2024 Sam Houston Bearkats football team explained
The 2024 Sam Houston Bearkats football team represents Sam Houston State University in Conference USA (CUSA) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bearkats are led by K. C. Keeler in his eleventh year as the head coach. The Bearkats will play home games at Bowers Stadium, located in Huntsville, Texas.[1]
Following a 10-7 road win against FIU on October 22, the Bearkats became bowl eligible in just their second year since joining the FBS.[2]
Offseason
Transfers
Outgoing
| Xavier Ward | QB | San Jose State |
| Dakerric Hobbs | CB | New Mexico State |
| Kaden Kelly | S | None |
| D'Marea Weaver | CB | None |
| Jordan Yates | WR | Tennessee Tech |
| Da'Marcus Crosby | S | New Mexico State | |
Incoming
[3]
Preseason
C-USA media poll
The Conference USA preseason media poll was released on July 19. The Bearkats were predicted to finish tied for fifth.[4]
| Media poll |
| 1 | Liberty | 197 (18) |
| 2 | Western Kentucky | 173 (2) |
| 3 | Jacksonville State | 166 |
| 4 | Middle Tennessee | 98 |
| 5 | New Mexico State | 97 |
| Sam Houston |
| 7 | Louisiana Tech | 88 |
| 8 | FIU | 81 |
| 9 | UTEP | 76 |
| 10 | Kennesaw State | 27 | |
Schedule
[5]
Game summaries
at Rice
See also: 2024 Rice Owls football team.
| Statistics | SHSU | RICE |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 14 |
| Total yards | 73–407 | 62–274 |
| Rushing yards | 46–178 | 18–47 |
| Passing yards | 229 | 227 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 16–27–0 | 27–44–2 |
| Time of possession | 35:20 | 24:40 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 16/27, 229 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Hunter Watson | 14 carries, 57 yards |
| Receiving | Qua'Vez Humphreys | 3 receptions, 93 yards, 1 TD |
| Rice | Passing | | 27/44, 227 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Dean Connors | 12 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Matt Sykes | 6 receptions, 74 yards | |
at UCF
See also: 2024 UCF Knights football team.
| Statistics | SHSU | UCF |
|---|
| First downs | 12 | 29 |
| Total yards | 287 | 554 |
| Rushing yards | 68 | 384 |
| Passing yards | 219 | 170 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 9-13-2 | 12-15 |
| Time of possession | 25:57 | 34:03 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 9/13, 82 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Zach Hrbacek | 8 carries, 25 yards |
| Receiving | Simeon Evans | 3 receptions, 89 yards, 1 TD |
| UCF | Passing | | 12/15, 169 yards |
| Rushing | | 19 carries, 126 yards, 4 TD |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 104 yards | |
vs. Hawaii
See also: 2024 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team.
| Statistics | HAW | SHSU |
|---|
| First downs | 15 | 22 |
| Total yards | 308 | 422 |
| Rushing yards | 56 | 257 |
| Passing yards | 252 | 165 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 25:38 | 34:22 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Hawaii | Passing | | 21/42, 252 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Cam Barfield | 5 rushes, 24 yards |
| Receiving | | 8 receptions, 84 yards, TD |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 15/23, 165 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Jay Ducker | 15 rushes, 148 yards |
| Receiving | Qua'Vez Humphreys | 4 receptions, 106 yards, 2 TD | |
vs. New Mexico State
See also: 2024 New Mexico State Aggies football team.
| Statistics | NMSU | SHSU |
|---|
| First downs | 12 | 24 |
| Total yards | 152 | 382 |
| Rushing yards | 78 | 280 |
| Passing yards | 74 | 102 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–29–2 | 12–26–2 |
| Time of possession | 23:22 | 36:38 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| New Mexico State | Passing | Santino Marucci | 14/29, 74 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Seth McGowan | 12 rushes, 50 yards |
| Receiving | T. J. Pride | 5 receptions, 33 yards |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 9/21, 64 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Hunter Watson | 12 rushes, 116 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Noah Smith | 4 receptions, 38 yards | |
vs. Texas State (rivalry)
See also: 2024 Texas State Bobcats football team.
| Statistics | TXST | SHSU |
|---|
| First downs | 25 | 25 |
| Total yards | 417 | 395 |
| Rushing yards | 91 | 300 |
| Passing yards | 326 | 95 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 25:38 | 34:22 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Texas State | Passing | | 29/39, 326 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | | 17 carries, 57 yards |
| Receiving | Jaden Williams | 10 receptions, 133 yards |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 10/19, 95 yards |
| Rushing | Hunter Watson | 27 carries, 105 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | DJ McKinney | 2 receptions, 22 yards | |
at UTEP
See also: 2024 UTEP Miners football team.
