Southland Conference

Sam Houston State Meets North Dakota State in Championship Game

1/3/2012 11:30:00 PM

FRISCO, Texas - Sam Houston State is the Southland Conference's seventh entry into the Division I Football Championship Game following playoff wins over Stony Brook in the second round, Montana State in the quarterfinals and Montana in the semifinals. The Bearkats, who had a first-round bye, have won 16 consecutive games dating back to the 2010 season, which is the best win streak in either Division I subdivision. Sam Houston State, which is making its first title game appearance, boasts a 14-0 record this season and finished 7-0 to win an outright conference championship. Sam Houston is trying to become the first undefeated champion in the Football Championship Subdivision since Marshall finished 15-0 in 1996.

The Bearkats will oppose North Dakota State, which like Sam Houston State is making its first championship appearance at the FCS level. After a first-round bye, the Bison beat James Madison in the second round, Leigh in the quarterfinals and Georgia Southern in the semifinals to get to championship game. NDSU started the season with a nine-game win streak before a home loss to Youngstown State. It enters the game on a four-game win streak. The Bison are 13-1 overall and shared the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with Northern Iowa, though earned the league's automatic playoff berth by virtue of claiming the head-to-head matchup with the Panthers.

Sam Houston State and North Dakota State will meet in the championship game on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The game will kick off at 12:05 p.m. and be televised on ESPN2 HD and ESPN3.com. Dave Neal and Andre Ware will be in the booth with Allison Williams working the sidelines. There will also be a national radio broadcast on Westwood One. John Tautges and Terry Donahue will call the action.
 
First-Time Champion
For the fourth consecutive season, the winner of the NCAA Division I Football Championship will be a first-time champion. After Appalachian State won three consecutive championships between 2005 and 2007, Richmond began a four-year run of first-time winners, including Richmond in 2008, Villanova in 2009 and Eastern Washington last year. Neither Sam Houston State, nor North Dakota State has won a championship at the FCS level.
 
Southland is Host of Championship Game
The Southland Conference, in conjunction with the City of Frisco and Hunt Sports Group, is the host of the 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, which is being played at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. This year's game will be the second of three title games that will be played at the venue. In last year's game, Eastern Washington came from behind to score three times in the final 17 minutes to beat Delaware, 20-19, to win the school's first national championship. The Southland Conference office has called Frisco its home since 2006.
 
Southland History in Division I Playoffs
The Southland Conference schools own a 48-51 all-time record in the Division I playoffs, highlighted by McNeese State's 14 all-time appearances. The eight teams currently in the Southland account for 29 wins in the playoffs. Sam Houston State, which is making its first appearance in the championship game, becomes the seventh Southland Conference squad to reach the title game. The Southland had not played in the championship game since 2002 when McNeese State played Western Kentucky in Chattanooga, Tenn.
 
Sam Houston Makes Southland's Seventh Trip to Title Game
The Southland Conference has made six previous appearances in the Division I Football Championship Game beginning with Louisiana Tech in 1984. Former Southland members Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe reached the title game in 1986 and 1987, respectively. ULM won the 1987 title against Marshall in Pocatello, Idaha. Stephen F. Austin played in the 1989 game. McNeese State made appearances in both 1997 and 2002.

Southland Conference Title Game Appearances
1984  Montana State 19, La. Tech* 6  (Charleston, S.C.)
1986  Ga. Southern 48, Arkansas St.* 21 (Tacoma, Wash.)
1987  Louisiana-Monroe* 43, Marshall 42 (Pocatello, Idaho)
1989  Ga. Southern 37, Stephen F. Austin 34 (Statesboro, Ga.)
1997  Youngstown St. 10, McNeese St. 9 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
2002  Western Kentucky 34, McNeese St. 14 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
2011  Sam Houston St. vs. North Dakota St. (Frisco, Texas)
* indicates former Southland Conference team
 
Louisiana-Monroe, Southland Won 1987 National Title
Led by first team All-America Stan Humphries, the 1987 Indians, playing then as Northeast Louisiana, completed the regular season with an overall record of 9-2. The losses came against Lamar and Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette), a member of Division I-A. The Indians finished conference play 6-0 to capture their first outright league championship. On its way to the championship game, Louisiana-Monroe defeated North Texas, Eastern Kentucky and Northern Iowa. The Indians faced off against Marshall in the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho for the I-AA National Championship. Marshall held a 42-28 fourth-quarter lead only to have Humphries lead the Indians to a pair of late touchdowns to capture the championship with a 43-42 victory.
 
