By The Numbers: Kats blast Texas Southern
10/30/2016 2:55:00 PM | Football
Each week this season, we'll take a look at the numbers you need to know following Sam Houston State football's most recent matchup. On Saturday, the top-ranked Sam Houston State football team improved to 8-0 with a 66-17 victory over Texas Southern.
- Davion Davis hauled in a six passes for a career-best 184 yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers. The sophomore from Hutto did it all in the first two quarters of action, including a 79-yard touchdown hookup with Jeremiah Briscoe on the Bearkats' first play from scrimmage. It was just the eighth time in program history a Bearkat had hauled in three or more touchdown passes in a single game and the first time since Catron Houston did so against Stephen F. Austin in 2008.
- Saturday was Sam Houston's 16th straight win at Bowers Stadium against a Division I non-conference opponent.
- The Sam Houston special teams got in on the action as well as PJ. Giddens blocked a first-quarter punt by Texas Southern, setting things up for Alfonzo McMillian to pick it up and race 19 yards for a score. It was the first time SHSU had returned a block punt for a touchdown since Robert Shaw did so against McNeese in 2011.
- The Kats continued their trend of fast starts, jumping out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and a 45-10 advantage at the half. Sam Houston has outscored its opponents 150-24 in the first quarter this year, and 272-61 in the opening half.
- Luc Swimberghe connected on all nine of his PAT tries and a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter and moved past Miguel Antonio as the all-time leader in points scored among kickers with 335 at SHSU. He currently ranks fifth all-time among all Southland Conference players with only three kickers ahead of him on that list. Jose Larios of McNeese holds the Southland record with 356 kicking points for his career.
- Sam Houston's defense was all over the place against the Tigers, racking up nine tackles for loss and three sacks, along with a pair of turnovers. Three separate players picked up a sack, while 11 players had a hand in a tackle behind the line of scrimmage.
- Darion Flowers has been an impact player on the defensive side since returning for SHSU's game vs Abilene Christian on October 15. He had a forced fumble and a tackle for loss in the win against the Wildcats and after five tackles against Nicholls last week, picked off a pass against Texas Southern.
- Ragan Henderson had not scored a touchdown since 2013, but did so twice against Texas Southern, both times on the ground. The junior tight end had three touchdown catches as a freshman in 2013 but found paydirt from the backfield twice from a yard out on Saturday and finished with 22 yards on six carries for the game. This season Henderson has carried 13 times for 80 yards, an average of 6.2 yards per rush.
