This is a list of seasons completed by the Sam Houston Bearkats football team. The Bearkats compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of 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.
Sam Houston has two national championships in their history, the first coming in 1964 as a member of the NAIA. The most recent title was in the 2021 spring season when Sam Houston defeated South Dakota State 23–21 in the NCAA Division I FCS national championship game.
The head coach of the Bearkats is K. C. Keeler, who has led the team since 2014. Keeler guided the Bearkats to six postseason appearances and is the all-time winningest head coach in FCS playoff history. The Bearkats were members of FCS (formerly I-AA) from 1984 to 2022, before moving up to join the FBS in 2023.
Legend | |
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† National champions |
Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Regular season results | Postseason results | Final ranking | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | Conference | Bowl game/Playoff result | AP/NCAA Poll | Coaches' Poll | ||||||||||
Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | Finish | ||||||||
Sam Houston Normal | ||||||||||||||
1912 | 1912 | S. R. Warner | Independent | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||
1913 | 1913 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |||||||
1914 | 1914 | Gene Berry | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | ||||||
1915 | 1915 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |||||||
1916 | 1916 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
1917 | 1917 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
1918 | No team due to World War I | |||||||||||||
1919 | 1919 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
1920 | 1920 | Mutt Gee | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | ||||||
Sam Houston Normal Bear Cats | ||||||||||||||
1921 | 1921 | Mutt Gee | Independent | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||
1922 | 1922 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
Sam Houston State Bearkats | ||||||||||||||
1923 | 1923 | J. W. Jones | Independent | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||
1924 | 1924 | TIAA | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1925 | 1925 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1926 | 1926 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1927 | 1927 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1928 | 1928 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1929 | 1929 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1930 | 1930 † | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1931 | 1931 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1932 | 1932 | Lone Star | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||
1933 | 1933 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1934 | 1934 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1935 | 1935 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1936 | 1936 | Henry O. Crawford | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | ||
1937 | 1937 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1938 | 1938 | Puny Wilson | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | ||
1939 | 1939 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1940 | 1940 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1941 | 1941 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1942 | 1942 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1943 | No team due to World War II | |||||||||||||
1944 | ||||||||||||||
1945 | ||||||||||||||
1946 | 1946 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1947 | 1947 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1948 | 1948 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1949 | 1949 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1950 | 1950 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1951 | 1951 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1952 | 1952 | Paul Pierce | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | Won 1952 Shrimp Bowl vs. Northeastern State (OK), 41–20 ^ | — | — | ||
1953 | 1953 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | Won 1953 Refrigerator Bowl vs. College of Idaho, 14–12 ^ | — | — | |||
1954 | 1954 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1955 | 1955 † | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1956 [a] | 1956 † | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Won 1956 Refrigerator Bowl vs. Middle Tennessee State, 27–13 ^ | — | — | |||
1957 | 1957 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1958 | 1958 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | Lost 1958 Christmas Festival Bowl vs. Northwestern State, 11–18 ^ | — | — | |||
1959 | 1959 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1960 | 1960 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1961 | 1961 † | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | ||||
1962 | 1962 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1963 | 1963 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1964 | 1964 † | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | Tied 1964 Championship Bowl vs. Concordia, 7–7 ^ | 2 | 9 | |||
1965 | 1965 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1966 | 1966 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1967 | 1967 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1968 | 1968 | Tom Page | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1969 | 1969 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1970 | 1970 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | T-20 [b] | — | |||
1971 | 1971 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1972 | 1972 | Allen Boren | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1973 | 1973 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1974 | 1974 | Billy Tidwell | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | ||
1975 | 1975 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1976 | 1976 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1977 | 1977 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1978 | 1978 | Melvin Brown | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||
1979 | 1979 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1980 | 1980 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1981 | 1981 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1982 [c] | 1982 | Ron Randleman | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | ||
1983 | 1983 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1984 [d] | 1984 | Gulf Star | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | ||
1985 | 1985 † | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1986 | 1986 † | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — First Round ^ | 11 | — | |||
1987 | 1987 | Southland | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | – | 19 | — | ||
1988 | 1988 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1989 | 1989 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1990 | 1990 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1991 | 1991 † | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — First Round ^ | 12 | — | |||
1992 | 1992 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1993 | 1993 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1994 | 1994 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1995 | 1995 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1996 [e] | 1996 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||||
