The 2025 Sam Houston Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in Conference USA (CUSA) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bearkats were led by first-year head coach Phil Longo. Due to renovations at Bowers Stadium during the 2025 season, the team played its home games at Shell Energy Stadium located in Houston, Texas.
Schedule
Game summaries at Western Kentucky
Statistics SHSU WKU First downs 14 26 Plays–yards 61–382 86–506 Rushes–yards 31–173 35–105 Passing yards 209 401 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19-30-1 33-51-0 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:04 32:56 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 19/30, 209 yards, INT Rushing Hunter Watson 14 carries, 91 yards, TD Receiving Elijah Green 7 receptions, 61 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 33/51, 401 yards, 3 TD Rushing Marvis Parrish 12 carries, 52 yards Receiving Matthew Henry 7 receptions, 148 yards, TD
vs. UNLV
Statistics UNLV SHSU First downs 21 20 Plays–yards 56–404 70–332 Rushes–yards 33–155 35–145 Passing yards 249 187 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–23–1 19–35–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:42 30:18 Team Category Player StatisticsUNLV Passing Anthony Colandrea 19/23, 249 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jai'Den Thomas 9 carries, 65 yards, TD Receiving Jaden Bradley 6 receptions, 125 yards, TDSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 11/22, 101 yards Rushing Landan Brown 10 carries, 85 yards, TD Receiving Tim Burns Jr. 1 reception, 59 yards, TD
at Hawaii
Statistics SHSU HAW First downs 19 24 Plays–yards 59–248 77–417 Rushes–yards 31–89 34–123 Passing yards 159 294 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–28–1 27–43–1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:07 32:53 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Mabrey Mattauer 12–18, 91 yards, INT Rushing Mabrey Mettauer 17 carries, 45 yards Receiving Elijah Green 3 receptions, 45 yards, TDHawaii Passing Luke Weaver 27–43, 294 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Landon Sims 14 carries, 60 yards Receiving Pofele Ashlock 7 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TD
at No. 8 Texas
Statistics SHSUTEX First downs 7 26 Plays–yards 51–113 69–607 Rushes–yards 26–27 41–264 Passing yards 86 343 Passing: comp–att–int 13–25–1 23–28–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 26:09 33:51 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Hunter Wilson 13–25, 86 yards, INT Rushing Hunter Watson 15 carries, 32 yards Receiving Landan Brown 6 receptions, 37 yardsTexas Passing Arch Manning 18–21, 309 yards, 3 TD Rushing Christian Clark 13 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Ryan Wingo 4 receptions, 93 yards, 2 TD
at New Mexico State
Statistics SHSU NMSU First downs 18 20 Plays–yards 65–313 57–350 Rushes–yards 26–69 31–95 Passing yards 244 255 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–39–1 19–26–0 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 30:15 29:45 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 22/34, 222 yards, TD, INT Rushing Alton McCaskill 12 carries, 38 yards Receiving Landan Brown 7 receptions, 53 yardsNew Mexico State Passing Logan Fife 19/26, 255 yards, TD Rushing Kadarius Calloway 15 carries, 66 yards, TD Receiving TK King 6 receptions, 132 yards
vs. Jacksonville State
