It was not the start Sam Houston coach K.C. Keeler envisioned leading up to last Saturday’s contest against No. 7 Nicholls.

The Bearkats fell behind early in the game after Nicholls scored a touchdown following an interception on the Kats first offensive possession. The Colonels next drive began inside Kats territory once again after a punt went off the side of Matt McRobert’s foot.

But the SHSU defense stood firm on the ensuing drive and forced Nicholls into a field goal attempt that sailed wide right. McRobert’s next punt sailed 59-yards to pin Nicholls deep inside its own territory. From there, it was all Kats.

Sam Houston tied the game with 3:01 left in the opening quarter and scored 64 of the remaining 74 points to earn an impressive 71-17 win over Nicholls.

The win places the Bearkats in the driver’s seat for a Southland Conference title in their final season in the conference and gives SHSU a considerable resume boost as they seek a return to the FCS playoffs.

Eric Schmid bounced back from his rough start to complete 21-of-32 passes for 366 yards and six touchdowns. He completed a pass to nine different receivers, one shy of setting a single-game program record.

The victory was the largest against a top-10 foe since 2011, and the Kats defense was a major force in the blowout.

SHSU held the vaunted Colonels rushing attack to 118 yards and harrassed the Nicholls quarterbacks all game, with the Colonels only completing 38 percent (16-of-42)of their pass attempts.

The Bearkats defense has made tremendous strides over the last two seasons. Keeler has told me on multiple occasions that he thought last year’s defense was the best he has ever coached.

I think it is time to move the 2019 defense into second place because this 2020 squad has been imposing.