Bearkats in the Playoffs
This is Sam Houston State's fifth trip to the NCAA Division I Football playoffs. The Bearkats lost in the first round in 1986 and 1991. They reached the quarterfinals in 2001, the semifinals in 2004 and the title game this year. Sam Houston is 6-4 all time in the Division I playoffs, including a 5-0 record at home.
 
Sam Houston vs. North Dakota State
This will be the third meeting between Sam Houston State and North Dakota State. Each team has won once previously. The Bison claimed the first meeting 41-38 in 2007 at the Fargodome in the final seconds and then the Bearkats returned the favor in 2009 when they kicked a field goal to win 48-45 in Huntsville. Sam Houston State is 7-6-1 against the current membership of the Missouri Valley Football Conference: 5-4-1 against Western Illinois and 1-1 against Missouri State and North Dakota State. The Bearkats opened this season with a 20-6 win over the Leathernecks, while the Bison finished the regular season with a 37-21 win at Western Illinois. North Dakota State is 7-1 against current members of the Southland Conference: 2-0 vs. Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin and 1-1 vs. Sam Houston State.
 
Sam Houston State is First 14-Game Winner in Southland History
With the win over Montana in the semifinals, Sam Houston State became the first Southland Conference team to win 14 games in a season. McNeese State finished 13-1 in 1995, 13-2 in 1997 and 13-2 in 2002 though only the 1995 team won its first 13 games before losing to Marshall in the semifinals of the playoffs that season.
 
Bearkats Have Unblemished Record
Sam Houston State is the only team in the FCS that has not lost a game this fall. It joins LSU as the only undefeated teams in Division I. In the 96-year history of the school's football program, the 2011 team is the first to go through the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record. Sam Houston's 1956 team rolled through the regular season with a 9-0 record and won the Refrigerator Bowl in Evanston, Ind., to finish 10-0. In the 48-year history of the Southland, the Bearkats are the eighth squad to get through the regular season unscathed. The previous teams were Arkansas State in 1970 (10-0) and 1975 (11-0), Louisiana Tech in 1972 (11-0) and 1974 (10-0) and McNeese State in 1979 (11-0), 1995 (11-0) and 2007 (11-0). Sam Houston's 16-game win streak is the longest stretch in both Division I subdivisions. The Bearkats' streak is also the longest in school history, surpassing the 12-game streak in 1955-56.
 
Sam Houston Punches Ticket vs. Montana
Running back Tim Flanders rushed 26 times for 287 yards to lead Sam Houston State into its first appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game as the Bearkats defeated Montana 31-28 in front 12,367 fans in a semifinal Dec. 16 at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. Flanders broke McNeil Moore's Sam Houston single game rushing record of 286 yards against Lamar in 1951. Quarterback Brian Bell completed 10 of 14 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson rallied the Grizzles from 21 points down to cut the margin to three points. Johnson completed 21 of 33 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. Sam Houston clinched the victory by running out the final six minutes of the game with an 11 play, 52-yard drive.
 
Southland's Semifinals History
Including Sam Houston State this year, the Southland has reached the semifinals round 14 times, but Sam Houston State home game against Montana on Dec. 16 marked the league's first trip to the semifinals since back-to-back appearances by Sam Houston State in 2004 and former member Texas State in 2005. Southland teams have also reached the semifinals in 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2002. McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin both reached the semifinal round in 1995. Of the league's 14 appearances in the semifinals, seven teams have reached the championship game.
 
