After multiple trips to the title game, Sam Houston finally won the FCS national championship in the spring of 2021. The Bearkats ended their time in the FCS by going 16-5 in their last two seasons.
Now they’ve moved on to the FBS and Conference USA. Only time will tell how well the Bearkats will compete at this level.
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Can Sam Houston Win The Conference USA Title This Season?
Sam Houston has no odds to win the Conference USA Championship because it cannot win the CUSA title. The Bearkats are ineligible after moving up to the FBS this year.
Sam Houston Football’s Over/Under Win Total
Sam Houston’s win total Over/Under is 3.5, with Under 3.5 at +120 and Over 3.5 at -140.
Sam Houston Football’s Schedule
9/2 at BYU
9/9 vs Air Force
9/23 at Houston
9/28 vs Jacksonville State
10/5 at Liberty
10/11 at New Mexico State
10/18 vs FIU
10/25 vs UTEP
11/4 vs Kennesaw State
11/11 at Louisiana Tech
11/18 at Western Kentucky
11/25 vs Middle Tennessee
Bold indicates CUSA contests.
Key Sam Houston Football Returners
2022 All-WAC 1st Team
LB Kavian Gaither
Ife Adeyi Will Be A Standout Playmaker For Sam Houston’s Offense
Sam Houston’s receiving corps should be in good shape. That’s despite the Bearkats losing Cody Chrest, who led the team with 548 yards and two touchdowns on 36 catches last year.
Ife Adeyi played just four games last season, but he’s among the most talented CUSA wide receivers already. In 2021, he totaled 742 yards and 10 touchdowns on 54 receptions. For his career, he’s racked up 127 catches, 1,967 yards, and 18 touchdowns as well as 230 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Al’vonte Woodard, who was second on the team with 215 yards and two touchdowns with 16 catches in 2022, and Noah Smith, who added 160 yards, a touchdown, and 16 receptions, are back as well.
At running back, Zach Hrbacek led the team with 495 yards and three touchdowns on 86 carries. Jordan Yates, who started last season at quarterback, will play at running back in 2023. He ran for 195 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries last year. The Bearkats also picked up former Utah State running back John Gentry this offseason.
Keegan Shoemaker was Sam Houston’s leading passer last year. In seven games, he threw for 1,122 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 47% of his throws. Sam Houston also added former Washington State quarterback Xavier Ward this offseason.
Kavian Gaither To Continue Leading Sam Houston’s Defense
Kavian Gaither is the only Sam Houston returner who was on the All-WAC list last year. But his presence will certainly help the Bearkats on the defensive side of the ball.
Gaither, a 6-foot, 200-pound junior, was the WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. The linebacker was also a Buck Buchanan Award finalist. He totaled 79 tackles, 12 for loss, with three sacks, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
He was one of the best players for a defense which allowed 20.8 points and 348.4 yards per game last year. Sam Houston returns seven of its top 11 tacklers from 2022.
David Fisher, a defensive back, was the only player to record at least two interceptions last year, and he returns. He also defended a team-high four passes last year.
The Bearkats bolstered their defensive front with a couple of Group of Five transfers. They added Jaden Phillips from New Mexico and Akeem Smith from Georgia State this offseason.
Sam Houston Football Season Prediction
Sam Houston will see its fair share of struggles in the FBS and won’t quite get to four wins.
The Bearkats’ non-conference slate, featuring matchups with BYU, Air Force, Houston, and Kennesaw State, isn’t easy overall. The only game I see them winning among those four would be Kennesaw State.
From there, the rosters for most of the other CUSA schools just seem stronger. I don’t see Sam Houston defeating Liberty, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky, or Middle Tennessee, especially with four of those five games being on the road.
The only way they might be capable of reaching four wins is if they defeat each of their other conference foes. But I don’t believe the Bearkats are better than UTEP, and I also think they’ll have a tough time against Jacksonville State, another team making the FCS-to-FBS transition.
While I could see Sam Houston playing well against FIU, that would only be a second win. So while the Bearkats could be competitive in Conference USA down the road, I don’t think they’ll finish their first FBS season with a winning record.