Statistics JVST SHSU First downs 26 15 Plays–yards 80–499 52–286 Rushes–yards 63–370 33–150 Passing yards 129 136 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–17–0 12–19–0 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 35:13 24:47 Team Category Player StatisticsJacksonville State Passing Caden Creel 13/17, 129 yards Rushing Cam Cook 31 carries, 218 yards, 2 TD Receiving Pearson Baldwin 5 receptions, 72 yardsSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 12/19, 136 yards, 3 TD Rushing Alton McCaskill 14 carries, 87 yards Receiving Chris Reed 3 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TD
vs. UTEP
Statistics UTEP SHSU First downs 19 20 Plays–yards 60–411 76–398 Rushes–yards 34–175 40–159 Passing yards 236 239 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–26–1 22–36–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 24:35 35:25 Team Category Player StatisticsUTEP Passing Skyler Locklear 21/26, 236 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Ashten Emory 15 carries, 96 yards, TD Receiving Wondame Davis Jr. 3 receptions, 79 yardsSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 13/19, 161 yards, TD Rushing Landan Brown 13 carries, 110 yards Receiving Chris Reed 3 receptions, 51 yards
at Louisiana Tech
Statistics SHSU LT First downs 20 29 Plays–yards 73–503 60–647 Rushes–yards 33–296 39–426 Passing yards 207 221 Passing: comp–att–int 17–40–1 17–21–1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 31:08 28:52 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Hunter Watson 14/33, 193 yards, INT Rushing Elijah Green 10 carries, 191 yards, 2 TD Receiving Chris Reed 6 receptions, 79 yardsLouisiana Tech Passing Blake Baker 17/21, 221 yards, TD, INT Rushing Clay Thevenin 11 carries, 143 yards, 3 TD Receiving Devin Gandy 2 receptions, 78 yards, TD
at Oregon State
Statistics SHSUORST First downs 8 28 Plays–yards 48–157 82–474 Rushes–yards 24–72 40–188 Passing yards 85 286 Passing: comp–att–int 9–24–1 29–42–2 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 21:47 38:13 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Mabrey Mattauer 4/10, 43 yards, TD Rushing Mabrey Mattauer 3 carries, 29 yards Receiving Chris Reed 3 receptions, 47 yards, TDOregon State Passing Gabarri Johnson 29/42, 286 yards, 2 INT Rushing Anthony Hankerson 33 carries, 166 yards, 2 TD Receiving David Wells Jr. 9 receptions, 112 yards
vs. Delaware
Statistics DEL SHSU First downs 25 20 Plays–yards 75–433 68–352 Rushes–yards 39–95 29–139 Passing yards 338 213 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–36–1 16–39–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 32:06 27:54 Team Category Player StatisticsDelaware Passing Nick Minicucci 24/36, 338 yards, TD, INT Rushing Viron Ellison Jr. 19 carries, 97 yards, TD Receiving Sean Wilson 9 receptions, 162 yardsSam Houston Passing Landyn Locke 16/38, 213 yards Rushing Landan Brown 10 carries, 109 yards, 2 TD Receiving Chris Reed 2 receptions, 66 yards
at Middle Tennessee
Statistics SHSU MTSU First downs 20 24 Plays–yards 65–360 66–460 Rushes–yards 24–79 32–192 Passing yards 281 268 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–41–1 21–34–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:35 29:25 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston Passing Landyn Locke 25/40, 281 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Alton McCaskill 11 carries, 42 yards Receiving Grady O'Neill 8 receptions, 89 yardsMiddle Tennessee Passing Roman Gagliano 21/34, 268 yards, TD Rushing Jekail Middlebrook 15 carries, 106 yards Receiving Myles Butler 6 receptions, 65 yards
vs. FIU