Bearkats Over Bobcats in Quarterfinal
Led by wide receivers Richard Sincere and Torrance Williams and quarterback Brian Bell, Sam Houston State defeated Montana State, 49-13, Dec. 10 to advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The Bearkats scored 14 points in the second quarter and 21 in the third quarter as Sam Houston rolled up 428 yards rushing and 501 total yards. The Bearkats' defense limited Montana State to 77 yards rushing, recovered a fumble, intercepted a pass and blocked a field goal as the Bobcats totaled 349 yards offense. Sincere rushed 11 times for 160 yards including a long run of 52 yards. He also caught two passes for 43 yards, including a 40-yard scoring pass from Bell, who completed 5 of 12 passes for 73 yards.
 
Bearkats Run Over Montana State
Sam Houston State's 428 rushing yards in the 49-13 quarterfinal victory over Montana State marked the third highest single-game rushing total in Bearkat history. The school record is 501 yards against Tarleton State in 1974. It had 443 yards against East Texas the same year.
 
Sam Houston Tested by Stony Brook in Second Round
Sam Houston State running back Tim Flanders completed a 10-play 83-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown for the winning score with 1:01 remaining in the game as the Bearkats defeated Stony Brook 34-27 last Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship. Flanders finished the game with 21 runs for 102 yards. Quarterback Brian Bell completed 11 of 20 passes for 161 yards including an 80-yard touchdown pass to Trey Diller that gave the Bearkats a 27-20 lead with 8:45 to play. The Seawolves' defense limited Sam Houston to its third lowest offensive output of the season as the Bearkats rushed for 182 yards and passed for 161 for a total of 343 yards in 63 plays.
 
Bearkats Were 9-0 at Home
Sam Houston State was 9-0 at home this year and is 97-42-1 all-time in the stadium, which opened in 1986. The Bearkats have posted unbeaten records at home five times previously - 1986 (6-0), 1987 (4-0), 1990 (4-0), 2001 (6-0) and 2004 (8-0). Sam Houston State is 5-0 at home in NCAA Division I playoff games.
 
Third Quarter Bearkats
Sam Houston State has completely dominated the third quarter this season, outscoring opponents 180-31. In the semifinals against Montana and for just the second time this season the Bearkats were outscored in the third quarter. The Grizzlies won the third quarter 7-3. Texas State also outscored Sam Houston by the same score in the regular season finale. Against Montana State in the quarterfinals, the Bearkats third-quarter margin was 21-7. It was 14-0 against Stony Brook. After Central Arkansas scored seven points in the third quarter of the second game of the year, Sam Houston did not allow a score in the period again until Northwestern State managed a field goal in the 10th game of the season. Of the 31 points allowed in the fourth quarter, 24 points have been scored in four of the last five games. In the playoffs, Sam Houston has a 38-14 third-quarter edge.
 
Montana State-Montana Double
Sam Houston State beat Montana State and Montana in back-to-back rounds in the playoffs, marking the second time that has happened in the Southland Conference. The first time the league beat the Big Sky rivals in consecutive weeks was in 2002 when McNeese State swept the teams. En route to an appearance in the championship game, the Cowboys beat Montana State 21-14 in the first round of the playoffs and then beat Montana 24-20 in the quarterfinals. McNeese followed with a 39-29 win over Villanova before losing 34-14 to Western Kentucky in the title game.
 
Bearkats Claim First Outright League Title
Sam Houston State won its fourth Southland Conference championship in the program's 25-year history in the league, but it was the first outright championship for the Bearkats, who shared championships in 1991 and 2001 with McNeese State and in 2004 with Northwestern State.
 
Bearkats Notch FBS Win
Sam Houston State became the first Southland Conference team to defeat a team in the Football Bowl Subdivision when it won 48-45 at New Mexico, out of the Mountain West Conference, in overtime. Without the win, the Bearkats would unlikely be the top seed in this year's playoffs. The win was the Southland's 17th win against the FBS since 2000 and the first since Central Arkansas won at Western Kentucky in 2009.
 
