Box Score
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Top-ranked Sam Houston State football jumped all over Texas Southern early and often, highlighted by three touchdown receptions by Davion Davis and a blocked punt for touchdown while forcing two Tigers turnovers in a 66-17 victory on Saturday night at Bowers Stadium.
Davis set a Sam Houston season high with 184 receiving yards, while becoming only the seventh Sam Houston player with three touchdown receptions in a game and the first since 2008. Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe tossed five touchdown passes in just over one half of work, finishing 19 for 26 and 325 yards.
Sam Houston has won 16 straight non-conference Division I games at Bowers Stadium dating to the 2011 while recording the program's third-ever 8-0 start and first since 2011.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sam Houston wasted no time offensively, getting on the board courtesy of a 79-yard touchdown pass from Jeremiah Briscoe to Davion Davis on the opening play of its first possession.
After forcing a Texas Southern punt on its first drive, the Bearkat defense came up big on the second as Darion Flowers intercepted an Averion Hurts pass, taking it 11 yards to the Tigers 46-yard line to set up Sam Houston's second touchdown as the Kats extended the lead to 14-0 on a one-yard run from Ragan Henderson to extend the lead to 14-0 with 10:13 in the first quarter.
Sam Houston special teams added a score of its own as P.J. Giddens broke the line, blocking a Texas Southern punt as Alfonzo McMillian scooped the ball and ran it back 19 yards for a touchdown to give Sam Houston a 21-0 lead with 4:56 in the first quarter. The blocked punt was the first since 2011 for the Kats.
In the closing minute of the first quarter, Briscoe found Davis once again, this time for a 41-yard touchdown pass while extending the lead to 28-0. The sophomore finished the opening frame with 151 yards receiving on just three catches while defensively, the Kats held Texas Southern to 46 total yards.
Davis became the first Sam Houston player since Catron Houston in 2008 to catch three touchdown passes in one game, responding to a 61-yard rushing touchdown by the Tigers with an 18-yard catch to make it 35-7 with 11:46 in the second quarter.
The Bearkats needed just 1:11 late in the second quarter to extend the lead, using four plays to drive the ball 75 yards, capped by a 40-yard touchdown pass from Briscoe to Yedidiah Louis with the extra point making it 42-10. The touchdown was the Kats sixth in nine drives.
The defense came up with its second turnover, negating a 23-yard completion as Tyrel Strokes ran down Mario Stokes and stripped the ball, allowing a trailing Codie Brooks to fall on it. The opportunistic play would lead to a 44-yard Luc Swimberghe field goal, extending the lead to 45-10 with 48 seconds remaining in the half.
The Bearkats did not let up in the second half, as Tyler Scott returned the opening kickoff 61 yards, leading to an eventual touchdown reception by the wide out to make it 52-10 with 13:52 in the third quarter. On its ensuing drive, Henderson found the endzone on a one-yard touchdown as part of a five-play, 50-yard drive.
With Caleb Griffin in at quarterback, Sam Houston continued to surge, using a 75-yard drive, highlighted by six carries from backup running back Deontay Townsend, who eventually found paydirt on a two-yard run, his first of the season, to make it 66-17 with 7:48 remaining.
TURNING POINT
After recording a pair of touchdowns and defensive interception, Sam Houston left little doubt the direction the game was headed, blocking a punt on fourth-and-three at the Texas Southern 27-yard line with 4:56 in the first quarter. P.J. Giddens broke through the line, getting a hand on the ball to set up Alfonzo McMillian who returned it 14 yards for the first Bearkat blocked punt for a touchdown in eight years.
KEY STAT
Sam Houston held Texas Southern to 5 for 21 on third down conversions. Offensively, the Bearkats amassed 25 first downs, totaling 591 yards of offense including 379 through the air. Sam Houston averaged 8.95 yards per play including 13.5 yards per pass completition.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Wide receiver Davion Davis celebrated a historic game, notching three touchdown receptions, the first time a Bearkat player had accomplished the feat since 2008. With 184 yards receiving, Davis surpassed Nathan Stewart's 183 yards against Stephen F. Austin for the most this season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Linebacker Darion Flowers recorded three tackles, including two solo, while tallying his first interception of the season. Flowers intercepted an Averion Hurts pass, taking it 11 yards to the Tigers 46-yard line to set up Sam Houston's second touchdown of the game. The junior added an additional pass breakup.
RECORD WATCH
Sam Houston place kicker Luc Swimberghe became the program's all-time leader in career points on his second extra point attempt. The senior passed Miguel Antonio (2010-12) with his 325th career point and finished the game with 12 total points for 335 on his career.
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe moved up to sole possession of second place for passing touchdowns in a season, surpassing Brian Bell (2013) and Josh McCown (2001) with his third touchdown pass – and 33rd this season – in the first half. The junior moved his season total to 34 with five on the game.
UP NEXT
The Bearkats close out their brief two-game home stand with a visit from McNeese next Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The game will be the first between the two Southland Conference foes since Sam Houston erased the Cowboys' perfect season with a 34-29 Second Round Playoff victory a season ago in Lake Charles, La.
