CONWAY, Arkansas – Cory Avery produced his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game and Jared Johnson passed for 279 yards to lead Sam Houston to a 42-13 victory over Central Arkansas in the final regular season game for both squads Saturday.
The victory is expected to earn the Bearkats an at-large berth in next week's FCS playoffs, the program's fifth year in a row to advance into the post season. Sam Houston becomes only the second Southland member to earn FCS playoff selection five consecutive years. McNeese accomplished the feat from 1991 to 1995.
The 24-team field for the 2015 FCS championships will be announced on the NCAA selection show special at 10 a.m. Sunday morning on ESPNU.
“We had to win this game to get into the playoffs and we did,” Sam Houston head coach K. C. Keeler said. “With the exception of the McNeese game, we've been playing really dominating football since the second half of the SFA game. The team has a lot of confidence right now and we want to do is find out who we're going to play.
“We got asked by the media this week about the pressure on the kids with this being a win or turn in the equipment game. This team wants that kind of pressure. This group plays well when they know everything is on the line.”
Avery rushed for 109 yards on 13 carries, scoring on runs of 45 and three yards. Johnson completed 15 of 30 passes including TD throws of 50 yards to Gerald Thomas and three yards to LaDarius Brown. Jalen Overstreet added 75 rushing yards on 11 carries including scoring runs of 13 and 30 yards.
Thomas led Bearkat receivers with five catches for 134 yards including a long of 59. Yedidiah Louis had three receptions from 50 yards and Brown grabbed three passes for 45 yards.
Sam Houston completed the regular season with an 8-3 record while the Bears dropped to 7-4 for the year. The two teams tied for second place in the Southland Conference final standings, both with 7-2 league marks.
Linebacker Myke Chatman led the defense nine tackles. Defensive back Mikell Everette intercepted two Bear passes.
Sam Houston ended the night with 548 total yards, 268 on the ground and 280 in the air.
Central Arkansas led briefly after a 45-yard field goal on the Bears' opening possession. From that point on, quick strikes by the offense set up by big defensive and special teams plays provided the momentum for victory.
Johnson's 30-yard pass to Yedidiah Louis to the UCA 30-yard line was the big play in Sam Houston's first touchdown drive after UCA drew first blood. Three plays later, Jalen Overstreet ran up the middle for a 13-yard score
Mikell Everett foiled a fourth and one attempt by the Bears near midfield. On the first play after the change of possession, Avery scampered 45-yards for his first score of the night.
"The big stop on fourth and one that early in the game was a key play," Keeler said. "Scoring one play later gave us early momentum."
After a Lachlan Edwards punt was killed at the one line, Bear punter Matt Spencer, kicking from his end zone, bobbled the snap and booted the ball only 27 yards. Johnson's 35-yard pass to LaDarius Brown on the ensuing set up Avery's three-yard touchdown.
A 58-yard interception return by Mikell Everette started another possible scoring drive, but Garrett Sharp ended the threat with a fumble recovery at the UCA one. Sharp returned the fumble 99-yards for an apparent score, but the replay showed both his knees were on the turf when he retrieved the ball.
Johnson passed two touchdowns in the final two minutes of the half, hitting Thomas for a 50-yard score and Brown for a three-yard tally on the right sideline of the end zone.
A fumble recovery by Trenier Orr after Luis Carreno jarred the ball loose got the Bearkats rolling minutes into the third quarter. The turnover set up a 30-yard scoring run by Overstreet.
