The Liberty Flames will return to Liberty Mountain to defend against the Sam Houston Bearkats under the Thursday night lights. The Flames and Bearkats will showdown in Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, VA on Oct. 5th at 7PM. The game will be broadcast on CBSSN and LFSN Radio (The Journey 88.3 FM).
The Bearkats are 0-4 on the season, contrasting the Flames 4-0 record. Sam Houston started the season with a 14-0 loss at BYU and lost in overtime to Jacksonville last Thursday.
This is the Bearkats’ premier season of FBS football. Sam Houston had a 21-game winning streak through the 2020 and 2021 seasons, before going 5-4 in 2022. The Bearkats have lost every game since their FBS transition into Conference USA.
Head coach K.C. Keeler has been with the Bearkats since the 2014 season. Keeler has been coaching since 1981 but has only worked with four total teams.
Keeler was in his first year as a coaching assistant at Amherst in 1981 when he signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1982. He has been a head coach since 1993 when he took over the Division III program, Rowan. After nine successful seasons there, Keeler became the head coach at Delaware. He was 86-52 leading the Blue Hens, and made three FCS national championship appearances, including one national championship.
Overall, Keeler is 85-31 with the Bearkats and has led them to three first-place seasons in the FCS. At Sam Houston, Keeler has advance to at least the FCS Quarterfinals on six occasions, including one national championship.
The Bearkats have averaged 219 yards on offense through four games this season. In contrast, the Flames have averaged 501 yards of offense per game. The Bearkats defense has also only claimed one interception this season, fourteen less than the Flames defense.
Sam Houston is currently tied for fifth in Conference USA, being one of five teams with no conference wins.
Three Players to Watch For
WR #6 – Noah Smith has hauled in 17 receptions for 156 yards and one touchdown this season. Smith has also claimed 8 carries as a running back and thrown two completed throws for the Bearkats.
LB #1 – Trevor Williams is a senior with the Bearkats. Williams has recorded 48 total tackles, 34 of those solo, and one forced fumble already this season. In the 2021 season, Williams had one interception and ran for 75 yards.
LB #14 – Kavian Gaither has claimed 25 total tackles, one forced fumble, one sack, and one pass defense already this season.
Upcoming Games
Oct. 5 – Sam Houston vs Liberty
Oct. 11 – Sam Houston @ New Mexico State
Oct. 18 – Sam Houston vs FIU
