2016 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

The 2016 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bearkats were led by third-year head coach K. C. Keeler and played their home games at Bowers Stadium. They were a member of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 12–1 overall and 9–0 in Southland play to win the Southland Conference title. They went undefeated during the regular season with a record of 11–0. They received the Southland's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Chattanooga the second round, only to lose in the quarterfinals to James Madison.

2016 Sam Houston State Bearkats football
Southland Conference champion
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Ranking
STATSNo. 5
FCS CoachesNo. 5
Record12–1 (9–0 Southland)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorPhil Longo (3rd season)
Offensive schemeAir raid
Defensive coordinatorBrad Sherrod (3rd season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumBowers Stadium
Seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Southland Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 5 Sam Houston State $^   9 0     12 1  
No. 14 Central Arkansas ^   8 1     10 3  
SE Louisiana   7 2     7 4  
McNeese State   5 4     6 5  
Nicholls State   5 4     5 6  
Stephen F. Austin   4 5     5 6  
Houston Baptist   3 5     4 7  
Incarnate Word *   3 6     3 8  
Lamar   3 6     3 8  
Abilene Christian *   2 7     2 9  
Northwestern State   0 9     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – ineligible for FCS playoffs due to transition from NCAA Division II
Rankings from STATS poll

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 36:00 pmOklahoma Panhandle State*No. 2ESPN3W 59–218,609
September 177:00 pmat LamarNo. 3ESPN3W 44–318,343
September 247:00 pmat Houston BaptistNo. 2FCSW 52–163,134
October 13:00 pmvs. Stephen F. AustinNo. 2ESPN3W 63–2827,411
October 86:00 pmat Incarnate WordNo. 2ESPN3/UIWtvW 63–485,322
October 153:00 pmAbilene Christian No. 2
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ESPN3W 48–218,314
October 223:00 pmat Nicholls StateNo. 1ASNW 38–217,759
October 296:00 pmTexas Southern*No. 1
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ESPN3W 66–178,611
November 56:00 pmMcNeese StateNo. 1
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ESPN3W 56–438,025
November 126:00 pmat Northwestern StateNo. 1ESPN3W 48–166,421
November 192:30 pmNo. 11 Central ArkansasNo. 1
  • Bowers Stadium
  • Huntsville, TX
ESPN3W 59–239,182
December 32:00 pmNo. 11 Chattanooga*No. 1
ESPN3W 41–364,897
December 96:00 pmat No. 5 James Madison*No. 1
ESPN2L 7–6515,646
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[1]

Game summaries

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Oklahoma Panhandle State

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Oklahoma Panhandle State at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
Aggies 14 007 21
#2 Bearkats 21 17714 59
  • Date: September 3
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 6:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 8,609
  • Game weather: 89 °F (32 °C) • Wind NE 4 mph (6.4 km/h) • Mostly cloudy, warm
  • Referee: Ross Smith
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

@ Lamar

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Sam Houston State at Lamar
1 234Total
#3 Bearkats 14 1677 44
Cardinals 3 01414 31
  • Date: September 17
  • Location: Provost Umphrey Stadium
    Beaumont, TX
  • Game start: 7:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:40
  • Game attendance: 8,343
  • Game weather: 92 °F (33 °C) • Hot and humid
  • Referee: Marvel July
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

@ Houston Baptist

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Sam Houston State at Houston Baptist
1 234Total
#2 Bearkats 21 10714 52
Huskies 0 6100 16
  • Date: September 24
  • Location: Husky Stadium
    Houston, TX
  • Game start: 7:00 pm CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:26
  • Game attendance: 3,134
  • Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C) • Wind ESE 6 mph (9.7 km/h) • Mostly cloudy
  • Referee: Ross Smith
  • Television network: FCS
Sources:[2]

Stephen F. Austin

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Battle of the Piney Woods
1 234Total
#2 Bearkats 28 14210 63
Lumberjacks 0 7147 28
  • Date: October 1
  • Location: NRG Stadium
    Houston, TX
  • Game start: 3:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:35
  • Game attendance: 27,411
  • Game weather: Indoors • 79 °F (26 °C) outside • Calm wind
  • Referee: Michael VanderVelde
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

