Kats To Open Playoffs Against Mocs
12/1/2016 12:44:00 PM | Football
FCS Playoffs Second Round
Saturday, Dec. 3 • Huntsville, Texas • 2 p.m. • Bowers Stadium (12,975)
No. 1 Sam Houston State (11-0, 9-0 SLC) vs No. 11 Chattanooga (9-3, 6-2 SoCon)
Live Stats • ESPN3 • @BearkatsFB on Twitter • Complete SHSU Game Notes
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Following a first-round bye, the No. 1-ranked Sam Houston State Bearkats are set to kick off their playoff push when they host Chattanooga in the second round of the FCS Playoffs on Saturday at Bowers Stadium.
Sam Houston, who is the top-ranked team in the nation in both the STATS FCS and NCAA Coaches' polls, was one of eight playoff teams with a week off in the first round after being given the No. 5 overall seed in the push for Frisco. Meanwhile, the Mocs enter Bowers Stadium following a 45-14 win over Weber State in the first round.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. with Saturday's game will be aired live on ESPN3 with Dave Raymond (play-by-play) and Watson Brown (color) on the broadcast call.
Fans can also listen along on KSAM 101.7 with Kooter Roberson and Leroy Wilkinson, and get live in-game updates via Twitter by following @BearkatsFB.
THE SERIES
This is the first meeting between Sam Houston and Chattanooga. Additionally, this will be the first game for the Kats against any of the current Southern Conference teams in the regular season or playoffs.
THE LAST TIME OUT
(Nov. 19, 2016) Sam Houston State 59, Central Arkansas 23 - 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.
BEARKAT BYTES
- When they picked up their 10th win of the season at Northwestern State, the Bearkats reached the double-digit victory plateau for the third straight season and fifth of the last six seasons. In its 101-year history, Sam Houston has won at least 10 games eight times (1956, 2001, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016).
- Sam Houston, who received a first-round bye as a top-eight seed, enters the FCS Playoffs leading the country in total offense (584.0 yards per game), scoring offense (54.2 points per game) and first downs (297). The Kats are second in passing offense (387.0 yards per game) and fourth in kickoff returns (25.1).
- The defense has also made its imprint, forcing five Central Arkansas turnovers in the regular-season finale while holding the Southland's best rushing offense to 96 yards on the ground. The Bears entered the game averaging 227.9 yards per game in the category.
- The Kats are 16-9 all-time in the FCS playoffs and own the country's third-best winning percentage (.640) in the playoffs. With its official announcement on Selection Sunday, Sam Houston is making its sixth straight appearance in the FCS Playoffs and 10th overall.
- Sam Houston has reached the FCS semifinals each of the last two seasons and qualified for the FCS title game in back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012. During the last five years, the Kats own an impressive 13-5 mark in the playoffs.
- The Kats enter the FCS playoffs as the lone undefeated team in the country after The Citadel's loss to North Carolina on the final weekend of the regular season.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE NO. 1?
Following its 48-21 win over Abilene Christian on Oct. 15 and North Dakota State's loss to South Dakota State, the Bearkats were voted as the new No. 1 team in the nation in the STATS FCS poll and held that spot for the final six weeks of the regular season. Prior to that the Kats were last voted No. 1 in the poll on Sept. 7, 2015 and now own a 10-1 all-time record when playing as the nation's No. 1-ranked team. Sam Houston has previously attained No. 1 in 2011, 2012 and 2015. The Kats were also voted No. 1 in the NCAA Coaches' Poll, taking 22 of the first-place votes in the latest poll.
WITH A WIN vs THE MOCS ...
The Bearkats would not only remain as the only undefeated country, but would advance to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. There they would face the winner of No. 4 James Madison and New Hampshire. A win by the Dukes would send the Kats to Harrisonburg, Va., for a matchup between two of the top five seeds in the field, while a win by New Hampshire would mean a home game for Sam Houston at Bowers Stadium.
