| Year: | 2021 |
| Team: | Sam Houston Bearkats |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | AQ7 |
| Short Conf: | AQ7 |
| Statsrank: | 5 |
| Fcscoachrank: | 4 |
| Record: | 11–1 |
| Conf Record: | 6–0 |
| Head Coach: | K. C. Keeler |
| Hc Year: | 8th |
| Off Coach: | Ryan Carty |
| Oc Year: | 4th |
| Off Scheme: | Spread option |
| Def Coach: | Clayton Carlin |
| Dc Year: | 5th |
| Def Scheme: | 4–2–5 |
| Stadium: | Bowers Stadium |
| Champion: | WAC champion WAC–ASUN Challenge champion |
| Bowl: | NCAA Division I Quarterfinal |
| Bowl Result: | L 19–42 vs. Montana State |
| Prev: | 2020 |
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 Western Athletic Conference and ASUN Conference announced the formation of the WAC–ASUN Challenge (AQ7) for the 2021 season on February 23, 2021. The Challenge included the four fully qualified Division I (FCS) members of the WAC (Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, and Stephen F. Austin) and Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, and Jacksonville State of the ASUN Conference. The winner of the challenge received an auto-bid to the NCAA Division I FCS football playoffs.[1]
The Western Athletic Conference coaches released their preseason poll on July 27, 2021. The Bearkats were picked to finish first in the conference. In addition, several Bearkats were selected to the preseason WAC Offense, Defense, and Special teams. Eric Schmid was selected preseason offensive player of the year. Jahari Kay was selected defensive player of the year.[2]
| 1 | Sam Houston | 20 (5) |
| 2 | Stephen F. Austin | 16 (1) |
| 3 | Tarleton State | 11 |
| 4 | Lamar | 8 |
| 5 | Abilene Christian | 5 |
Offense
Defense
Special teams
The AQ7 coaches also released their preseason poll on July 27, 2021. The Bearkats were picked to finish first in the ASUN-WAC Challenge.[3]
| 1 | Sam Houston State | 49 (7) |
| 2 | Central Arkansas | 40 |
| 3 | Jacksonville State | 37 |
| 4 | Stephen F. Austin | 27 |
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky | 20 |
| 6 | Abilene Christian | 15 |
| 7 | Lamar | 8 |
See also: 2021 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team.
Statistics
| Statistics | Sam Houston | Northern Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 24 | 20 |
| Total yards | 562 | 383 |
| Rushing yards | 294 | 91 |
| Passing yards | 268 | 292 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 28:53 | 31:07 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Eric Schmid | 21/37, 268 yards, 3 TDS, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Ramon Jefferson | 11 carries 143 yards, long 45 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Cody Chrest | 7 catches, 106 yards, long 45 yards. | |
| Northern Arizona | Passing | Jeff Widener | 20/34, 275 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Jeff Widener | 9 carries, 33 yards, long 17 yards | |
| Receiving | Stacy Chukwumezie | 6 catches, 113 yard, long 54 yards, 1 TD | |
See also: 2021 Southeast Missouri State Redhawks football team.
See also: 2021 Central Arkansas Bears football team.
See also: 2021 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team and Battle of the Piney Woods.
See also: 2021 Lamar Cardinals football team. Statistics
| Statistics | Lamar | Sam Houston |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 10 | 24 |
| Total yards | 158 | 438 |
| Rushing yards | 23 | 267 |
| Passing yards | 135 | 171 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:39 | 28:21 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar | Passing | Mike Chandler | 11/18, 135 yards |
| Rushing | Chaz Ward | 11 carries, 23 yards, long 8 yards | |
| Receiving | Jeremy Davis | 2 catches, 52 yard, long 28 yards | |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Eric Schmid | 13/31, 159 yards, 2 TDS |
| Rushing | Noah Smith | 14 carries 120 yards, long 49 yards | |
| Receiving | Cody Chrest | 4 catches, 81 yards, long 37 yards. | |
See also: 2021 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team.
See also: 2021 Tarleton State Texans football team.
See also: 2021 Dixie State Trailblazers football team.
See also: 2021 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team.
See also: 2021 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team.
See also: 2022 NFL draft.
| 5 | 157 | DB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |