Undefeated underdogs has special ring
Bearkats have come to embrace challenge of proving opponents and rankings wrong
HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston State’s Jason Barfield, a media relations director, was fielding the usual interview requests last month after the Bearkats found out their seeding in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, when an out-of-state reporter bluntly stated his intended topic.
“I’m writing a story,” the sports writer informed Barfield, “about how y’all got screwed.”
Barfield chuckled at the assertion — one with which a whole lot of Sam Houston State followers wholeheartedly agreed.
The Bearkats spent about the last half of the regular season ranked No. 1 nationally in the STATS FCS top 25 poll but were seeded fifth for the 24team playoffs.
That didn’t really matter until Friday, when Sam Houston State (12-0) plays fourth-seeded James Madison (11-1) at 6 p.m. in Harrisonburg, Va.
Sam Houston State is unde-
feated and James Madison is not, but the Dukes own the home-field advantage courtesy of their slightly higher seed. The Bearkats spent much of Thursday traveling.
Sam Houston State, with its (lack of ) strength of schedule held against it by the playoffs committee, is the lone unbeaten team remaining in the FCS.
But don’t bother Bearkats standout receiver Yedidiah Louis with any complaining. He is too busy enjoying the ride.
“We’re used to being in the position of underdog, even when we really shouldn’t be the underdog,” he said. “We’ve always had to go about proving people wrong.
“We kind of like and embrace being the underdog.” The questionable seeding hadn’t caught up to Sam Houston State until Friday, considering as one of the top eight seeds the Bearkats received a bye in the first round and then a home game Saturday against lower-seeded Chattanooga — a 41-36 Sam Houston State victory on a rainy day at Huntsville.
The cold shoulder
The forecast for Harrisonburg, Va., on Friday night calls for temperatures in the 20s.
“I like to travel,” Louis said. “I like going into other people’s stadiums and disappointing their fans. That’s our goal.”
James Madison’s lone loss came Sept. 17, when North Carolina doubled up the Dukes 56-28.
James Madison has reeled off nine consecutive victories since, including 20-7 over Villanova in the regular season, and 55-22 over New Hampshire in last week’s second round of the playoffs.
“I expect the stadium to be packed,” Dukes coach Mike Houston said. “It will be cold, dark and perfect. It’s December, and it’s playoff time.”
James Madison will have to contend with Sam Houston State junior quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe, who has thrown an FCS single-season record 57 touchdown passes this season. Briscoe transferred to the Bearkats from Alabama-Birmingham after the 2014 season and earned the starting job this season.
Briscoe is acutely aware of Sam Houston State’s seeding and the fuss from the outside that has come with it. Home or away, Briscoe said, the only thing that matters is what happens on the field.
“It’s great for Sam Houston to be getting all of this attention,” Briscoe said, “but honestly, it doesn’t mean anything until we go out there and keep winning.”
Frisco or bust
The intended destination for both programs is much closer to Huntsville than Harrisonburg, Va. Frisco will host the FCS title game as it has since 2010, and the venue — home of FC Dallas of Major League Soccer — is locked in to host the championship through 2020.
“We’ve been so close these past couple of seasons,” said Bearkats defensive
end P.J. Hall, the Southland Conference’s defensive player of the year. “We don’t want to get held back again, and we’ve
been working hard to accomplish our goal.”