@ Incarnate Word

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Sam Houston State at Incarnate Word
1 234Total
#2 Bearkats 21 14217 63
Cardinals 7 141413 48
  • Date: October 8
  • Location: Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium
    San Antonio, TX
  • Game start: 6:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 5,322
  • Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C) • Wind 9 mph (14 km/h) • Mostly Sunny
  • Referee: Dan Lewis
  • Television network: ESPN3, UIWtv
Sources: Box Score

Abilene Christian

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Abilene Christian at Sam Houston State (homecoming)
1 234Total
Wildcats 0 0714 21
#2 Bearkats 7 20210 48
  • Date: October 15
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 3:00 PM CST
  • Elapsed time: 3:32
  • Game attendance: 8,319
  • Game weather: 88 °F (31 °C) • Wind S 9 mph (14 km/h) • Sunny
  • Referee: Kevin Boutmann
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

@ Nicholls

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Sam Houston State at Nicholls
1 234Total
#1 Bearkats 10 1477 38
Colonels 0 0147 21
  • Date: October 22
  • Location: John L. Guidry Stadium
    Thibodaux, LA
  • Game start: 3:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 2:09
  • Game attendance: 7,759
  • Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C) • Slight wind • Nice
  • Referee: Michael VanderVelde
  • Television network: ASN
Sources:

Texas Southern

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Texas Southern at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
Tigers 0 1007 17
#1 Bearkats 28 17147 66
  • Date: October 29
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 6:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:27
  • Game attendance: 8,611
  • Game weather: 84 °F (29 °C) • Wind SSE 6 mph (9.7 km/h) • Clear
  • Referee: Vidal Jones
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

McNeese State

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McNeese State at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
Cowboys 0 92113 43
#1 Bearkats 14 14217 56
  • Date: November 5
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 6:00 PM CST
  • Elapsed time: 3:28
  • Game attendance: 8,025
  • Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C) • Wind N 4 mph (6.4 km/h) • Overcast
  • Referee: Marvel July
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

@ Northwestern State

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Sam Houston State at Northwestern State
1 234Total
#1 Bearkats 20 2107 48
Demons 13 030 16
  • Date: November 12
  • Location: Harry Turpin Stadium
    Natchitoches, LA
  • Game start: 6:00 PM CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:16
  • Game attendance: 6,421
  • Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C) • Wind SSE 7 mph (11 km/h) • Calm and cool
  • Referee: Ross Smith
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

Central Arkansas

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Central Arkansas at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
#11 Bears 0 1067 23
#1 Bearkats 17 21147 59
  • Date: November 19
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 2:30 PM CST
  • Elapsed time: 3:42
  • Game attendance: 9,182
  • Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C) • Wind N 7 mph (11 km/h) • Sunny and clear
  • Referee: Brad Van Vark
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

FCS Playoffs

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Second Round–Chattanooga

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Chattanooga at Sam Houston State
1 234Total
#11 Mocs 0 141012 36
#1 Bearkats 14 7146 41
  • Date: December 3
  • Location: Bowers Stadium
    Huntsville, TX
  • Game start: 2:00 PM CST
  • Elapsed time: 3:22
  • Game attendance: 4,897
  • Game weather: 49 °F (9 °C) • Wind NE 8 mph (13 km/h) • Overcast and drizzly
  • Referee: Chris La Mange
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:

Quarterfinals–James Madison

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Sam Houston State at James Madison
1 234Total
#1 Bearkats 0 007 7
#5 Dukes 21 21230 65
  • Date: December 9
  • Location: Bridgeforth Stadium
    Harrisonburg, VA
  • Game start: 6:00 PM CST
  • Elapsed time: 3:25
  • Game attendance: 15,646
  • Game weather: 26 °F (−3 °C) • Wind 5 mph (8.0 km/h) • Clear and light wind
  • Referee: Jim Crowley
  • Television network: ESPN2
Sources:

Ranking movements

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
т = Tied with team above or below ( ) = First-place votes
Week
PollPre123456789101112Final
STATS FCS24322221 (113)1 (120)1 (102)1 (113)1 (108)1 (111)5
Coaches23–T322221 (21)1 (23)1 (22)1 (22)1 (21)1 (22)5
FCS PlayoffsNot released255Not released

References

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  1. ^ "Football - 2016 Schedule". Sam Houston State University Department of Athletics. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  2. ^ "Sam Houston State (3–0 , 2–0) -VS- Houston Baptist (2–2 , 1–2)". Houston Baptist University Athletics. Retrieved September 24, 2016.