In a game featuring the State of Texas' fifth-longest NCAA Division I football rivalry,Texas State's second-half rally came up two points short as Sam Houston State held on for a 31-29 victory to end both teams' seasons.
Up 28-9 with 8:53 remaining in the third quarter, the Bearkats saw Texas State rally go on a 20-3 run to have an opportunity to force overtime on a two-point conversion attempt with less than 2:38 to play. But Darius Bolden couldn't hang on to a Tim Hawkins conversion pass in the right corner of the end zone.
The play saving victory for the Kats and gave Sam Houston a 6-5 season record and 4-3 mark in Southland Conference play in head coach Willie Fritz's first season as SHSU head coach.
Freshman Tim Flanders became the first Sam Houston running back to gain 100 or more yards in seven games in one season as he rushed for 124 yards on 26 carries including two touchdowns. Flanders, who missed the Central Arkansas contest a week ago and had played sparingly in the previous two games due to an ankle injury, ended the year as the Southland's rushing leader with 948 net yards.
The total is a Sam Houston school record for most yards by a freshman running back.
The Bobcats scored the first points of the game when freshman Zac Ammar kicked a 21-yard field goal to give Texas State a 3-0 lead.
With a 15 mile-per-hour wind resulted in Justin Garelick attempting an onsides kick, but the ball failed to travel the required 10 yards resulting in a five-yard penalty that gave Sam Houston State possession on Texas State's 44-yard line. The Bearkats covered the 44 yards in six plays as Torrance Williams scored a touchdown on an eight-yard run. Miguel Antonio added the extra point to give Sam Houston State a 7-3 lead.
On Texas State's next possession, Hawkins completed 29-yard pass to Da'Marcus Griggs, but Darnell Taylor hit the ball out of his hands from behind and Victor Carmichael recovered the ball and returned the ball to Texas State's 40 yard line. The Bearkats scored their second touchdown three plays later when Tim Flanders scored another touchdown on a 13-yard run and Antonio added the extra point to give Sam Houston a 14-3 lead with 3:58 left in the first quarter.
After the Bobcats were unable to gain a first down on their next possession, a 24-yard punt by Ben Follis gave the Bearkats possession at Texas State's 45-yard line with 1:42 left in the opening quarter. The Bearkats scored their third touchdown of the game when Frank Ridgeway scampered 19 yards into the end zone. Antonio's extra point made the score 21-3 with 14:53 left in the half.
Texas State came back to score a touchdown of its own when Tim Hawkins hit Karrington Bush out of the back field 49 yards. Ammar's extra-point attempt was blocked to make the score 21-9 at the end of the first half.
The Bearkats scored again on the opening kickoff of the third quarter when Flanders scored on a one-yard run and Antonio added the extra point to make the score 28-9 with 8:53 left in the third quarter.
Texas State answered with a touchdown of their own when Hawkins scored on a one-yard run to cap off a six-play, 74 yard drive. Hawkins set up the touchdown with a 56-yard run three plays earlier. Ammar's extra point made the score 28-16 with 3:11 left in the third quarter.
Sam Houston State came right back when Brandon Closner returned Garelick's kickoff 51 yards to Texas State's 44-yard line. The Bobcats defense answered the challenge when Xavier Daniels blocked a 25-yard field goal attempt by Antonio and Sam Pier returned the ball to Sam Houston State's 31-yard line.
Hawkins completed an 11-yard pass to Griggs on Texas State's first offensive e play. Then, he ran six yards to Sam Houston's State 15-yard line. On third down, he hit Griggs for a 15-yard touchdown. Ammar added the extra point to pull the Bobcats back to within 28-23 with 12:52 left to play.
Sam Houston State added three more points when Antonio kicked a 46-yard field goal with 7:44 left to play to extend the Bearkats' lead to 31-23.
Texas State made a valiant effort on their final possession of the game after Bush returned the kickoff to the 26-yard line. The Bobcats drove down the field mainly on the ground as Bush ran for 11 yards on the first play. Hawkins gained 13 yards on the next two plays for another first down. After the Bearkats sacked Hawkins for a six-yard loss, he gained most of the yardage back on a quarterback run for 15 yards. Then, Eric Gentry plunged ahead for another yard to give Texas State a first down at Sam Houston State's at Sam Houston State's 41-yard line. After Bush gained 11 yards on a run around right end, Hawkins hit Daren Dillerd for a 10-yard pass to give Texas State another first down at Sam Houston State's 19-yard line. Then he completed an 11-yard pass to Griggs before Bush powered his way up the middle for a four-yard touchdown run to make the score 31-29 with 2:31 left to play. But, Texas State's attempt to tie the score came up short when Darius Bolden couldn't hang on to a pass from Hawkins on the two-point attempt.
Hawkins finished the game completing 16 of 26 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Bobcats in rushing with 81 yards on 13 carries. Bush ended the game with 47 yards rushing on 10 carries and he returned three kickoffs for 76 yards. Da'Marcus Griggs caught 10 passes for 138 yards and one TD.
Sam Houston State was able to run out the clock to seal a 31-29 victory. The loss ends Texas State's season with a 4-7 overall record and the Bobcats finish the year with a 1-6 record in Southland Conference play.
