HUNTSVILLE — If Sam Houston wanted to send a message to the rest of Conference USA that 2023 was in the rearview mirror, it did so on Saturday evening.
The Bearkats (3-1) threw up a stop sign on the NM State offense en route to a 31-11 thumping at Bowers Stadium in the league opener. Sam Houston had little trouble with the Aggies, a bowl team that placed second in CUSA last season at 7-1 while the Kats limped to a 2-6 finish.
NM State (1-3 overall, 0-2 CUSA) managed just than 152 yards of total offense as Sam Houston steadily padded its lead throughout the contest. The bulk of the Aggies' yards came on a garbage time touchdown drive in the fourth with reserves in the game.
Both teams were sloppy with the ball, combining for four turnovers, two apiece, in the first half. Sam Houston was able to make the Aggies pay for their mistakes, however, which set the tone for the opening 30 minutes and ultimately the game.
Quarterback
Hunter Watson showed off his speed with a 46-yard touchdown sprint to put the Kats up 7-3 after a NM State field goal got the scoring started. The turnover bug reared its ugly head following that.
Aggie quarterback Santino Marucci heaved a pass to midfield that
Isaiah Cash picked off and returned 22 yards into NM State territory. A few plays later, Sam Houston running back
Jay Ducker trucked his way into the end zone from a yard out for a 14-3 lead with 35 seconds left in the first quarter.
Watson padded the Bearkat lead with an eight-yard scoring scamper in the second quarter as Sam Houston built a 21-3 advantage. He finished with 116 rushing yards, becoming only the second Bearkat quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards in a game since Jared Johnson went for 120 in a loss to Lamar in 2015. Former backup
Trapper Pannell was the other after he rushed for 147 yards in a losing effort to Southern Utah in 2022.
Sam Houston delivered the dagger to begin the fourth. Backup quarterback
Jase Bauer zipped a pass out to
Simeon Evans for a 20-yard scoring play to push the lead to 25.
Christian Pavon wrapped up the evening with a 46-yard field goal in the closing minutes.
The Bearkats will renew an old rivalry on Sept. 28 when they face Texas State at NRG Stadium in Houston.
