NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
Sam Houston blasts Southeast Missouri State 52-14.
HUNTSVILLE — Saturday was Sam Houston’s 2021 fall home opener at Bowers Stadium, even if it was the Bearkats’ seventh home game this year. Sam Houston played six games here in the spring on its way to winning its first FCS football championship.
Playing its first football home game since capping an undefeated season in May, Bowers Stadium was a festive atmosphere. Winning a national championship will do that to a fan base.
A season after winning it all, top-ranked Sam Houston never trailed on Saturday night but overcame a slow start to win going away, overwhelming Southeast Missouri State 52-14.
“We didn’t panic under pressure and when it was 14-14, we just kept on playing,” Bearkats coach K.C. Keeler said. “And then we got rolling and then we played some pretty good offense and defense.
“These guys tasted a national championship. They want another.”
Ramon Jefferson ran for 153 of Sam Houston’s 297 rushing yards, all in the first half. Backup Trapper Pannell added a thirdquarter 70-yard scoring run on a quarterback scramble and Seth Morgan was successful on a 50yard field goal. And credit Tristin McCollum for turning the game in favor of the Bearkats, who scored the final 38 points.
McCollum’s second quarter blocked field-goal attempt in a tie game ignited the Bearkats as well as firing up the crowd of 7,728.
On the Bearkats’ first play of the ensuing drive, Jefferson busted a run for a 70-yard touchdown, giving the Kats the lead for good.
And it didn’t take long for the Kats’ celebration to continue courtesy of a pick 6. Jaylen Thomas returned a C.J. Ogbonna interception 49 yards for a score. Morgan converted the extra point, giving Sam Houston a 28-14 lead with 1:11 remaining in the first half.
“I just swarmed to the ball and the ball ended up in my hands and ended up in the end zone,” Thomas said.
The Kats still had time to score again before the half came to a close.
Morgan drilled the 50yard field goal with 7.8 seconds to play, pushing the lead to 31-14. Morgan’s kick came after his 40-yard field goal was nullified because of holding.
Sam Houston (2-0) turned it on when needed. After SEMO (0-2) tied the game 14-14 the Bearkats, who put up 24 secondquarter points, scored the half ’s final 17 points.
McCollum’s blocked field-goal attempt flipped the momentum and heavily influenced the outcome, but it was Jefferson who fueled Sam Houston’s win, its 13 straight dating to 2019. The redshirt junior gained his 153 rushing yards on 11 carries. In spelling Jefferson, Noah Smith rushed for 61 yards on 11 attempts.
Now representing the Western Athletic Conference, Sam Houston outgained SEMO 561-306.
“We need to play cleaner,” Keeler said. “If you look at the points on the board and the yards, they’re pretty impressive but they should be even more impressive. Ramon Jefferson is just a beast. We’re going to make that a priority, keep on running the football.”
Bearkats quarterback Eric Schmid overcame a lost fumble and an interception in the first half. The Woodlands product passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns, including a fourth-quarter 42-yarder to Chandler Harvin. Schmid also threw the decisive block freeing Pannell on his 70-yard score down the right sideline.
Sam Houston’s offensive line of Eleasah Anderson, Prince Pines, Ethan Hagler, Colby Thomas and Reece Jordan mastered their blocking schemes and provided protection throughout the game.
“This offensive line is just going to keep getting better,” Keeler said. “We’re at the point where with the tight ends we can put on the field, we feel we can run the ball at you.”
All-America wide receiver Jequez Ezzard was in uniform but did not play for the Bearkats.
The Redhawks of the Ohio Valley were playing a nationally-ranked team for the second straight week.
The Bearkats established their inside-zone run early. On their opening possession the Bearkats marched 81 yards on eight plays, culminating in Jefferson’s 1-yard run. Jefferson’s first two carries went for 21 and 18 yards respectively.
SEMO tied the score 7-7 midway of the opening quarter on a 43-yard pass from Ogbonna to Aaron Alston.
Sam Houston won the FCS national championship in May, rallying past South Dakota State 23-21 for the win at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.