PLAYOFFS AT BOWERS
Sam Houston opened Elliott T. Bowers Stadium for the 1986 season, but did not host a playoff game at the stadium until the 2001 season. Entering the 2011 slate, the Kats had only hosted two playoff games, but Saturday's game vs Chattanooga will be the ninth playoff game at Bowers since 2011. In fact, the Kats own an undefeated playoff record on its home field, standing at 10-0 when hosting.
LEAD FROM THE FRONT
It took 10 games this season, but the Bearkats finally found themselves down on the scoreboard for the first time this season in its 10th game of the season at Northwestern State. Prior to the Demons' 13-7 advantage less than five minutes into the game, Sam Houston had yet to trail an opponent, scoring first and maintaining that lead.
The game vs the Demons was only the second time this season the Bearkats have surrendered a lead at any point, joining UIW who came back to tie things at 21-21 in the second quarter after Sam led 21-7. But the Kats responded with 14 points to end the half and never saw things knotted again. In fact, Sam has only been tied or behind for 59 minutes and 28 seconds of the 660 total minutes played this season with 55 minutes and 31 seconds of those being a 0-0 tie.
KATS CAPTURE 500TH PROGRAM WIN
The Bearkats picked up the program's 500th all-time win on Sept. 17 at Lamar, with the program now standing at 509-460-36 all-time entering Saturday vs Chattanooga. The Bearkats also captured their 200th NCAA Division I victory in its win at UIW and played their 1,000th game in team history against Abilene Christian on Oct. 15.
KEELER REACHES 200-WIN PLATEAU
Head coach K.C. Keeler captured his 200th career victory on Oct. 1 against SFA. The third-year Sam Houston head man is 207-82-1 and is in his 23rd year of coaching. Only 75 other coaches have ever reached the milestone and just 14 are currently active coaches. He has now put up 13 10-win seasons and is the ninth-fastest coach to reach the 200-win mark in the history of college football, and also the 12th youngest to reach the plateau.
DON'T BLINK
It is strongly suggested that you have your eyes on the field at the start of each Bearkat game, because if you don't, then you're probably going to miss a lot. The Kats have dominated the first half of games this season, outscoring its opponents 201-37 in the first quarter and 379-93 in the first half. In the regular-season finale vs UCA, the Bearkats racked up 337 yards of offense on 48 plays in the first half, while holding the Bears to just 200 total yards in building up a 38-10 lead at the break.
KATS DOMINATE SOUTHLAND POSTSEASON AWARDS
When the votes came in at the end of the season, it was no surprise the Southland Conference's postseason awards were littered with Bearkats. In addition to K.C. Keeler becoming the third Bearkat coach to win the league's Coach of the Year with his first such honor since taking over the program, Sam Houston also claimed six of the seven total superlatives and had 21 players receive either a first-team, second-team or honorable mention nod. A full listing of the Bearkat postseason honors is included on Page 5.
A NEW SOUTHLAND BEST
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe moved past Stephen F. Austin's Todd Hammel for the single-season Southland record in touchdown passes with his 7-touchdown game against UCA. His 52 scores this season not only leads the nation, but surpassed Hammel's mark that had stood since 1989. He is currently just four scores shy of tying Mississippi Valley State's Willie Totten (1984) and Grambling State's Bruce Eugene (2005) for the all-time FCS record of 56.
THRICE AS NICE
With an offense as prolific as the Kats' this season, it's no surprise that the ball gets spread around. Sam Houston currently boasts three receivers - Yedidiah Louis (977), Nathan Stewart (903) and Davion Davis (838) - all eyeing 1,000-yard seasons. In its history the Kats have only had six receivers go for 1,000 yards in a season and they are looking to join the 2013 and 2014 Fordham squads as the only teams in FCS history to sport three 1,000-yard receivers on the roster in the same year.
GOING FOR AN FCS FIRST
In addition to its receiving corps, the offense could do something never seen before with a deep run into the FCS playoffs. No team has ever finished the year with a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and three 1,000-yard receivers, but if the Kats continue their current pace they could hit that in as little as two more games.
