Bearkats Climbs To No.3 In Both FCS And Coaches Polls
by Cheval John
After dismantling Southeastern Louisiana Lions 70-0, the Bearkat football team have moved up one spot to No.3 in both the Sports Network FCS polls and the Coaches Polls.
The Bearkats have been in the top 25 for 21 straight weeks and have been in the top 10 for 18 straight weeks.
SHSU have an overall record of 7-2 and are currently in second place with a 5-1 in the Southland Conference (SLC).
University of Central Arkansas leads the conference with a 6-1 record and have a bye this week.
They have already claim the title after beating the Demons last Saturday.
The Bearkats have a shot to claim a share of the SLC title this Saturday as they face Northwestern State Demons in Natchitoches.
The game will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network and it’s affiliates at 3 p.m.
No.9 Bearkats Beats Down Nicholls State 41-0
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
THIBIDOUX, La. – Two Bearkats added to their career achievements as they led Sam Houston to a 41-0 victory over Nicholls State Saturday night at Guidry Stadium.
The win improved the No. 9 ranked Sam Houston football team to 4-2 for the year and 2-1 in Southland Conference play.
Timothy Flanders now is the all-time leading scorer in Bearkat football history.
His three touchdowns up his career point total to 270, passing kicker Billy Hayes who totaled 258 points from 1985 to 1988.
Flanders rushed 15 times for 67 yards, leaving the game after three quarters.
SHSU’s all-time rushing leader, Flanders now ranks ninth in Southland Conference career rushing with 3,159 career yards.
Brian Bell became Sam Houston State’s second all-time leader in touchdown passes with a pair of scoring throws.
The junior signal-caller completed 15 of 19 passes for 180 yards.
The two TD passes give a career total of 38, moving ahead of Rhett Bomar (37 TD passes in 2007-08) and one behind Dustin Long (39 TD throws in 2004).
Richard Sincere and Trey Diller added big plays as well.
Sincere rushed six times for 74 yards including a long gain of 47 yards and caught a 25-yard pass.
Diller led both teams with seven catches for 72 yards and returned a punt 49 yards to set up a score.
Sam Houston outgained Nicholls 453 total yards to 258. The Kats allowed the Colonels only 20 yards rushing.
The shutout was the second in the past two seasons for SHSU.
The last one occurred last year in a 66-0 win over blanked Lamar.
After a Nicholls State missed field goal, Sam Houston drove 80-yards in 11 plays for a Flanders touchdown from the one-yard line eight seconds into the second quarter.
Bell passes for Shane Young for 24 yards to the Colonel 33 and Diller for 17 to the Colonel 14 were key plays in the drive.
Jesse Beauchamp’s fumble recovery after a tackle by Kenneth Jenkins set up the Kats’ second score.
Three Bell passes highlighted the seven-play, 48-yard drive. Bell hit Richard Sincere for a 25-yard gain to the Nicholls 21.
On third-and-13, the quarterback passed 14 yards to Diller.
Melvis Pride scored with 4:20 remaining in the second quarter on a five-yard pass.
Sam Houston started the second half with a seven-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 25-yard scoring run by Flanders, putting the Kats up 21-0 three minutes into the third quarter.
Flanders scored another one-yard touchdown with 4:54 to play in the third as the Bearkats drove 90-yards in nine plays.
Sincere’s 47-yard run to the Nicholls 11-yard line was the big play of the possession.
Diller’s 49-yard punt return to the Nicholls 40 set up another touchdown on SHSU’s third drive in the quarter.
The Kats took only four plays to score as Bell hit Chance Nelson for a 18-yard touchdown.
The tally gave SHSU a 34-0 lead with 10 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Ridgeway Frank picked up a touchdown on a five-yard run with 5:21 remaining to complete a eight-play, 51-yard drive in the fourth quarter.