The Hays Highway
SAN MARCOS – Sam Houston State ended its regular football season with a five-game winning streak, capping it with an impressive rally to beat Texas State last Thursday night.
The Bearkats scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including a five-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left to post a 29-28 win at Texas State, ending the season or both teams.
The NCAA Football Championship Series (FCS) pairings came out Monday with only one Southland Conference school, 11-0 league champion McNeese State, included. McNeese will play Eastern Washington (8-3) Friday in Lake Charles, LA, in the first round.
Texas State went to its final two games with a chance for a winning season, but that possibility evaporated quickly two weeks ago, when Nicholls State scored 28 points in the first quarter on its way to a 52-28 win over the Bobcats.
The Bobcats started much better in their finale on Nov. 16 against Sam Houston, going ahead 28-10 through three quarters at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos. But Sam Houston intercepted Texas State quarterback Bradley George twice in a row, each time setting up Chris Poullard with short touchdown runs to bring the Bearkats to within 28-22.
Sam Houston quarterback Brett Hicks completed the winning five-yard touchdown pass to Chris Lucas to tie the game, 28-28, with 13 seconds left, then Sam Houston made the extra-point kick to win the game.
The Bobcats finish the season 2-5 in the Southland and 4-7 overall. Sam Houston finished 5-2 and 7-4. Because Stephen F. Austin finished 0-7 and 0-11, the Texas schools in the league finished 7-14 within the conference and 11-22 overall.
Texas State wide receiver Cameron Luke finished the season tying the school record with 60 receptions and setting school records with 1,035 receiving yards and 12 touchdown catches. Texas State punter Chris MacDonald finished his senior season with school-record punting averages of 45.9 yards for a single season and 44.7 yards for his career.
