NCAA Playoff Opening Round 2 p.m. Saturday
11/27/2015 9:00:00 PM | Football
For the fifth season in a row, Sam Houston begins the NCAA Division I Football Championship tournament on its home turf at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. Kickoff Saturday is at 2 p.m.
Only two other FCS programs - North Dakota State and New Hampshire - have made appearances in each of the last five NCAA football playoffs.
This year the opponent is Big Sky Conference champion Southern Utah. During their past four FCS playoff campaigns, the Bearkats have reached the championship finals twice and the semifinals three times. In those quests Sam Houston has gone 6-0 against the Big Sky.
The Kats downed Montana State and Montana at Bowers in 2011,Cal Poly at home and Montana State and Eastern Washington both on the road in 2012 and Southern Utah in Huntsville in 2013.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday with the game to be telecast on ESPN3.The Bearkats are eager for the challenge against another outstanding Big Sky opponent.
“Every year since I've been here, we've made it to the post-season,” Sam Houston offensive tackle Donald Jackson III said. “It feels really good to be back here. Just like last year, we had to fight to get in the playoffs. We're here.”
Sam Houston started 1-3 in 2014, losing to eventual NCAA Division II national champion Colorado State-Pueblo before finishing the season 7-1, claiming a share of the Southland title and reaching the FCS semifinals. The story has been similar so far this season with Sam Houston starting 0-2 before closing out the regular season with an 8-1 record.
Now the Kats hope again to use the late-season momentum they have generated to roar into the post-season.
Jackson and Bearkat quarterback Jared Johnson both were singled out for individual honors when the 2015 All-Southland Conference team was announced this week. Jackson was named as the league's “Offensive Lineman of the Year” and Johnson as the conference's “Offensive Player of the Year.”
“Jared has grown a lot since he's been here,” Jackson said of his quarterback. “He's definitely taken the team over and is the engine that makes the car go. He definitely is more patient in the pocket and that helps the offensive line.”
Southern Utah brings a productive offense to Bowers Stadium Saturday. Thunderbird quarterback Ammon Olsen directs an offense that is averaging 436.8 yards per game.
“We're just going to go out there and play our game,” Sam Houston linebacker A. J. Davis said. “That's all we know how to. If we have good communication on both sides of the ball and we just play like we know how, we will be fine.”
Sam Houston head coach K. C. Keeler knows his Bearkats face an outstanding opponent Saturday.
“They are a really good football team,” Keeler said. “Three teams from the Big Sky got into the playoffs. Southern Utah is the only one that did not get a home game. We're going to have a team coming in here with a little bit of anger. They are big and physical up front, as big an offensive line as we've seen, big wide receivers and a big quarterback who can throw the ball around.”
Southern Utah's ball-hawking defense has played a big part in the Thunderbirds leading the FCS nationally in turnover margin with a plus 1.91 per game average. SUU also ranks No. 18 in the nation in scoring defense (18.9 points per game) and pass defense (185.7 yards per contest).
“They take a lot of shots downfield,” Keeler said.”They have big receivers who are going to try to get a penalty or make a big play, so it is going to be a challenge. It's not tough to look at the video and see how good they are. This team lives for these moments. It's really why we've trained all summer, winter and spring. I think the kids come to Sam Houston to play in these kind of ball games.”
Tickets for the FCS opening round game are available now online at www.gobearkats.com and are on sale at the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located on the west side of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
The ticket office will be open on game day Saturday at 10 a.m.
