Sam Houston Bearkats 2026: the season story
Sam Houston is 1-8 and rated No. 141 of 266 in the Cheap Seats Index, from this season's games only: Power 137th, Résumé 192nd, schedule 104th toughest. Next: home against Kennesaw State.
Scouting report
Why it matters. A team can rank high by playing well, by beating good teams, or both; the two halves of the index show which. Sam Houston is No. 141 of 266 in the Team Index and 10th of 10 in Conference USA. Power, how well it plays, ranks 137th of 266; Résumé, what it has beaten, ranks 192nd of 266.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. A record says who won; a rating for every game shows how convincingly, and whether a team is steady or streaky. Sam Houston loses its games by 10.0 points on average, 127th of 138 in margin among FBS teams. It is 0-2 against teams in our top 25.
How they win
Why it matters. Knowing which side of the ball does the work tells you how a team is likely to win, and how it could lose. Its offense rates 133rd of 138 in FBS (10th in Conference USA) and its defense 105th of 138 (6th in the conference).
Drive by drive
Why it matters. Points per drive is the cleanest single measure of an offense or a defense, because it ignores how fast or slow a team plays. Sam Houston scores 1.49 points per drive (the FBS average is 2.45), 133rd of 138. Its defense allows 2.14, 70th of 138.
Under the hood
Why it matters. Play-by-play measures show whether a team is good on most snaps or living on a few big plays, which tends to matter for what comes next. Adjusted for its opponents, the offense adds -0.05 expected points per play (135th of 138) and stays on schedule on 39% of snaps (131st of 138). The defense allows +0.02 per play, 80th of 138.
When it matters
Why it matters. Third downs and red-zone trips are where drives are won or lost; small edges here turn into touchdowns instead of field goals. Sam Houston converts 34% of its third downs and scores touchdowns on 56% of red-zone trips (FBS average 63%), 106th of 138.
Special teams
Why it matters. A missed field goal or a long return can flip a close game; these numbers show which units help and which hurt. Its special teams as a whole rank 113th of 138, worth -1.19 points a game against an average unit. The best unit is kick returns, 18th of 138.
Tendencies
Why it matters. Tendencies are what opponents game-plan against: a team that is predictable on early downs makes the defense's job easier. Sam Houston throws on 58% of early downs; the FBS average is 45%.
How they play
Why it matters. Fast teams pile up yards and slow teams shorten games; the line decides how much of either actually works. It runs 61.1 plays a game (FBS average 65.5). Its quarterbacks are sacked on 6.7% of dropbacks, 98th of 138, and 22% of its runs are stopped at or behind the line, 131st of 138.
Who they have played
Why it matters. A great offense against weak defenses is not the same thing as a great offense; the splits show the difference. Sam Houston's schedule ranks 104th of 266 in strength, 3rd toughest of 10 in Conference USA.
Record versus reality
Why it matters. Records built on close wins and lucky bounces tend to drift back toward how well a team really plays. Sam Houston has 1 wins against 2.9 expected from its play and schedule, and is 0-3 in one-score games.
Rise and fall
Why it matters. Teams change over a season through injuries, new starters and growth; the trend shows which way this one is moving. Sam Houston was 86th in Power after week 2 and is 137th now; its best was 67th after week 3.
What is ahead
Why it matters. Playing out the rest of the season 10,000 times turns a schedule into odds: the most likely record, and how likely each goal is. Across 10,000 simulated seasons Sam Houston averages 2.1 wins and almost never wins Conference USA. It almost never reaches the playoff.
Top players and teams like them
Why it matters. Comparing a team with its closest statistical matches puts its season in context beyond the standings. The highest-ranked player on the roster is Ishmel Atkins, 120th of 1841 defensive backs. The closest match in style and strength is Bowling Green.
