Sam Houston No. 3 In STATS FCS Final Rankings
1/11/2016 2:44:00 PM | Football
Sam Houston ranks No. 3 in the STATS FCS final national poll of the 2015 football season.
The ranking represents the third time in the last five years and the fourth time in the Bearkats' 29 years of competition in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision that Sam Houston has finished the year ranked among the top five in the national rankings.
Five-time FCS national champion North Dakota State (13-2) was the unanimous selection for No. 1 of the 150 media members who vote in the weekly ratings. Jacksonville State (13-2) ranked No. 2.
Following Sam Houston in the top 10 were Richmond (10-4), Illinois State (10-3), Charleston Southern (10-3), McNeese State (10-1), Northern Iowa (9-5), Chattanooga (9-4) and Portland State (9-3).
The Bearkats 11-4 record in 2015 marks the seventh season with double digit victories in Sam Houston's 100 seasons of football. The Bearkats have posted double digit victory totals in four of the last five years with 14 wins in 2011 and 11 each in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
With a second consecutive semifinals berth, Sam Houston has finished among the top 10 in the FCS six times in 28 years at the NCAA Division I level (2001, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015).
Sam Houston finished the 2015 season ranked No. 1 in total offense nationally with 531.7 yards per game. No previous Bearkat offense has ranked that high. The team's season yardage total of 7,975 yards breaks the school record of 7,153 set by last year's squad.
The Kats also led the nation in total first downs (414), ranked ninth in the FCS in rushing yardage (254.5) and 16th in passing (277.2).
During the past five years, only national champion North Dakota State has compiled more playoff wins than a Sam Houston program that has gone 13-5 in post-season action since 2011. Overall the last five seasons, North Dakota State has rolled up a 71-5 record while the Kats have gone 56-19. Coastal Carolina (48 wins) and Jacksonville State (47 wins) trail both the Bison and SHSU in FCS play since 2011.
The STATS FCS Final National Rankings:
|
1. |
North Dakota State (13-2) |
3750 |
|
2. |
Jacksonville State (13-2) |
3599 |
|
3. |
SAM HOUSTON (11-4) |
3315 |
|
4. |
Richmond (10-4) |
3267 |
|
5. |
Illinois State (10-3) |
3081 |
|
6. |
Charleston Southern (10-3) |
2698 |
|
7. |
McNEESE STATE (10-1) |
2683 |
|
8. |
Northern Iowa (9-5) |
2679 |
|
9. |
Chattanooga (9-4) |
2620 |
|
10. |
Portland State (9-3) |
2339 |
|
11. |
James Madison (9-3) |
1909 |
|
12. |
William & Mary (9-4) |
1839 |
|
13. |
Citadel (9-4) |
1782 |
|
14. |
Montana (8-5) |
1773 |
|
15. |
South Dakota St. (8-4) |
1675 |
|
16. |
Coastal Carolina (9-3) |
1667 |
|
17. |
Colgate (9-5) |
1320 |
|
18. |
Southern Utah (8-4) |
1178 |
|
19. |
Fordham (9-3) |
1067 |
|
20. |
Harvard (9-1) |
857 |
|
21. |
North Carolina A&T (10-2) |
679 |
|
22. |
Western Illinois (7-6) |
580 |
|
23. |
Dartmouth (9-1) |
636 |
|
24. |
Grambling St. (9-3) |
285 |
|
25. |
Eastern Illinois (7-5) |
278 |