Statistics FIU SHSU First downs 24 19 Plays–yards 64–594 71–359 Rushes–yards 40–303 38–196 Passing yards 291 163 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–24–1 16–33–2 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 30:41 29:19 Team Category Player StatisticsFIU Passing Keyone Jenkins 15/24, 291 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Kejon Owens 15 carries, 124 yards Receiving Alex Perry 7 receptions, 140 yards, 2 TDSam Houston Passing Landyn Locke 14/30, 121 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Elijah Green 11 carries, 98 yards Receiving Grady O'Neill 8 receptions, 70 yards, TD
Personnel Roster
Transfers Outgoing Jax BrownQBArkansas StateChris Murray DLAuburnCaleb WeaverSDukeKendrick DuJourDEEast CarolinaKaden TaylorWREast Texas A&MBen GehrkeOLLouisiana-MonroeSylas GomezQBMillikinMitch MeltonLBNavarro CCMatthew WestmorelandDLNavarro CCDJ McKinneyRBNew MexicoRichard Outland Jr.DLNorth TexasQuincy WrightDLNorth TexasDavid FisherDBNorth TexasTrey FieldsLBNorth TexasDa'Veawn ArmsteadDBNorth TexasBriceon HayesDENorth TexasS'Maje BurrellLBNorth TexasSimeon EvansWRNorth TexasJyzaiah RockwellWRPrairie View A&MJalen O'NealDBPrairie View A&MMatthew AribisalaDLRiceJay DuckerRBTempleDenver WarrenDLUABJase BauerQBUT MartinJohn GentryRBUT MartinOrion IrvingOLVanderbiltIsaiah CashSVirginia TechGodgive UgochukwuDLWashburnZach HrbacekRBWeber StateMarcus FieldWRWest Texas A&MEaston FultonOLWest Texas A&MSincere JacksonLBUnknownChantson ProxDBUnknownJadon CardellK/PUnknownMarKendrick BeallOLUnknownRushil PatelWRUnknownColby SessumsK/PUnknownJoe SwenDBWithdrawnMichael Phoenix IIWRWithdrawnFernando Garza IIITEWithdrawnEli WallaceDEWithdrawn
Incoming Antavious FishLBAkronKaleb BlackWRArizona StateAlton McCaskillRBArizona StateCJ BrownDBBowling GreenChauncey ChidiDECentral MissouriTokyo GordonLBCollege of the SequoiasTrey HarrisSCornellAh'marion Gaines-SmithRBFresno City CCShe'Fon BoydDTFullerton CollegeCam ToddOLGarden City CCCade AdamsDLGeorgia TechJaMair DiazLBGlenville StateChris Eaton Jr.DEHamptonJalyn StanfordDBHoustonElijah GreenRBIndianaPayton McDonaldOLIowa Western CCChris ReedWRItawamba CCZo'Maryon BryanOLKilgore CCJaydyn JohnsonDBLindenwoodAviyon Smith-MackWRLIUQuinton WilliamsOLLouisianaKevin KalonjiOLMarylandRayfield LottenTEMississippi StateJake FitzgeraldLSMerrimack CollegeXander CheekRBMary Hardin–BaylorMaurice MathisDBMonterey Peninsula CCDarien JacksonDLMt. San Antonio CCTim Burns Jr.WRNavarro CCNico OttomanelliKNebraskaCole WorthingtonLBNelsonIsaac SohnOLNorth TexasShane PorterRBNorth TexasDavion GreenDBPalomar CCRJ LopezKPurdueBryen SpauldingDESan Diego Mesa CCOctavius HendersonDBSEMOJerrian ParkerRBSouthern IllinoisAJ SargentDLTarleton StateKeelan CoxDLTexas SouthernAJ EdwardsDBTexas StateQuinton WilliamsOLTrinity Valley CCCecil PowellDBTroyJacob RobinsonLBTyler JCZeiqui LawtonDEWest VirginiaJace ArnoldDBWisconsinMabrey MettauerQBWisconsinGrady O'NeillWRWisconsin
Coaching staff additions NameNew positionPrevious teamPrevious positionPhil LongoHead coachWisconsinOffensive coordinator, quarterbacks coachEric RaisbeckAssociate Head coach, special teams coordinator / slot receiversWisconsinAssistant special teams coordinatorFreddie Aughtry-LindsayDefensive coordinatorNC StateNickelsZack PattersonOffensive coordinatorWisconsinFootball analyst, assistant WRsDamien AdamsDefensive tacklesCampbellDefensive lineDovonte EdwardsSafetiesElonDefensive coordinator, defensive backsAJ HoppOffensive lineSoutheastern LouisianaOffensive line coachIssac MooringEdgesHouston ChristianDefensive lineKeyan WilliamsWide receiversMissouriAssistant wide receivers, offensive assistant
References