Southland Football Game Day: Sam Houston Visits Texas Southern
Game Preview
No. 9/10 Sam Houston State at Texas Southern, 7 p.m.
Southland Conference Weekly Release
Team Game Notes: Sam Houston State | Texas Southern
Watch Live on the Southland Digital Network (Courtesy of TSU Network/SWAC)
HOUSTON, Texas – Sam Houston State plays its first of two consecutive games in Houston Thursday night when it takes on Texas Southern at 7 p.m. at BBVA Compass Stadium. The annual Battle of the Piney Woods against Stephen F. Austin will be Oct. 6 at Reliant Stadium.
Thursday’s game against Texas Southern, which will be available in Houston on KHOU 11.2, will also be streamed live on the Southland Digital Network, including the league’s mobile and tablet apps for iPhone and Android, as well as here on Southland.org. The feed is courtesy of the TSU Network and the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The Bearkats hold an 8-5 edge all-time in the series with Texas Southern. The teams have not met on the gridiron since 1997 when Sam Houston won 40-7 at Robertson Stadium. The Bearkats are 3-3 against Texas Southern in Houston. The pair met in the Astrodome in 1973, 1974 and 1975 and played at Robertson Stadium in 1986, 1995 and 1997.
Both teams enter Thursday night’s tilt in search of a much-needed win. Texas Southern stands 1-3 while the Bearkats are 1-2. Texas Southern is on a three-game losing streak, falling to North Texas, Jackson State and Alabama A&M after defeating Prairie View A&M in the season opener. Sam Houston has lost at Baylor and Central Arkansas in road contests after defeating Incarnate Word in the season opener. Sam Houston led at half in both losses.
Sam Houston dropped to No. 9 in the Sports Network Poll and No. 10 in the NCAA FCS Coaches rankings after the 24-20 loss at Central Arkansas. Sam Houston has stood in the top 25 in the FCS polls a total of 16 consecutive weeks since debuting in the national poll on Sept. 9, 2011. During an 11-0 regular season, the Bearkats rose all the way to No. 1 at the beginning of the national playoffs. Sam Houston has ranked among the FCS top 10 for 13 consecutive weeks.
Texas Southern is averaging 24.8 points and 315.3 offensive yards per game in an offensive conducted by Dantavio Parker, who has completed 22 of 59 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Fred Plummer has caught 15 passes for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Edward Perkins-Loving has 263 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 50 carries.
Sam Houston counters with quarterback Brian Bell, who has thrown for 641 yards and three touchdowns on 48-of-82 aim (58.5 percent). Receiver Trey Diller has caught 16 passes for 235 yards, while running back Timothy Flanders has totaled 328 yards and four scores on 53 carries. The bulk of the Bearkats’ 455 offense yards per game come on the ground with an average of 241.3 per game. The team is averaging 213.7 passing yards per contest.
Flanders, a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, is already Sam Houston’s all-time rushing leader. He moved up to No. 11 in all-time Southland Conference rushing yards with a career total of 2,918 in 28 games. He is 82 yards away from becoming the 10th Southland running back to gain more than 3,000 career yards. The Midwest City, Okla., product ranks fifth in Southland career rushing touchdowns (39) and sixth in league annals in total touchdowns (42). Two more touchdowns will allow Flanders to pass kicker Billy Hayes (258 points on 117 PATs and 47 field goals in 1985-88) in all-time Sam Houston scoring. Flanders has scored 252 points. Flanders leads the Southland Conference and ranks 18th in the nation in rushing yardage per game with a 108.7 average including two 100-plus yards performances this season in the contests.
Diller has shown big-play potential as well this year. In addition to his receiving talents, he also stands 17th nationally in punt returns with a 10.6 average (9 for 95), including a long return of 49 yards.
Bell stands fifth in Bearkat career passing with 4,091 yards, including 30 touchdown passes. Reggie Lewis (1984-87) is the next target standing fourth in the Sam Houston passing records with 4,269 career yards.
Southland’s Saturday Schedule:
Southeastern Louisiana at Lamar, 3 p.m. (SLCTV)
No. 16/14 Central Arkansas at Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m.
Northwestern State at No. 24/21 McNeese State, 7 p.m.
Open Date: Nicholls State