Sam Houston State Bearkats Fall to Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium
In a contest that saw the Sam Houston State Bearkats host the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium, the home side was unable to secure a victory, ending with a 7-17 scoreline. The Bearkats' season record now stands at 5-5, while the Thunderbirds improved theirs to 5-6. A crowd of 7,059 spectators witnessed the event unfold.
The Sam Houston State Bearkats faced challenges in their offensive game despite their efforts on home turf. The team's passing game struggled with efficiency as they completed only nine out of twenty-nine attempts for a total of 127 yards and two interceptions thrown without scoring any touchdowns through the air. Their rushing offense showed more promise as they amassed 222 yards over forty-eight carries and scored one touchdown, marking it as their sole trip to the end zone during this matchup.
Defensively, the Bearkats managed to exert some pressure on their opponents by recording one sack for a loss of ten yards and forcing two fumbles throughout the game; however, these efforts were not enough to turn the tide in their favor. They also secured an interception but failed to capitalize on this turnover.
Special teams had limited impact for Sam Houston State with punting being a frequent activity; they punted five times for an average distance of approximately thirty-seven yards per punt and managed to place one inside Southern Utah's twenty-yard line.
On Southern Utah's side, they opened strong by putting up ten points in the first quarter while keeping Sam Houston State scoreless during that period. The Bearkats responded in the second quarter with seven points but could not maintain that momentum after halftime as Southern Utah added another seven points in third quarter action without reply from Sam Houston State who remained scoreless in both third and fourth quarters.
The match concluded without further scoring from either team leaving fans contemplating what might have been if certain plays had gone differently for Sam Houston State who showed potential but ultimately fell short against their visitors from Southern Utah.
Looking ahead, fans can tune into future broadcasts featuring Sam Houston State as they seek redemption following this setback at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium against Southern Utah Thunderbirds.