| Wide: | yes |
| Texas State–Sam Houston football rivalry | |
| Team1: | Texas State Bobcats |
| Team1logo: | Texas State Athletics wordmark.svg |
| Team2: | Sam Houston Bearkats |
| Team2logo: | Sam-houston-st logo from NCAA.svg |
| Firstmeeting: | November 20, 1915 Tied, 0–0 |
| Mostrecent: | November 19, 2011 Sam Houston, 36–14 |
| Nextmeeting: | 2024 |
| Total: | 93 |
| Series: | Texas State leads, 50–37–5 |
| Largestvictory: | Texas State, 61–0 (1967) |
| Longeststreak: | Texas State, 7 (1971–1977) |
| Currentstreak: | Sam Houston, 2 (2010–present) |
The Texas State–Sam Houston football rivalry is a college football rivalry between the Texas State Bobcats and Sam Houston Bearkats. The rivalry dates back to 1915. From 1915 to 2011, the series was played on an annual basis.[1]
Historically, Texas State and Sam Houston are old rivals, playing every year from 1915 to 2011. The rivalry dates back to 1915. Both were charter members of the Lone Star Conference in 1931 before both moving to the Gulf Star Conference (1984–86) and then the Southland Conference (1987–2011).[2] It ended in 2012, when TXST joined the Western Athletic Conference in the FBS. The rivalry will be renewed in 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Both schools are founding members of the Texas State University System and have seen their respective university profiles grow nationally during the 21st century. Both have roots as normal schools and have historically competed for students.
The rivalry became notably heated during their time as members of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The game was traditionally the final of the season for each school during their time in the SLC, often holding conference title and playoff implications. The 2011 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team won the final meeting as conference rivals, beating the Bobcats 36-14 in San Marcos, TX in front of a sold-out crowd, clinching the Southland title in the process.
Texas State holds the all time series lead 50-37-5.