 1984 to form the Gulf Star Conference before joining the Southland Conference in 1987.
From 1984-2010, the series became a heated football rivalry with the game scheduled at the end of the season.
One of the most memorable moments in the series came in 2005 when the Bobcats took on Sam Houston with Texas State looking to win their first conference championship since 1983.
Texas State overcame five fumbles as the Bobcats defeated the Bearkats in overtime 26-23 to seal their first Southland Conference Championship.
The series came to an end in 2011 with Texas State making their jump to FBS.
The renewal of the series came last year when Texas State needed to replace their non-conference game with Liberty due to the school joining Conference USA.
Texas State replaced that game with Sam Houston State, and the contest was played at NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans. It is not the first time the series has been played in Houston, with the 1982 game being played in the Astrodome.
Kickoff is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
