Kats control own destiny
11/9/2013 12:43:00 AM | Football
With their offensive woes a few weeks behind them, the Bearkats are back to their standard offensive production that first took the Southland Conference by storm in 2011.
SHSU at its lowest point this season still led the league in scoring offense and rushing offense, coming off a 31-23 loss on the road against McNeese and a less than stellar offensive performance the week before in a 14-3 win at home over Lamar.
Since the loss to McNeese, SHSU is averaging 50 points per game in victories against Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin.
Nicholls State, today's opponent on senior day at Bowers Stadium, gave up 56 points last week in a loss to Lamar and 55 to both McNeese and Stephen F. Austin in the prior weeks. Sam Houston has outscored Nicholls by a total of 100 points since head coach Willie Fritz and this group of seniors took over the program in 2010.
Even with the lightly contested scores in the past three seasons, senior running back Timothy Flanders speaks highly of Nicholls.
“They always play us hard,” Flanders said. “It hasn't been one time we've played Nicholls that it's been just a blowout. Each of their last couple of games, they've shown a different defense each game. They always play hard and they're always big up front.”
The Colonels sit at the bottom of the league in opposing first downs allowed, third down conversions allowed and turnover margin at -12. But this is still an FCS team that handed Western Michigan one of its eight losses this season.
SHSU isn't playing in the Southland Conference of two years ago, or even last year's. The re-emergence of McNeese and Southeastern Louisiana's performance this season have the Bearkats paying closer attention to what happens around the league.
A share of the conference championship, what would be the Kats' third straight, is on the line against Nicholls after the standings were shaken up by Southeastern's win against McNeese last week.
With the Lions as the conference's sole undefeated team through league play still having Central Arkansas and SHSU on schedule, the Kats now control their own destiny in pursuit of another league title.
“The conference is tougher than it's been in the past years,” senior wide receiver Torrance Williams said. “We used to not worry about (the standings) at all. Once we took the loss to McNeese, that's kind of the situation you don't want to be in, when it's left up to somebody else. Thankfully, Southeastern did beat McNeese. We've got to win every game and we've got this week's opponent in Nicholls.”
Flanders realizes as of today, there isn't another game scheduled at Bowers Stadium for him and the other 14 seniors. More than anything, he said, the Kats have to play like it's the very last time they defend the longest active home winning streak in the FCS.
“It's out there,” Flanders said of locker room's awareness of the league's dynamics. “You can't ask one person have they looked at it or thought anything about it. We're all individuals and we all want to know what's going on. Our main thing is we've got to go out there and play. Anything could happen. We're just trying to stay focused on the task at hand.”
Tickets for Saturday's matchup with Nicholls are available now online at www.gobearkats.com .
The west side ticket office at Bowers Stadium will open at 10 a.m. Bearkat Alley tailgate starts at 12 noon.
The pregame senior day presentation will begin at 1:40 p.m.