Two Southland Teams in 2011 Playoffs
With Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas reaching the playoffs in 2011, it marked the 18th time the Southland Conference placed at least two teams in the playoffs, but it is just the second time in the last six seasons it has happened. In 2009, conference co-champions Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State opened with home games. Last year, the Lumberjacks received a first-round bye, but lost at home to Villanova, the defending national champion. Between 1991 and 2005, the Southland put at least two teams in the playoffs 13 times.
 
Bears Appear in First Division I Playoffs
Central Arkansas made its first appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship in just its second year of eligibility. The Bears began their transition from Division II in 2006, began playing a full Southland Conference schedule in 2007, finished with the best league record in 2008 and became eligible for the conference championship and postseason play in 2010. Central Arkansas made two trips to the Division II playoffs. They lost a first-round game at Catawba in 2001 and then reached the quarterfinals in 2005. They beat Albany State 28-20 and Presbyterian 52-28 before falling 41-38 in overtime at home against North Alabama. During the school's days as a member of the NAIA, it won national championships in 1984, 1985 and 1991.
 
Bears Win First Division I Playoff Game
Central Arkansas did not look like a team that had been off for two weeks heading into its first-round game of the NCAA Division I playoffs Nov. 26. The Bears were sharp on offense and stingy on defense in taking a 34-14 victory over Tennessee Tech on the road. The victory sent the Bears into the second round of the playoffs. The Golden Eagles, co-champions of the Ohio Valley Conference, finished 7-4. UCA's offense rolled up 439 yards, with senior quarterback Nathan Dick completing an efficient 23-of-29 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns. Dick and junior running back Terence Bobo added 1-yard rushing touchdowns and freshman Eddie Camara had field goals of 25 and 35 yards.
 
UCA Eliminated at Montana
Montana continued its playoff success against Southland Conference teams, handing the Central Arkansas a 41-14 loss in second-round action of the NCAA Division I playoffs. The No. 5 Grizzlies (10-2) won their eighth consecutive game and improved their home playoff record against Southland teams to 13-0. No. 15 UCA (9-4) suffered its first loss since Sept. 24 and saw its eight-game win streak end in its first venture into the playoffs.
 
UCA Losses All to Conference Champions
The Bears lost four games this season, dropping a pair of games to teams that play in the Football Bowl Subdivision, in conference play to Sam Houston State and in the playoffs at Montana. Central Arkansas opened the season with a win over Henderson State, but then lost the next three games before finishing the season on a seven-game win streak. Western Athletic Conference champion Louisiana Tech needed overtime to down the Bears 48-42 on Sept. 10. The next week, an unranked Sam Houston State team handed them a 31-10 defeat to begin its ascent in the polls. Then on Sept. 24, Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State won 53-24. Montana, the Big Sky Conference champion, snapped the Bears' eight-game win streak with a 41-14 decision in Missoula, Mont., in the second round of the playoffs.
 
Sam Houston's Willie Fritz Named AFCA Regional Coach of the Year
The AFCA named Sam Houston State coach Willie Fritz one of five regional coaches of the year in the Football Championship Subdivision. Fritz, in his second season with the Bearkats, has guided the Bearkats to a 14-0 season so far and the No. 1 ranking in the FCS. Towson's Rob Ambrose (Region 1), Georgia Southern's Jeff Monken (Region 2), Eastern Kentucky's Dean Hood (Region 3), North Dakota State's Craig Bohl (Region 4) and Fritz (Region 5) received regional honors. The 2011 Regional Coaches of the Year winners will be recognized at the AFCA Coach of the Year Dinner Jan. 10 at the 2012 AFCA Convention in San Antonio.
 
