Leighton Chamblee

football
12/17/2024 10:00:00 am

Game 13 • R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans, La. • Caesar’s Superdome (73,208)
Sam Houston (9-3, 6-2 CUSA) vs. Georgia Southern (8-4, 6-2 SBC)
Thursday, December 19th • 6:00 p.m. CT

TV: ESPN2 (Jorge Sedano, Orlando Franklin, Morgan Uber)
RADIO: BSN (Carlos Zimmerman, Brian Adams); Sirius XM 388
RADIO: ESPN (Dave Neal, Aaron Murray)
HOW TO FOLLOW: Live Stats • @BearkatsFB on X
MATCH NOTES: Sam Houston • Georgia Southern
Series against the Eagles: First meeting

NEW ORLEANS – The Sam Houston Bearkats will make their first bowl appearance as a member of the FBS when they face Georgia Southern of the Sun Belt Conference on Thursday night in the 24th R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Kickoff for Thursday’s contest is set for 6:00 p.m. CT at Caesars Superdome. The show will air on ESPN2, with Jorge Sedano and Orlando Franklin in the booth and Morgan Uber on the sidelines.

The game can be heard online on the Bearkat Sports Network and the Bearkat Athletics app with Carlos Zimmermann and Brian Adams in the radio booth. The BSN broadcast can also be heard in the car on Sirius XM Channel 388.

Additionally, ESPN Radio will broadcast the game, with Dave Neal and Aaron Murray covering the action.

KATS MAKES FBS BOWL DEBUT IN R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL
– The Kats became the first CUSA team in 2024 to earn bowl eligibility with their win at FIU. Sam Houston is the fourth consecutive program in the NCAA to advance to bowl eligibility within its first two seasons in the FBS (Jax State 2023, James Madison 2023, Liberty 2018).

– The Bearkats have won 12 of their last 16 games after starting their FBS entry in 2023 with an 0-8 start

– Sam Houston is trying to reach 10 wins just one season after an 0-8 start. The last time an FBS team started a year with at least eight straight losses and then posted double-digit wins a year later was when Georgia Southern did just that, starting the 2017 season 0-9 before falling a year later took a 10-3 lead and won the Camelia Cup

– Sam Houston will play in the New Orleans Bowl under the direction of the incumbent head coach and offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen following the departure of former head coach KC Keeler at the end of the season to accept the head coaching position at Temple

– The Kats have five players on the roster who have previously played in bowl games: Jaylon Jimmerson (Freedom), Jay Ducker (NIU/Memphis), Austin Smith (Memphis), CJ Johnson (Memphis) and Quincy Wright (Oregon State)

– Although it is Sam Houston’s first bowl appearance as a member of the FBS, it is not the program’s first postseason bowl appearance. The Kats played in four postseason bowls during the program’s early years as a member of the Lone Star Conference (NAIA), participating in the Shrimp Bowl (1952), the Refrigerator Bowl (1953 and 1956), and the Christmas Bowl (1958). . Each of those appearances came under head coach Paul Pierce, who also led the Kats to an NAIA national championship in 1964

– Over the last 25 years (since 2000), there have been 22 programs that made the transition from the FCS/1-AA to FBS level, with the Kats being one of six programs in that span to have a season with a grade above 9 The first two years of promotion saw victories. The others include FAU (2004), Georgia Southern (2014, 2015), Appalachian State (2015), James Madison (2023), Jax State (2023, 2024).

– There are 10 players left from this team who were in the squad. They are: Ife Adeyi, Noah Smith, Trey Fields, Ethan Hagler, Ysidro Mascorro, Jevon Leon, Jaylen Phillips, Seth Kohlscheen, Richard Outland Jr. And Briceon Hayes

– Smith, Adeyi and Leon have all been with the team since 2019 and are entering their final collegiate game after being a part of 45 Bearkat victories in 6 years. This run also includes a streak of 22 consecutive wins, including 21 wins in the 2021 calendar year

HISTORY OF THE SERIES
– The Bearkats and Eagles have a combined seven national titles at the FCS/1-AA level; However, the programs have never prevailed on the gridiron before

– Georgia Southern will be the second Sun Belt Conference opponent the Kats face this year, having previously defeated Texas State on Sept. 28 at NRG Stadium. The Bobcats are not a frequent opponent for the teams as GS did not play against Texas State in the SBC in 2024

SAM HOUSTON > GEORGIA SOUTHERN CONNECTIONS
– The Bearkats and Eagles share a former head coach, as current Houston head coach Willie Fritz coached in both Huntsville and Statesboro. Fritz’s first Division I head job was at SHSU, where he compiled a 40-15 record from 2010-13 and led the Bearkats to consecutive FCS National Championship games in 2011 and 2012. Fritz left Huntsville after the 2013 season to take the helm at Georgia Southern. He compiled a 17-7 record in the 2014 and 2015 seasons before transferring to Tulane