Box Score
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Top-ranked Sam Houston State forced five Central Arkansas turnovers and rode a record-setting performance from quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe to capture the program's seventh Southland Conference championship with a 59-23 victory on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears, who entered the game ranked No. 11 nationally, were plagued by three first quarter fumbles, energizing a season-high 9,182 fans at Bowers Stadium. Briscoe, who passed for five-plus touchdowns for a fourth-straight game, set a new Southland single-season record with his 49th touchdown pass.
In its victory, Sam Houston wrapped up a perfect 11-0 regular season for only the second time in school history while notching a 9-0 mark in league play. The Kats last accomplished the feat in 2011, a season in which the program advanced to the NCAA FCS Championship game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sam Houston forced three first quarter fumbles, matching the most turnovers in a game this season, to jump all over Central Arkansas early. The Bearkats limited the Bears to 48 first-quarter yards and just one first down while taking advantage of the UCA miscues.
The Kats marched 75 yards down the field on their opening drive, highlighted by a six passing plays including some trickery on first-and-goal at the Central Arkansas' 2-yard line. Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe used a play-action pass to find offensive lineman Parker Murry for the touchdown.
On its ensuing possession, the Bearkats' Darion Flowers negated a 23-yard Central Arkansas pass play, forcing the fumble on the hit to wide receiver Antwon Wells with the ball being scooped up by Darion Flowers at the Sam Houston 16-yard line.
Sam Houston turned the field possession around, driving 78 yards in 13 plays, while taking advantage of a critical Bears pass interference call on a third-and-eight on the UCA 18-yard line. The drive eventually stalled as the Kats turned to senior place kicker Luc Swimberghe who nailed the 23 yarder for a 10-0 lead.
On the kickoff, Central Arkansas coughed up the ball on one-yard rush, stripped by Myke Chatman and picked up by Codie Brooks at the Bears' 23-yard line. A personal foul penalty put the Sam Houston drive start at the UCA 39-yard line as the Kats used a steady diet of handoffs to Remus Bulmer and capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown from Briscoe to Collin Rison for three yards and a 17-0 lead.
Central Arkansas was able to gets its offense going early in the second quarter, taking its opening drive 70 yards in 13 plays, capped by a Hayden Hildebrand 14-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Smith. One drive later, Kats defense answered in a big way as Alfonzo McMillian picked off Hildebrand with a lunging effort to stay in bounds and maintain possession at the Central Arkansas' 25-yard line.
Then, in just three plays and 28 seconds, Briscoe matched the Southland Conference single-season passing touchdown record with his 48th coming on a 40-yard reception to Yedidiah Louis who found paydirt on third-and-seven to give the Kats a 24-7 advantage.
Two drives later, the duo of Briscoe and Louis made history. After Joseph Figenshaw pinned Central Arkansas at its 1-yard line, the defense forced a three-and-out. Then, with Sam Houston beginning the drive at UCA's 39-yard line, Briscoe found Louis for a 21-yard touchdown to set the Southland Conference single-season record of 49 and make it 31-7.
The offensive explosion did not slow down as Briscoe hit Jaylen Harris for a 55-yard touchdown late in the first half. The junior has recorded four straight games with at least five touchdown passes and the reception by Harris marked the 12th Bearkat player to catch a touchdown this year.
After forcing punts on the first two UCA possessions of the second half, Briscoe found Louis for a 46-yard touchdown, setting a new career high in receiving yards for Louis with 158. The touchdown also marked the third time a third different receiver had a three-touchdown game for the Kats this season.
Sam Houston's Justin Johnson put a dash into any hopes for a UCA comeback bid, picking off Hildebrand and returning it 26 yards to the Bears' 10-yard line with 3:29 to go in the third quarter. One play later, Briscoe found Louis for the fourth time, matching a school record for touchdown receptions in a game on the 10-yard reception to make it 52-16.
Remus Bulmer found the end zone with 11:45 to go, upping the Bearkats lead to 59-16 while notching his seventh touchdown run this year. The rush moved the Kats total on the ground to 59 yards for the game. Sam Houston notched 69 on the game.
KEY STATS
The Bearkats forced a season-high five Central Arkansas turnovers and limited the Bears running game to 96 yards on the ground. UCA entered the game averaging a Southland-best 227.9 yards per game in the category.
The win was Sam Houston's 11th of the season as the Kats have won 10-plus games eight times in school history.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe continued his record-setting season, capturing the Southland Conference single-season touchdown passing record and finishing the victory with 52 this season. The junior is four shy of the NCAA all-time mark (56). The UAB transfer notched his fifth 400-plus yard passing performance of the year, finishing 27 for 42 with 431 yards, matching a career-best seven touchdowns.
Wide receiver Yedidiah Louis matched a Sam Houston record with four touchdown receptions in a game. The junior joins Matt Dominguez, who also logged four in a game against Nicholls in 1999. Louis also set a new career high with 168 receiving yards on nine receptions.
UP NEXT
The Bearkats, who entered Saturday as the fifth-ranked team by the FCS Playoffs selection committee, hope to see a boost in their stock on Sunday during the FCS Playoffs Selection Show. The program will air at 10 a.m. on ESPNU.
PLAYOFF TICKET INFO
FCS Playoff Series Packages and general playoff tickets for games hosted at Bowers Stadium will go on public sale Sunday at noon. Fans can purchase through GoBearkats.com or by calling (936) 294-1729.