Flanders, Taylor Named to AFCA All-America Team
Sam Houston State running back Tim Flanders and safety Darnell Taylor have been named as two of the 22 players on the 2011 AFCA?Football Championship Subdivision?Coaches' All-America Team announced Dec. 14 by the American Football Coaches Association. Flanders and Taylor paired to lead Sam Houston to the only 11-0 regular season record in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Bearkats rolled 7-0 through league action, out-scoring their opponents 309-67 as Sam Houston earned its fourth Southland Conference championship. Sam Houston ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 and received the No. 1 seed in the 2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship.
 
Six from Southland Named All-American
Six Southland Conference student-athletes have been named All-American by College Sports Madness, including Stephen F. Austin offensive lineman George Bias, who earned first-team honors. Sam Houston State running back Tim Flanders, SFA defensive lineman Willie Jefferson and punt returner Darius Carey earned second team honors, while Central Arkansas offensive lineman Dominique Allen and Sam Houston State defensive back Daxton Swanson earned third-team mention.
 
Seven Honored by Sports Network
Seven Southland Conference student-athletes were named to the Sports Network All-America teams, including first-team selections Chris Crockett (OT), Travis Watson (C) and Darnell Taylor (S), all from Sam Houston State. Teammate Tim Flanders (RB) earned second-team honors alongside Stephen F. Austin DE Willie Jefferson, Central Arkansas linebacker Seth Allison and McNeese State punt returner Darius Carey.
 
Phil Steele Recognizes 12 from Southland
A total of 12 Southland Conference student-athletes were selected to one of the four postseason All-America teams by Phil Steele, including Sam Houston State center Travis Watson and safety Darnell Taylor. Bearkat running back Tim Flanders and offensive tackle Chris Crockett earned second-team honors. Defensive end J.T. Cleveland earned a spot on the fourth team as the only other Bearkat honored. Stephen  F. Austin placed three players on the third team, including offensive tackle George Bias, defensive end Willie Jefferson and punt returner Gralyn Crawford. Central Arkansas' Nathan Dick was the third-team quarterback, while teammate Seth Allison was a fourth-team linebacker. McNeese State had two selections. Safety Darrell Jenkins earned third-team honors will punt returner Darius Carey was named to the fourth team.
 
Sam Houston State Dominates Awards
After going a perfect 11-0 during the regular season, Sam Houston State claimed four of the six individual football awards in Southland Conference that were announced Nov. 22, headlined by running back Tim Flanders, who was named the conference player of the year. Bearkat wide receiver Richard Sincere was named the league offensive player of the year; safety Darnell Taylor was named the defensive player of the year; and head coach Willie Fritz was named the Southland coach of the year. The awards were selected by the head coaches and football sports information directors.
 
Flanders Named Player of the Year
Sam Houston State sophomore running back Tim Flanders, who finished seventh in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award, was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year. He set conference records with 24 touchdowns and 144 points this season. His 23 rushing touchdowns topped the record held by former Bearkat Luther Turner, who ran for 20 scores in 1987. The sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., is averaging 11.4 rushing yards per game after running for 100 yards or more eight times this season and 15 times in his career. His 1,560 rushing yards are a school record by a sophomore, the second-best single-season total in school history and the fourth most in league history. The Southland record is 1,593 set by Texas State's Claude Mathis in 1997. Flanders became the ninth Bearkat to total more than 2,000 career rushing yards and ranks third in school history with 2,508 yards in just two seasons. He also has 404 yards and two scores on 28 receptions. Flanders, who is averaging 140.3 all-purpose yards per game, is the fourth Bearkat to be named the Southland player of the year, joining Chris Chaloupka (1999), Josh McCown (2001) and Dustin Long (2004).
 
