Top-ranked Bearkats survive UIW, 49-42, to advance in FCS Playoffs
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Welcome back to the FCS Playoffs Sam Houston. After picking up the top overall seed and earning a first-round bye, the top-ranked Sam Houston Bearkats escaped a late UIW drive to earn a 49-42 lead over the Cardinals on Saturday at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
It was the visiting Cardinals finding the endzone first as Cameron Ward found Taylor Grimes in the endzone with 11:39 remaining in the first quarter to give UIW the 7-0 lead. Sam Houston answered back just under six minutes later as Noah Smith rushed the ball from three yards out for the score. A Seth Morgan field goal with 21 seconds left in the opening period gave the Bearkats the 10-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
UIW scored first once again in the second quarter as Marcus Cooper broke through the SHSU defense for a 40-yard touchdown run and a 14-10 Cardinals' lead after the PAT with 13:34 left to go in the half. The Bearkats' Ramon Jefferson answered back with a 48-yard rushing touchdown of his own and a 17-14 SHSU lead.
The 'Kats extended the lead with 8:25 left to play in the first half as Eric Schmid found Jequez Ezzard for a 22-yard score and then Schmidt rushed in a nine-yard score of his own with 1:51 left to put the 'Kats up, 31-14. UIW kept battling and Ward found Darion Chafin in the end zone for a score with 19 seconds left to put the score at 31-21 in favor of Bearkats.
The Cardinals once again struck first to open the second half as Ward found Robert Ferrel from 16 yards out to tighten the gap to just three points, 31-28, following the PAT. The 'Kats pushed ahead by three more on Morgan's second field goal of the afternoon but a 48-yard pass from Ward to Chafin gave UIW the lead once again.
Sam Houston pushed back ahead on a one-yard rush by Jefferson and a successful 2-point conversion by Smith that put the 'Kats up 42-25 but the Cardinals answered back just 23 seconds later as Trevor Begue took the pass from Ward before breaking off a 62-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 42-42.
SHSU took the lead once again with 2:07 remaining as Schmid rushed left into the endzone and the PAT gave the 'Kats the 49-42 lead. With one final drive remaining in regulation, the Cardinals got the ball down within 10 yards of the endzone and on a fourth-and-goal, Ward finished one yard short on a quarterback scramble to allow SHSU to escape with the win.
Schmid finished the day with 210 yards passing on 21-of-32 attempts with one touchdown passing and two rushing. Ezzard finished with 60 yards to lead the Kats receivers while Jefferson rushed the ball 22 times for 166 yards with two scores. Defensively, Trevor Williams led SHSU with nine tackles.
Ward had 481 yards and five touchdowns on 39-of-61 passing with 172 yards going to Chafin. Kevin Brown led the UIW rushers with 64 yards. Defensively, Kelechi Anyalebechi led the Cardinals with 11 tackles.
With the win, the Bearkats advance to the quarterfinal round of the 2021 FCS Playoffs and will play Montana State next week on a day and at a time to be announced.