LOUIS TURNING IN CAREER YEAR
Wide receiver Yedidiah Louis' set a career-high 11 receptions against Northwestern State, and a week later turned in an even better game with 168 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Central Arkansas. The four scores was not only a career high, but also tied the Sam Houston school record, tying Matt Dominguez's four scores against Nicholls in 1999.
STEWART AMONG TOP FRESHMAN RECEIVERS IN COUNTRY
Freshman wide receiver Nathan Stewart is making an immediate impact on the Bearkat receivers corps and is ranking among the top freshman receivers in the country. In addition to ranking 10th in the country among all players with 19.2 yards per catch, he is first in the nation among freshmen with 903 yards and 11 touchdown catches with his touchdown total also ranking tied for 10th among all players in FCS.
KATS GAINING, SCORING AT RECORD PACE
Sam Houston led the nation in total offense in 2015 with 531.7 yards per game, but this year's Bearkat offense is operating at a record pace. Currently the Kats are averaging 54.2 points and 584.0 yards per game, both marks that are the best at the FCS and are on a pace to set new records for a Southland Conference team.
SHSU avg Southland Record NCAA Record
Yards Per Game 584.0 ypg 572.0 ypg (SFA, 2013) 640.1 ypg (MVSU, 1984)
Points Per Game 54.2 ppg 41.1 ppg (SHSU, 2013 & 2015) 60.9 ppg (MVSU, 1984)
SWIMBERGHE KICKING WAY UP SCORING LISTS
Luc Swimberghe connected on all eight PATs against Central Arkansas, adding to his total as the all-time leader in points scored among kickers with 360 at SHSU. He currently ranks second all-time among all Southland Conference players with former Bearkat running back Timothy Flanders ahead of him on that list.
SAM HOUSTON WITH FOUR NOMINEES FOR MAJOR AWARDS
As the No. 1 team in the nation, it's no surprise the Bearkats are seeing individuals on the national radar for postseason honors. So far, three Bearkat players have been named to STATS FCS watch lists while K.C. Keeler is a nominee for the Eddie Robinson Award as the nation's top coach.
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe was named one of three finalists for the Walter Payton (National Offensive Player of the Year) just prior to Saturday's game vs Chattanooga. The junior from Houston's Stratford High School currently ranks first in the nation in touchdown passes (52), total passing yards (4,096) and passing yards per game (372.4) and fifth in completion percentage (.673). He is trying to be the first Bearkat and second SLC player to ever claim the award.
Additionally, defensive end P.J. Hall's exploits have him on the radar for the Buck Buchanan (National Defensive Player of the Year) watch list. The junior ranks tied for 14th in the nation with 9.5 sacks and is tied for fourth with 21.5 tackles for loss.
Most recently Stewart found his way onto the Jerry Rice Award watch list, doing so after his 12-catch, 268-yard and three-touchdown performance against McNeese. He currently leads all freshmen in the nation with 903 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
BEARKAT DID-YOU-KNOWS
DYK: Of Jeremiah Briscoe's 419 pass attempts this season, only 116 have come in the second half of a game, including only 40 in the fourth quarter.
DYK: Of Sam Houston's 82 touchdown drives this season, 50 have lasted less than 2 minutes.
DYK: 16 Bearkats have hauled in a pass reception this year, including 13 who have caught a TD.
DYK: The Bearkat offense has run 767 plays this season with 83 going for 20 yards or more.
DYK: The Bearkat defense has had at least four tackles for loss in each game this season.
DYK: Jaylen Harris has seven kick returns of more than 40 yards this season.
DYK: Darion Flowers has had a hand in a takeaway in four of six games played, forcing a fumble vs Abilene Christian and picking off passes against Texas Southern, McNeese and Northwestern State.
DYK: The Bearkat offense has had 461 official dropbacks this season with the Bearkat offensive line allowing only eight sacks on the year, meaning the Kats are only sacked 1.7 times out of every 100 dropbacks.
Only six other teams in the country have allowed eight or fewer sacks this season with three of those teams - The Citadel, Wofford and Cal Poly - having attempted less than 160 passes for the entire year.