| Statistics | SHSU | UTEP |
|---|
| First downs | 26 | 15 |
| Total yards | 517 | 323 |
| Rushing yards | 293 | 119 |
| Passing yards | 224 | 204 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 35:17 | 24:43 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 19/29, 224 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | DJ McKinney | 14 carries, 138 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Qua'Vez Humphreys | 2 receptions, 47 yards, TD |
| UTEP | Passing | Cade McConnell | 15/28, 204 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Ezell Jolly | 17 carries, 76 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Kenny Odom | 4 receptions, 70 yards | |
vs. Western Kentucky
See also: 2024 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team.
| Statistics | WKU | SHSU |
|---|
| First downs | 23 | 22 |
| Total yards | 411 | 400 |
| Rushing yards | 130 | 165 |
| Passing yards | 281 | 235 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 29:45 | 30:15 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Western Kentucky | Passing | | 20/29, 281 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Elijah Young | 23 carries, 97 yards |
| Receiving | K. D. Hutchinson | 3 receptions, 88 yards, TD |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 6/9, 128 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | | 11 carries, 41 yards |
| Receiving | Simeon Evans | 5 receptions, 59 yards, TD | |
at FIU
See also: 2024 FIU Panthers football team.
| Statistics | SHSU | FIU |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 11 |
| Total yards | 210 | 200 |
| Rushing yards | 134 | 126 |
| Passing yards | 76 | 74 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:54 | 28:06 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Jase Bauer | 14/21, 76 yards |
| Rushing | Jase Bauer | 15 carries, 72 yards |
| Receiving | Simeon Evans | 5 receptions, 35 yards |
| FIU | Passing | Chayden Peery | 7/12, 58 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Shomari Lawrence | 8 carries, 44 yards |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 42 yards, 1 TD | |
vs. Louisiana Tech
See also: 2024 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team.
| Statistics | LT | SHSU |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 11 |
| Total yards | 312 | 268 |
| Rushing yards | 105 | 105 |
| Passing yards | 207 | 163 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 32:33 | 27:27 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Evan Bullock | 16/25, 148 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Omiri Wiggins | 11 carries, 49 yards |
| Receiving | Tru Edwards | 8 receptions, 80 yards |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 14/22, 146 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jay Ducker | 13 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Noah Smith | 6 receptions, 47 yards | |
at Kennesaw State
See also: 2024 Kennesaw State Owls football team.
| Statistics | SHSU | KENN |
|---|
| First downs | 21 | 13 |
| Total yards | 382 | 243 |
| Rushing yards | 203 | 106 |
| Passing yards | 179 | 137 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–32–1 | 16–24–1 |
| Time of possession | 32:24 | 27:36 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 22/32, 179 yds, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jay Ducker | 18 carries, 111 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Simeon Evans | 5 receptions, 64 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 16/24, 137 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Davis Bryson | 12 carries, 46 yards |
| Receiving | Blake Bohannon | 5 receptions, 55 yards | |
at Jacksonville State
See also: 2024 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team.
| Statistics | SHSU | JVST |
|---|
| First downs | 16 | 20 |
| Total yards | 259 | 332 |
| Rushing yards | 175 | 278 |
| Passing yards | 84 | 54 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13-26 | 9-12 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:05 | 28:55 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 13/25, 84 yards |
| Rushing | Hunter Watson | 21 carries, 105 yards, 1TD |
| Receiving | Noah Smith | 6 receptions, 65 yards |
| Jacksonville State | Passing | Tyler Huff | 9/12, 54 yards |
| Rushing | Tyler Huff | 30 carries, 177 yards, 3TD |
| Receiving | Sean Brown | 1 reception, 22 yards | |
vs. Liberty
See also: 2024 Liberty Flames football team.
| Statistics | LIB | SHSU |
|---|
| First downs | | |
| Total yards | | |
| Rushing yards | | |
| Passing yards | | |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | | |
| Time of possession | | |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Liberty | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | |
| Sam Houston | Passing | | |
| Rushing | | |
| Receiving | | | |
Notes and References
- Web site: 2023 Football Coaching Staff . Sam Houston Athletics . 2 February 2024.
- Web site: Sam Houston State is bowl eligible for the first time, so which bowl is most likely destination? . Houston Chronicle . 24 October 2024.
- Web site: 2024 Sam Houston State Football Transfer Portal. on3.com. October 5, 2024.
- Web site: FB: CUSA Announces Media's Predicted Order of Finish. July 19, 2024. October 2, 2024. conferenceUSA.com. Conference USA.
- Web site: 2024 Sam Houston Football Schedule . FBSchedules.com . 2 February 2024.
