The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington.
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) sponsored football and crowned a champion every year from 1962 to 2012. Once considered one of the best conferences in college football, steady attrition from 1999 to 2012 forced the WAC to drop football after fifty-one years.
The Sam Houston Bearkats are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, Texas. Sam Houston's colors are orange and white. Sam Houston sports teams participate in NCAA Division I in Conference USA (CUSA), having joined that conference on July 1, 2023 after spending 34 years in the Southland Conference and two years in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). SHSU's primary rival is Stephen F. Austin (SFA) and tensions between the two schools can run high before major sporting events that pit one against the other.
The Central Arkansas Bears football program is the intercollegiate American football team for University of Central Arkansas (UCA) located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC), which started play in 2023. For the 2021 season, UCA was a de facto associate member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and in 2022 it played in its full-time home of the ASUN Conference. Central Arkansas's first football team was fielded in 1908. The team plays its home games at the 12,000-seat Estes Stadium in Conway, Arkansas. The Bears are coached by Nathan Brown, in his seventh year.
The Jacksonville State Gamecocks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Jacksonville State University (JSU) located in the U.S. state of Alabama. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Jacksonville State's first football team was fielded in 1904. The team plays its home games at the 24,000-seat Burgess–Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama.
The Sam Houston Bearkats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Sam Houston State University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 12,593-seat Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. On January 23, 2014, K. C. Keeler was named the 15th head coach in Sam Houston program history.
The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as members of the Southland Conference, which SFA rejoins for the 2024 season after a three-year absence. SFA had played the 2023 season in the United Athletic Conference (UAC), newly formed for the 2023 season as a merger of the football leagues of SFA's previous home of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN). It replaced an alliance between the two conferences that operated in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
The Utah Tech Trailblazers football team, formerly known as the Dixie State Trailblazers, represent Utah Tech University in the sport of American football. The Trailblazers compete as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Originally a junior college program, the school joined the NCAA at the Division II level in 2006 and played in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference from 2008 through 2016 and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. In July 2020, they began the transition to NCAA Division I status by moving to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in all sports except football.
The 2019 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Bearkats compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 6–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Southland. Sam Houston State played home games at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
The 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
The 2021 Dixie State Trailblazers football team represented Dixie State University—now known as Utah Tech University—as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Paul Peterson and played their home games at Greater Zion Stadium in St. George, Utah. Due to the NCAA's transition rules, they were not eligible for the 2021 FCS Playoffs. Dixie State did not play a full WAC schedule in 2021 due to previous non-conference contracts.
The 2021 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team represented Abilene Christian University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Wildcats were led by fifth-year head coach Adam Dorrel and played their home games at Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium, Abilene, Texas. The Wildcats played their 100th season in 2021.
The 2021 Central Arkansas Bears football team represented the University of Central Arkansas in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the ASUN Conference. The Bears were led by fourth-year head coach Nathan Brown and played their home games at Estes Stadium.
The 2021 Tarleton State Texans football team represented Tarleton State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Texans played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas, and were coached by Todd Whitten. Due to the NCAA's transition rules, they were not eligible for the 2021 FCS Playoffs.
The 2021 Lamar Cardinals football team represented Lamar University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Cardinals were led by second-year head coach Blane Morgan and played their home games at Provost Umphrey Stadium. The game against North American University is not included in the Western Athletic Conference or AQ7 standings because it was classed as an exhibition game and was not countable due to NCAA policies.
The 2021 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team represented Stephen F. Austin State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Lumberjacks were led by third-year head coach Colby Carthel and played their home games at Homer Bryce Stadium.
The 2021 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by Walt Wells in his second season. The Colonels played their home games at Roy Kidd Stadium and competed as a member of the ASUN Conference.
The 2021 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team represented Jacksonville State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Gamecocks competed in the AQ7, a football partnership between the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the ASUN Conference, until the ASUN began play as a football conference. Jacksonville State was led by eighth-year head coach John Grass for the first nine games of the season before Grass resigned. Maxwell Thurmond was appointed interim head coach for the final two games of the year. Jacksonville State finished the season with an overall record of 5–6 and a mark of 3–3 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the AQ7. The team played home games at Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama.
The Sam Houston Bearkats football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Sam Houston Bearkats program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. Through the 2022 season, the Bearkats represented Sam Houston State University in the NCAA Division I FCS WAC–ASUN Challenge; they will upgrade to FBS and join Conference USA in 2023.
The United Athletic Conference (UAC) is an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) intercollegiate athletic conference. The conference is a merger of the existing football leagues of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The UAC covers the southwestern, western, and southern United States with member institutions located in Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
