Sam Houston Bearkats football
The Sam Houston Bearkats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Sam Houston State University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 12,593-seat Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. On January 23, 2014, K. C. Keeler was named the 15th head coach in Sam Houston program history.
| Sam Houston Bearkats football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| First season | 1912 | ||
| Athletic director | Bobby Williams | ||
| Head coach | K. C. Keeler 8th season, 80–23 (.777) | ||
| Stadium | Bowers Stadium (capacity: 12,593) | ||
| Field surface | Real Grass Pro Artificial Surface | ||
| Location | Huntsville, Texas | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Conference USA | ||
| All-time record | 550–472–35 (.537) | ||
| Bowl record | 3–1–1 (.700) | ||
| Playoff record | 24-12 | ||
| Claimed national titles | 2 (NAIA): 1964 (Div. I FCS): 2020 | ||
| Conference titles | 15 | ||
| Rivalries | Stephen F. Austin (rivalry) Texas State Bobcats | ||
| Colors | Orange and white | ||
| Fight song | Bearkat Fight Song | ||
| Mascot | Sammy Bearkat | ||
| Marching band | Bearkat Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Under Armour | ||
| Website | GoBearkats.com | ||
In July 2021, the Bearkats left the Southland Conference to join the Western Athletic Conference, which relaunched its football league at the FCS level at that time. Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join Conference USA at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level beginning in the 2023–24 season.