Sincere Named Offensive Player of the Year
Richard Sincere, a Sam Houston State wide receiver who also lines up behind center in the "Wild Bearkat" formation, was named the league's offensive player of the year. He ranks second on the team, behind Flanders, in rushing with an average of 68.9 yards per game. That is the third best average in the conference this season. He has scored nine touchdowns and totaled 965 yards on 120 carries. He ran for 100 yards or more five times this season. During conference play, the sophomore from Galveston, Texas, averaged 82.4 yards per game and 9.6 yards per carry. Sincere added four receiving touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 449 yards, averaging 105.0 all-purpose yards per game. He is the third Bearkat to be named the offensive player of the year, joining Chaloupka (1999) and D.D. Terry (2006).
 
Taylor Named Defensive Player of the Year
Sam Houston State safety Darnell Taylor was named the top defensive player in the Southland. He captains a Sam Houston defense that paces the nation against the run, limiting opponents to only 69.9 rushing yards per game. It also has the nation's No. 2 scoring defense, allowing only 14.8 points per game. Taylor, a junior from Mesquite, Texas, leads the Bearkats with 118 tackles and has nine tackles for loss and three sacks. He also has forced three fumbles and has one interception. The Bearkats have created 40 turnovers this year, including 22 interceptions and 18 fumbles and have turned them into 144 points. Taylor is just the second player in school history to earn defensive player of the year honors, joining Keith Davis (2000).
 
Fritz Named Coach of the Year
Willie Fritz was named the conference coach of the year in just his second year with the program. The one-time Sam Houston State assistant coach has led the Bearkats to a perfect 14-0 record, a No. 1 ranking in the polls and the top national seed in the NCAA Division I championship. Sam Houston, which was 7-0 in conference games, had a first-round bye and opened the playoffs with a second-round 34-27 win over Stony Brook before beating Montana State 49-13 and Montana 31-28 to reach the championship game. Among the wins was a victory over New Mexico, a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision's Mountain West Conference. The Bearkats are the only undefeated team in the FCS and join LSU as the only unbeaten teams in Division I. Sam Houston is riding a 16-game win streak into the playoffs, which is the longest streak in both Division I subdivisions. Fritz is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year. Fritz, who is 19-5 in two seasons at Sam Houston, is the second Bearkat coach to earn coach of the year honors. He joins Ron Randleman, who earned the award in 1991 and 2001.
 
Lions' Wells is Southland's Top Freshman
Jordan Wells becomes the second Southeastern Louisiana player to be named conference freshman of the year after setting the Southland's kick return season record. Simmie Yarborough won the award in 2008. The running back from Round Rock, Texas, returned 52 kickoffs for 1,383 yards this season to break the record of 1,055 yards set by Texas State's Karrington Bush in 2008. His 26.6 yards per return ranks 15th in the FCS, but ranks third among freshmen. Against Central Arkansas in October, Wells totaled 265 yards on nine kickoff returns that also included a 91-yard return. Wells is a finalist for the inaugural Jerry Rice Award, which will be presented to the top freshman in the FCS.
 
Newcomer Claimed by SFA's Jefferson
Willie Jefferson is the third player from Stephen F. Austin to be named the newcomer of the year, joining Duane Brooks in 2008 and Andre Banks in 2009 to give the Lumberjacks the conference newcomer of the year three of the last four seasons. A transfer from Baylor, the junior from Beaumont, Texas, led the conference with 16 sacks totaling 112 yards. He also made 28 tackles, two interceptions, forced a fumble and recovered another. He recorded 12 sacks in his last four games and tied the conference record with five quarterback sacks against McNeese State in October. The Lumberjacks lead the FCS in sacks with 4.36 per game and tackles for loss with 10.18 per game.
 
Fifteen Bearkats Named All-Conference
Sam Houston State led all conference teams with eight first-team all-conference selections and a total of 15 student-athletes on the two all-conference squads. Tim Flanders was a first-team running back, while Richard Sincere earned first-team honors at the halfback/fullback position. Darnell Taylor was a first-team selection on the defensive line. They were joined on the first team Travis Watson and Chris Crockett, who received the most votes among offensive linemen; defensive lineman J.T. Cleveland; linebacker Will Henry; and defensive back Kenneth Jenkins. The Bearkats' seven second-team honorees are quarterback Brian Bell, offensive lineman Kaleb Hopson, defensive linemen Andrew Weaver and Gary Lorance, defensive backs Dax Swanson and Bookie Sneed and punter Matt Foster.

