Bearkats Maintains No.2 Ranking
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Sam Houston State remains No. 2 in the Sports Network FCS Top 25 and moved from third to second in the NCAA FCS coaches’ poll Monday.
The Bearkats extended their home winning streak to 19 victories with a 14-3 homecoming victory over Lamar last Saturday.
The winning streak is the longest current mark in FCS football.
Sam Houston stands 5-1 for the season.
The only loss on the record was to FBS top 10 powerhouse Texas A&M.
The Kats were only nine points down to the Aggies in the third quarter of that matchup.
SHSU is 1-0 in Southland play.
North Dakota State, Sam Houston’s foe in the past two FCS national championship games, remains No. 1 in both the Sports Network and NCAA FCS Coaches Top 25.
The Bearkats have been ranked among the FCS top 25 for 31 consecutive weeks.
The team debuted in the national poll on Sept. 9, 2011.
After an 11-0 regular season in 2011, Sam Houston rose to No. 1 before entering the playoffs.
The Kats have finished No. 2 in each of the past two final rankings.
Sam Houston has rated among the FCS top 10 for 27 consecutive polls.
The Bearkats travel to Lake Charles, La., to take on McNeese State Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Cowboys stand No. 9 in the Sports Network poll.
Like, SHSU, McNeese is 5-1 for the year and 1-0 in Southland action.
Sam Houston will return to Elliott T. Bowers Stadium to play host to Northwestern State on Saturday Oct. 26.
“Johnny” Go Lucky
By Cheval John
So after months of all the hoopla on whether Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel “allegedly” received any payments for signing autographs during the BCS National Championship game, the NCAA decided to suspend Mr. Manziel for half a game when Texas A&M faces Rice on Saturday.
Really, half a game?
It’s asinine because it seems like Mr. Manziel got away with a violation that many others wouldn’t have been able to do.
This is really pale compared to a year suspension that Dez Bryant, now wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, got while he was a college player for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
No pun added.
Bryant’s violation? Lying to NCAA investigators, who questioned him about whether he had dinner with Deion Sanders.
That shouldn’t have constituted a year suspension.
What this says to me is that the NCAA will go after players ruthlessly who aren’t producing their bottom line: TV ratings and making money.
They also proved that getting student-athletes through the door to graduation is only secondary and their mission statement is only in words.
So congratulations, NCAA, you just gave the critics more amo to blast and criticize you even more.
With Manziel having the opportunity to play this season, everybody will forget about his “alleged” transgressions and maybe, lead the Aggies to win the National Championship.
They already won with this ruling.
Bearkats-Aggies Face Off Today At Kyle Field
by Cheval John
Everyone have been looking forward to the matchup between Sam Houston State Bearkats and Texas A&M Aggies since it was announced earlier this year.
Bearkats fans were in high gear since they finished at 14-1 as NCAA FCS finalist while Aggies fans were excited to be playing their first season in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Now the day is here when the Bearkats (8-2 overall, 6-1 Southland Conference) square off against the Aggies (8-2 overall, 5-2 SEC) today at Kyle Field in College Station at 2:30 p.m.
The game is sold out to capacity and is available on Fox Sports Southwest via Pay Per View in the state of Texas and on ESPN Game Plan nationwide.
Here are some players to keep an eye on in this game:
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
Johnny “Football” Manziel has played lights out for the Aggies this season.
The freshman quarterback has passed for 2,780 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 1,014 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He’s only the second freshman to ever pass for 2,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 yards in NCAA FBS history (Brad Smith of Missouri did this in 2002).
He was the arquitect behind A&M’s 29-24 “upset” of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, when he passed for 294 yards and 2 scores.
Many are looking for him to have a huge day against the Bearkats.
Ryan Swope, Texas A&M
Swope is the go-to guy for this A&M offense.
The senior receiver has 236 catches for 2,956 yards and 22 touchdowns in career for the Aggies.
He needs 136 yards to break A&M’s school record for reception yards.
He also has 13 career 100 yards receiving which is also a school record.
Look for him to have a big day.
Deamontre Moore, Texas A&M
Moore has been the anchor for the A&M defense.
The junior defensive lineman leads the team in tackles and is ranked No.2 in the nation in tackles for losses (2.00 per game) and averages 1.5 sacks per game.
Brian Bell, SHSU
Bell is not flashy as Manziel, but has been managed the Bearkat offense efficiently.
The junior is 27-6 as a starter and has passed for 45 touchdowns, the most in SHSU history.
He has a 5,333 career passing yards which is second in SHSU.
Timothy Flanders, SHSU
What more can you say about Flanders.
He has made his name known in the nation and at SHSU.
The junior All-American and Walter Payton Award candidate has twenty-two 100 yard games and is the all-time leading rusher for SHSU (3,679). That mark also ranks him at No.6 in the Southland Conference.
He scored 51 career rushing touchdowns which puts him at No.2 in the SLC.
The Bearkat defense
The Bearkat defense has been been solid throughout the season.
They are ranked No.3 in the nation in rushing defense (68.3 per game) and No.5 in total defense (283.2 per game).
During their seven-game winning streak, they have held opponents to an average 255.4 yard and allowed only 83 total points.
The prediction:
Many analyst in major media from CBS Sports to ESPN have already predicted an Aggie win because of the opponent that A&M faces today.
Me, I am not going to do that.
Instead, I am going to predict that this game will be closer than everyone thinks because SHSU is no chump team.
Many forget that the Bearkats had an 20-10 lead at halftime against Baylor earlier in the season and kept it close at 24-23 in the fourth quarter before they eventually lost 48-23.
Though A&M have an all-time record of 10-0-1 against the Bearkats, anything can happen.
This will be a game that both Bearkat fans and Aggie fans will never forget.
A&M Got What They “Deserved”
By Cheval John
Saturday’s matchup between defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas A&M Aggies featuring Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel will be one for the ages.
The Tide is looking for revenge after last year’s shocking 29-24 defeat to the Aggies at their home field, Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
What makes this game so “hyped” is the fact that A&M surprised everyone, including me when they went 11-2 in their first year in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the most difficult conference in the country.
Many believed that A&M was making a mistake of leaving the Big 12 Conference and thought or “hoped” that they were going to get creamed in the SEC.
Instead, the Aggies are shining in the national media limelight and are “laughing” now.
For the fans, this is what they dreamed of.
For the A&M media department staff, this is a nightmare
According to a report by Allen Reed of the Bryan-College Station Eagle, Aggies’sports information director Alan Cannon said that the Kyle Field press box, which seats 102, is filled to capacity.
ESPN, for example, arrived early on the A&M campus to begin their coverage of the showdown.
In addition to shooting the “College Game Day” show this Saturday, “College Football Live” is broadcasting their program on location.
A&M are basking in the spoils as well since moving to the SEC.
In the same report, A&M received $6.5 million of media exposure last year when the Florida Gators visited College Station in A&M’s SEC debut.
Senior athletics director Jason Cook told Reed that this game will exceed it exponentially.
As for the game itself, it will be a good old fashion slug fest between two great teams.
My prediction is that Alabama will not lose to A&M two years in a row because head coach Nick Saban is a master of preparation.
Saban will have his team ready because he has done his homework on “Johnny Football.”
Roll Tide, Roll.
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