1997 | 1997 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
1998 | 1998 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
1999 | 1999 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
2000 | 2000 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
2001 | 2001 † | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 7 | — | |||||
2002 | 2002 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 5th | — | — | — | |||||
2003 | 2003 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
2004 | 2004 † | 11 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 4 | — | |||||
2005 | 2005 | Todd Whitten | 3 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 5th | — | — | — | ||||
2006 | 2006 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||||
2007 | 2007 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||||
2008 | 2008 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6th | — | — | — | |||||
2009 | 2009 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5th | — | — | — | |||||
2010 | 2010 | Willie Fritz | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||||
2011 | 2011 † | 14 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – National Championship Game ^ | 2 | 2 | |||||
2012 | 2012 † | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – National Championship Game ^ | 2 | 2 | |||||
2013 | 2013 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3rd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Second Round ^ | 14 | 13 | |||||
2014 | 2014 † | K. C. Keeler | 11 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – Semifinals ^ | 6 | 6 | ||||
2015 | 2015 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 2nd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 3 | 4 | |||||
2016 | 2016 † | 12 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 5 | 5 | |||||
2017 | 2017 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 2nd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 4 | 3 | |||||
2018 | 2018 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
2019 | 2019 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
2020 [f] | 2020 † | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Champions ^ | 1 | 1 | |||||
Sam Houston Bearkats | ||||||||||||||
2021 | 2021 † | K.C. Keeler | WAC | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 5 | 4 | |||
2022 [g] | 2022 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | ||||||
2023 [h] | 2023 | C-USA | 3 | 9 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | |||||
Totals | All-time: 564–486–36 (.536) | Conference: 309–285–16 (.520) | Postseason: 28–13–1 (.679) | |||||||||||
NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions in the United States whose football programs are not part of a football conference. This means that FCS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition as conference schools do. As of the 2024 season, Merrimack and Sacred Heart will be competing as independents, as their primary conference, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, does not sponsor football. They were previously members of the Northeast Conference which does sponsor the sport. Merrimack and Sacred Heart are confirmed to play as FCS independents in 2024.
The NCAA Division I Football Championship is an annual post-season college football game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was called the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship, during the period when the FCS was known as NCAA Division I-AA.
Kurt Charles Keeler is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Temple University. Keeler has been the head coach at Sam Houston State University from 2014 to 2024; the University of Delaware, his alma mater, from 2002 to 2012; and at Rowan University from 1993 to 2001.
The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As of the 2024 season, there are 10 conferences and 134 schools in FBS.
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 Texas State Bobcats football program Texas State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. They play in the Sun Belt Conference. The program began in 1904 and has an overall winning record. The program has a total of 14 conference titles, nine of them being outright conference titles. Home games are played at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas.
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 Sam Houston Bearkats men's basketball team, represents Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, United States. The Bearkats were one of four programs, all from Texas, that left the Southland Conference on July 1, 2021 to join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Sam Houston had previously been a member of the Southland Conference since the 1987–88 season. The Bearkats have played home games at Johnson Coliseum, a 6,110 seat indoor arena, since 1976, when it was then called University Coliseum. On July 1, 2023 the Bearkats joined Conference USA.
Willie Fritz is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at the University of Houston. Fritz served as the head football coach at University of Central Missouri from 1997 to 2009, Sam Houston State University from 2010 to 2013, Georgia Southern University from 2014 to 2015, and Tulane University from 2016 to 2023. From 1993 to 1996, he was the head football coach at Blinn College, a junior college in Brenham, Texas, where he led his teams to consecutive NJCAA National Football Championships, in 1995 and 1996.
The 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the North Dakota State Bison and the Sam Houston State Bearkats. It was played on January 7, 2012, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The culminating game of the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by North Dakota State, 17–6.
The 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the North Dakota State Bison and the Sam Houston State Bearkats. It was played on January 5, 2013, at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The culminating game of the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by North Dakota State, 39–13.
The 2021 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game played to determine a national champion in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision for the 2020–21 season. It was played at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on May 16, 2021. It was the culminating game of the 2020–21 FCS Playoffs. The Sam Houston State Bearkats defeated the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 23–21.
The 2021 Sam Houston Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Bearkats were led by eighth-year head coach K. C. Keeler and played their home games at Bowers Stadium.
The Jacksonville State Gamecocks football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks football 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. The Gamecocks represent Jacksonville State University in the NCAA Division I FCS WAC–ASUN Challenge through the 2022 season, after which they will move to Division I FBS and join Conference USA.
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 2022 Sam Houston Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by ninth-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Bearkats compiled an overall record of 5–4. Sam Houston played home games at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
The Sam Houston–Texas State football rivalry is a college football rivalry between the Sam Houston Bearkats and the Texas State Bobcats. The rivalry dates back to 1915. From 1915 to 2011, the series was played on an annual basis.