List of Sam Houston State Bearkats football seasons
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This is a list of seasons completed by the Sam Houston Bearkats football team. The Bearkats compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of 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.
Sam Houston has two national championships in their history, the first coming in 1964 as a member of the NAIA. The most recent title was in the 2021 spring season when Sam Houston defeated South Dakota State 23–21 in the NCAA Division I FCS national championship game.
The head coach of the Bearkats is Phil Longo, who has led the team since 2025. The Bearkats were members of FCS (formerly I-AA) from 1984 to 2022, before moving up to join the FBS in 2023.
Seasons
| Legend | |
|---|---|
|
† National champions | |
| Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Regular season results | Postseason results | Final ranking | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Conference | Bowl game/Playoff result | AP/NCAA Poll | Coaches' Poll | ||||||||||
| Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | Finish | ||||||||
| Sam Houston Normal | ||||||||||||||
| 1912 | 1912 | S. R. Warner | Independent | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||
| 1913 | 1913 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |||||||
| 1914 | 1914 | Gene Berry | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | ||||||
| 1915 | 1915 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |||||||
| 1916 | 1916 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
| 1917 | 1917 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
| 1918 | No team due to World War I | |||||||||||||
| 1919 | 1919 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
| 1920 | 1920 | Mutt Gee | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | ||||||
| Sam Houston Normal Bear Cats | ||||||||||||||
| 1921 | 1921 | Mutt Gee | Independent | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||
| 1922 | 1922 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||
| Sam Houston State Bearkats | ||||||||||||||
| 1923 | 1923 | J. W. Jones | Independent | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||
| 1924 | 1924 | TIAA | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
| 1925 | 1925 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1926 | 1926 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
| 1927 | 1927 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1928 | 1928 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1929 | 1929 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1930 | 1930† | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
| 1931 | 1931 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1932 | 1932 | Lone Star | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||
| 1933 | 1933 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1934 | 1934 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1935 | 1935 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1936 | 1936 | Henry O. Crawford | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | ||
| 1937 | 1937 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1938 | 1938 | Puny Wilson | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | ||
| 1939 | 1939 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
| 1940 | 1940 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
| 1941 | 1941 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1942 | 1942 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
| 1943 | No team due to World War II | |||||||||||||
| 1944 | ||||||||||||||
| 1945 | ||||||||||||||
| 1946 | 1946 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
| 1947 | 1947 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1948 | 1948 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1949 | 1949 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1950 | 1950 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1951 | 1951 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1952 | 1952 | Paul Pierce | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | Won 1952 Shrimp Bowl vs. Northeastern State (OK), 41–20 ^ | — | — | ||
| 1953 | 1953 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | Won 1953 Refrigerator Bowl vs. College of Idaho, 14–12 ^ | — | — | |||
| 1954 | 1954 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1955 | 1955† | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
| 1956[a] | 1956† | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Won 1956 Refrigerator Bowl vs. Middle Tennessee State, 27–13 ^ | — | — | |||
| 1957 | 1957 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1958 | 1958 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | Lost 1958 Christmas Festival Bowl vs. Northwestern State, 11–18 ^ | — | — | |||
| 1959 | 1959 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1960 | 1960 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1961 | 1961† | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | ||||
| 1962 | 1962 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1963 | 1963 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1964 | 1964† | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | Tied 1964 Championship Bowl vs. Concordia, 7–7 ^ | 2 | 9 | |||
| 1965 | 1965 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1966 | 1966 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1967 | 1967 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
| 1968 | 1968 | Tom Page | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
| 1969 | 1969 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
| 1970 | 1970 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | T-20[b] | — | |||
| 1971 | 1971 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1972 | 1972 | Allen Boren | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | 1973 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
| 1974 | 1974 | Billy Tidwell | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | 1975 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1976 | 1976 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1977 | 1977 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
| 1978 | 1978 | Melvin Brown | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||
| 1979 | 1979 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
| 1980 | 1980 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1981 | 1981 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
| 1982[c] | 1982 | Ron Randleman | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | ||
| 1983 | 1983 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
| 1984[d] | 1984 | Gulf Star | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | 1985† | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
| 1986 | 1986† | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — First Round ^ | 11 | — | |||
| 1987 | 1987 | Southland | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | – | 19 | — | ||
| 1988 | 1988 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
| 1989 | 1989 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1990 | 1990 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1991 | 1991† | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — First Round ^ | 12 | — | |||
| 1992 | 1992 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1993 | 1993 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1994 | 1994 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
| 1995 | 1995 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
| 1996[e] | 1996 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||||
| 1997 | 1997 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
| 1998 | 1998 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
| 1999 | 1999 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2000 | 2000 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2001 | 2001† | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 7 | — | |||||
| 2002 | 2002 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 5th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2003 | 2003 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2004 | 2004† | 11 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 4 | — | |||||
| 2005 | 2005 | Todd Whitten | 3 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 5th | — | — | — | ||||
| 2006 | 2006 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||||
| 2007 | 2007 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||||
| 2008 | 2008 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2009 | 2009 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2010 | 2010 | Willie Fritz | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||||
| 2011 | 2011† | 14 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – National Championship Game ^ | 2 | 2 | |||||
| 2012 | 2012† | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – National Championship Game ^ | 2 | 2 | |||||
| 2013 | 2013 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3rd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Second Round ^ | 14 | 13 | |||||
| 2014 | 2014† | K. C. Keeler | 11 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – Semifinals ^ | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 2015 | 2015 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 2nd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 2016 | 2016† | 12 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 5 | 5 | |||||
| 2017 | 2017 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 2nd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 4 | 3 | |||||
| 2018 | 2018 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2019 | 2019 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
| 2020[f] | 2020† | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Champions † | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Sam Houston Bearkats | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2021† | K.C. Keeler | WAC | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1st† | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 5 | 4 | |||
| 2022[g] | 2022 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||||
| 2023[h] | 2023 | C-USA | 3 | 9 | 2 | 6 | T–6th | — | — | — | ||||
| 2024 | 2024 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 2 | T–2nd | Won New Orleans Bowl vs. Georgia Southern, 31–26 ^ | — | — | |||||
| 2025 | 2025 | Phil Longo | 2 | 10 | 1 | 7 | T–11th | — | — | — | ||||
| Totals | All-time: 576–499–36 (.535) |
Conference: 316–295–16 (.517) |
Postseason: 29–13–1 (.686) |
|||||||||||
Notes
- Ranking from the 1970 small college poll.
- The Bearkats moved up to NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) status in 1984.
- Overtime rules were added for NCAA football in 1996, thereby eliminating ties.
- The Fall 2020 Southland football season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with league play resuming in a shortened Spring 2021 season.
- Sam Houston was ineligible for the WAC championship and FCS postseason due to their FBS transition. They played a WAC schedule but their games did not count in the conference standings.
- Sam Houston moved up to the Division I FBS ranks in 2023 as a member of Conference USA.