Bearkat football team rolls through Tigers in 50-6 victory in Houston

The Sam Houston State Bearkats reclaimed their position as a competitive football team with a 50-6 victory over the Texas Southern Tigers in Houston Thursday night.

“I saw a lot more energy [and] saw a lot more guys into the game,” Coach Willie Fritz said. “We were disappointed in the game against Central Arkansas. We needed to get back on the winning track.”

SHSU’s offense, headed by quarterback Brian Bell, drove a total of 558-yards against TSU’s defense with three passing touchdowns from Bell. Wide receiver Chance Nelson scored twice from Bell’s passes and had a total of 127 yards Thursday evening. 

“We needed a chance to redeem ourselves,” defensive lineman Gary Lorance said. “We got this win [and] I think it will help us propel through the season.”

On SHSU’s second offensive play of the game Bell found Nelson for a 61-yard touchdown pass that set the tone for the match.

“The linemen did a great job blocking and Bell just found me a couple of times in the back of the end zone,” Nelson said.  “[TSU had] a good secondary, we got into them to go big in open holes.”

The offense showed an improved attack plan against TSU after their disappointing loss against Central Arkansas the week before. Bell threw 10-15 and was only held to one turnover, an interception in the second quarter; compared to his 16-24 completions and an interception in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory for UCA.

Keshawn Hill led the Bearkats rushing attack with 74 total yards including a 36-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. SHSU’s rushing game was distributed between nine players including starter Tim Flanders, Ridgeway Frank, and wide receivers Trey Diller and Richard Sincere, for a total 346-yards.

SHSU’s second-string offense, led by red shirt freshman Chris Grett, made an appearance in the second half and drove down the field to add to the Bearkats lead with a four-yard rushing touchdown from Frank.

“There are a bunch of guys that showed marked improvement in this ballgame,” Fritz said.

The Bearkat offense posted 36 unanswered points Thursday night.

Defensively, senior linebacker Darius Taylor halted the TSU running game with six tackles and three assists, including three sacks for a total loss of 28-yards. SHSU’s defense held TSU’s offense to a mere 165-yards in Thursday’s match and only allowed one touchdown in the start of the second quarter.

“Once we make a team one-dimensional, we can start having fun getting into the pass rush and make big plays happen,” Lorance said.

In the middle of the first quarter, defensive back Dax Swanson picked off a TSU pass for SHSU’s only interception. The defensive turnover set up a Bearkat offensive attack that pushed down the field for 61-yards that ultimately ended the second touchdown of the first quarter for SHSU.

According to Lorance the practice week preceding TSU’s game, the SHSU coaching staff analyzed and set up a defensive plan that guaranteed the Bearkats to contain the Tigers’ offense.

“We break down a lot of film during the week,” Lorance said. “They have us prepared, they have a game plan ready and I think we executed almost as well as we could of [Thursday].”

TSU’s only touchdown came in the start of the second quarter with a 16-yard pass to the lower right corner of the end zone.

This week the Bearkats will prepare for the Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks for the Battle of the Piney Woods in Houston. The Lumberjacks defeated UCA this past weekend 42-37 making them 1-0 in conference.

According to Fritz the Bearkats’ defense will develop a passing protection to contain SFA’s aggressive passing game.

“This upcoming week we’re going to go against a very potent passing attack with SFA. They’re going to throw it probably between 60 and 70 times when we play them,” Fritz said. “We got to a great job improving in that area.”