“Back from Bye: Sam Houston Bearkats Gear Up for Epic Showdown at Bowers Stadium!”

Game 7 Preview at Bowers Stadium
Sam Houston (5-1, 2-0 CUSA) vs. WKU (4-2, 2-0 CUSA)
Date: Wednesday, October 16 • Time: 6:00 PM CT

TV: ESPN2 (Commentators: Lowell Galindo, Fozzy Whittaker)
RADIO: BSN (Commentators: Carlos Zimmermann, Jason Barfield); Sirius XM 971
FOLLOW THE ACTION: Live Stats • @BearkatsFB on X
GAME NOTES: Sam Houston • WKU
Series Record vs. Hilltoppers: Tied 1-1

HUNTSVILLE – After a much-needed bye week, the Sam Houston Bearkats return to Bowers Stadium to face WKU in a key Conference USA matchup on Wednesday.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT, airing on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo and Fozzy Whittaker calling the game. Fans can also tune in online through the Bearkat Sports Network, the Bearkat Athletics app, and Sirius XM 971 for the radio broadcast with Carlos Zimmermann and Jason Barfield.

CUSA Showdown at Bowers Stadium

• The Bearkats are on a roll, winning 8 of their last 10 games after an 0-8 start in their first FBS season in 2023.
• They are the first FBS team since Georgia Southern in 2017-2018 to rebound from an 0-6 start to win at least 5 of their first 6 games the following year.
• Sam Houston is in the midst of 4 consecutive midweek games, with a total of 5 non-Saturday games this season, jointly leading the nation alongside Jax State.
• The team is averaging 35.4 points per game in their 5 victories, all against Group of Five opponents.
• They have averaged 282.0 rushing yards over their last 4 games, marking the first time in CUSA history a team has rushed for over 250 yards in 4 consecutive games since FAU in 2018.
• The Bearkats have outperformed their opponents on the ground in every win, limiting them to under 100 yards in 4 games while averaging 261.2 rushing yards themselves.
• DJ McKinney had a standout performance against UTEP, rushing for 138 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the third different leading rusher in as many games.
• One more win would secure bowl eligibility for Sam Houston in their first year after transitioning to the FBS. This would make them the fourth consecutive program to achieve bowl eligibility within their first two seasons at this level (following Jax State, James Madison, and Liberty).

Series History

• The Bearkats and Hilltoppers have met twice before, with each team winning once at home.
• Their first matchup was in 2004, when Dustin Long threw for 327 yards and 5 touchdowns, leading Sam Houston to victory over No. 3 WKU in the NCAA 1-AA playoffs.
• This win marked the final home victory for then-head coach Ron Randleman, who retired after that season as the all-time leading coach in Sam Houston’s history with 219 career wins.

Connections Between Sam Houston and WKU

• Several Hilltoppers, including standout defensive back Upton Stout, hail from Texas. Stout played high school football at North Shore HS in the Houston area, where he was teammates with Bearkat running back John Gentry, and they won back-to-back state titles together as juniors and seniors.

Key Stats Following the Win Over UTEP

• Sam Houston has accumulated 31 scoring drives in 6 games this season, with 13 drives (41.9%) being 10+ plays long, a significant improvement from 12 drives of that length in 12 games last season.
• Qua’Vez Humphreys emerged as a key offensive asset, contributing 2 receptions and a touchdown against UTEP after being inactive in the previous two games. He has 13 touches this season, with 12 resulting in gains of 10+ yards.
• The Bearkats amassed 293 rushing yards against UTEP and total 1,128 rushing yards over their last 4 games.
• Sam Houston has seen a different 100-yard rusher in each of the last 4 games, with three players—Jay Ducker, Hunter Watson, and DJ McKinney—leading the team at different times.
• Ife Adeyi extended his streak to 30 consecutive games with a reception, while Noah Smith has caught a pass in 25 straight games. They join Utah’s Brant Kuithe and Money Parks as the only duo in the country with catch streaks of 25+ games.
• The Bearkats successfully stopped UTEP on their only 4th-down attempt, now boasting a 6-of-12 conversion rate for opponents this season. Their 77.8% success rate is the best in CUSA and ranks 12th nationally.
• In their victory over UTEP, the Bearkats recorded a season-high 4 takeaways, including 2 interceptions and 2 recovered fumbles. This marks 12 consecutive games with at least one takeaway for Sam Houston.
• Caleb Weaver and Jaylon Jimmerson both recorded interceptions in this game, with Jimmerson earning his first of the season and Weaver claiming his third. Weaver has accumulated 14 passes defended in his career, with 13 in the last two seasons.
• Jadon Cardell was named CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week following his performance at UTEP, where he averaged 40.0 yards per punt, including a season-long 53-yard boot, and pinned the Miners inside their 10-yard line with three of his first punts.