This program is bowl eligible for the first time in school history

The Sam Houston Bearkats (6-2) won its sixth game of the 2024 season after a 10-7 victory against the FIU Panthers on Tuesday night. As a result, the Bearkats are officially eligible to compete in bowl game for the first time in program history.

The Bearkats were members of FCS prior to moving up to the FBS in 2023. Moreover, the program had to wait two years due to the transition to be eligible for postseason play. In its first year in Conference USA, Sam Houston finished with a 3-9 record and 2-6 in conference play, but now a year later the Bearkats will find themselves playing in a premier postseason game in 2024

Sam Houston head coach K.C Wheeler, who has been with the Bearkats since 2014, is one of most successful collegiate coaches in NCAA history. Across his Division-III, Division 1-AA, and FCS coaching career, Wheeler has amassed 268 total wins which is only behind Mack Brown (285), Brian Kelly (310), and Kevin Donley (353) among active coaches, respectively. Furthermore, Wheeler has led the Bearkats to its first ever FCS title in 2020 and has an overall record of 94-38 at the helm.

The Bearkats became the fourth program that has transitioned up to the FBS and became bowl eligible within its first couple seasons. The other programs that have accomplished this feat are James Madison (2023), Jacksonville State (2023), and Liberty (2018), respectively.

Sam Houston and FIU had far from an offensive masterclass, as neither team had scored until the third quarter when Bearkats leading-rusher DJ Mckinney scored a touchdown one-yard out. Overall, both teams averaged a little over 3 yards per play and a combined 406 yards of total offense, respectively.

Nonetheless, Wheeler has taken the Sam Houston Bearkats to great heights since having taken over the program eleven seasons ago.

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