Nine student-athletes from Central Arkansas were named to the all-conference teams, including four first-team selections: quarterback Nathan Dick, offensive lineman Dominique Allen, defensive lineman Jermayne Lett and linebacker Seth Allison. Among the Bears' five second-team all-conference selections are running back Jackie Hinton, receiver Jessie Grandy, offensive lineman Logan Roubique, kicker Eddie Camara and defensive back Jestin Love.
 
Conque, Fritz Finalists for Robinson Award
Central Arkansas coach Clint Conque and Sam Houston State coach Willie Fritz were named among the 20 finalists for the 25th Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year in the FCS.Conque, who in his 12th season at UCA, has led the Bears to an 10-4 overall record this season and to their first berth in the Division I Playoffs in just their second year of eligibility. Conque has an 89-51 overall record at UCA and is the winningest football coach in school history. He was also a finalist in 2008, finishing seventh in the final voting. Fritz led the Bearkats to a 13-0 record, including a win against Football Bowl Subdivision opponent New Mexico. Fritz, the Southland Conference Coach of the Year, won the Southland championship in only his second season at the helm. Sam Houston finished the regular season as the only undefeated team in the FCS, earning the Bearkats the top seed in this year's playoffs.

The winner of the Robinson Award, presented by The Sports Network and sponsored by Fathead.com, will be announced at the national awards banquet in Frisco, Texas on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012 - the night before the national championship game.
 
Elqutub Named Captain of AFCA Good Works Team
Northwestern State senior linebacker Yaser Elqutub was named as the captain of the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, a 22-member squad chosen earlier this fall for remarkable community service and leadership. Elqutub was selected as team captain by fans who voted on ESPN.com during several weeks following the announcement of the Good Works Team roster in late September. The Demons' standout was recognized Dec. 8 during The Home Depot College Football Awards televised by ESPN.
 
Eight from Southland Named Academic All-District by CoSIDA
Northwestern State senior football standouts Justin Aldredge and Yaser Elqutub were named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans Dec. 8, making the Demons one of only six Division I teams to have at least two honorees on the 48-man squad. It is the first time in school history that any sport has placed two student-athletes on an Academic All-America team. Aldredge and Elqutub gave Northwestern its 14th and 15 Academic All-America honors. Aldredge, who has a 3.90 grade point average in accounting, was the first-team tight end. Elqutub, with a 3.85 GPA in scientific inquiry in the Louisiana Scholars' College at Northwestern, was a second-team selection at linebacker.

Eight Southland Conference student-athletes earned CoSIDA Academic All-District first-team honors, Northwestern's three picks include Justin Aldredge, Elqutub and offensive lineman John McLendon. McNeese had defensive lineman Eric LeBlanc and punter Ben Bourgeois on the teams, while Central Arkansas was represented by running back Anthony Blackmon and offensive lineman Brad Jakel. Those seven individuals earned District VI honors. Stephen F. Austin punter Drew Nelson was the lone Southland student-athlete on the District VII team.
 
Elqutub Receives National Scholar-Athlete Award
Northwestern State senior linebacker Yaser Elqutub is one of 16 recipients of the 2011 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame announced Oct. 26. Elqutub, an applicant to attend medical school next year, has a 3.85 grade point average in scientific inquiry - liberal arts with a concentration in mathematics and science, with a minor in philosophy while attending the Louisiana Scholars' College at Northwestern. A former walkon, he has more than 100 career tackles. The honorees, from all levels of college football, also comprise the list of finalists for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, recognizing college football's top senior scholar-athlete. Each of the 16 student-athletes received an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy was presented Dec. 5 at the 54th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, N.Y. to Army linebacker Andrew Rodriguez, who received a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship.