HUNTSVILLE — February football brought an offensive explosion, but a clutch defensive stand guided No. 17 Sam Houston to a 43-38 victory over No. 18 Southeastern Louisiana in the 2021 season opener Saturday at Bowers Stadium.
 
After a 24-yard field goal by freshman Seth Morgan gave the Bearkats a six-point lead, the defense stopped the Lions on fourth and two at the SHSU 22-yard line. Sam Houston was able to run out the clock by picking up a pair of first downs.
 
Junior quarterback Eric Schmid threw for 428 yards and two touchdowns and added 88 yards on the ground as the Bearkats racked up 672 yards of total offense. Junior running back Ramon Jefferson had 139 yards rushing and one score.
 
Sophomore wide receiver Chandler Harvin led Sam Houston with seven catches for 118 yards, and graduate transfer wideout Jequez Ezzard had three grabs for 97 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore wideout Ife Adeyi had three catches for 87 yards and a score, and he also rushed for a touchdown.
 
The Bearkats used two big plays to take a 40-31 to begin the fourth quarter. Jefferson broke several tackles to dash 38 yards into SLC territory. Schmid capped the drive on the next play with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ezzard in the left corner of the end zone.
 
The two teams traded touchdowns toward the end of the third quarter. Schmid hit Adeyi for a 78-yard touchdown reception to make it 34-30.
 
Sam Houston increased its lead to start the second half thanks to a Southeastern Louisiana fumble on a punt that was forced by senior Zion McCollum and recovered by junior Quan Ardoin at the SLU 12-yard line.
 
Three plays later Adeyi scored on a six-yard run to push the lead to 27-17.
 
The Bearkats used a little trickery to take a 20-17 lead at the half.
 
On first and 20 with under a minute to go, sophomore running back Noah Smith took a handoff and lateraled the ball to sophomore wideout Dee Bowens, who in return tossed the ball back to Schmid. Schmid then found senior tight end Isaac Schley down the left sideline for 27 yards down to the SLU 14.
 
Sam Houston got down to the 3 but couldn't get the ball into the end zone and settled for a 21-yard field goal by freshman Seth Morgan.
 
After the Lions, who finished with 536 yards of offense, took their first lead of the game courtesy of a four-yard run, Schmid connected with Ezzard for a 52-yard gain down to the SLU 15. Four plays later, sophomore running back Noah Smith punched it in from four yards out to put the Kats back on top 17-14.
 
It didn't take long for the Bearkats give the SHSU fans something to cheer about for the first time in since the 2019 season. Jefferson shook a defender and raced to the end zone for a 59-yard touchdown run five minutes into the first quarter to make it 7-0 following the extra point attempt.
 
SLU tied the game on the next possession on a one-yard pass. Sam Houston answered with a 39-yard field goal by h Morgan to retake the lead 10-7.
 
Schmid appeared to get the season started off with a bang when he broke loose for a 50-yard run up the middle on the first play of the game. He was stripped from behind and Southeastern recovered the fumble at their own 20 -yard line, but the Lions went three and out.