Bearkats · Conference USA
Head coach Phil Longo Year 2 with Sam Houston
Year-2 HCs (2015-2024) averaged +0.09 W vs. preseason expectation
No remaining game changes Sam Houston's playoff odds. Make playoff 0%
Full 2026 slate. Tap a row for the matchup breakdown.
| Week | Opponent | Result or win prob.Result or win probability |
|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 Sep 5 | at Troy Sun Belt | Loss, 21-24 Final |
| Wk 2 Sep 12 | vs Tulsa American Athletic | Loss, 17-23 Final |
| Wk 3 Sep 19 | vs Nicholls Non-FBS | Win, 59-0 Final |
| Wk 4 Sep 26 | at Texas Tech Big 12 | Loss, 14-49 Final |
| Wk 5 | Bye | |
| Wk 6 Oct 8 | at Liberty Conference USA | Loss, 3-35 Final |
| Wk 7 Oct 15 | vs Western Kentucky Conference USA | Loss, 3-16 Final |
| Wk 8 Oct 22 | vs New Mexico State Conference USA | Loss, 24-30 Final |
| Wk 9 Oct 28 | at Missouri State Conference USA | Loss, 3-24 Final |
| Wk 10 Nov 8 | at Jacksonville State Conference USA | |
| Wk 11 Nov 14 | vs Kennesaw State Conference USA | |
| Wk 12 Nov 21 | vs Middle Tennessee Conference USA | |
| Wk 13 Nov 28 | at Florida International Conference USA | |
More coming. Per-team pages get the full treatment in Phase 3: current rating, season projection histogram, schedule with win probabilities, and live overlays on Pylon stream days. For now, this page exists so stories and news have a permanent home as content rolls in.
GIE projects a 7.3 rating drop and a 29.1pp shift in playoff probability if Sam Houston loses its QB1 for an extended stretch. (n=5 historical samples; pooled across recent seasons.)
43 score
Share of last season's production each unit returns. Higher means more continuity: 70%+ is healthy, 45–70% a normal rebuild, under 45% a major turnover.
−1.2 rating
30 proven transfers in, carrying the production below from their prior school.
| Player | From | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Kamari MaxwellWR From Austin Peay | Austin Peay | 33 |
| Ishmel AtkinsCB From Elon | Elon | 30 |
| Alijah CasonWR From Holy Cross | Holy Cross | 23 |
| Max WhisnerTE From Akron | Akron | 14 |
| Caesar MageeCB From Northwestern State | Northwestern State | 14 |
| Joey HunterCB From Memphis | Memphis | 7 |
Impact scores offensive skill additions (QB/RB/WR/TE) — prior-season production normalized within position (100 ≈ a 90th-percentile producer at that spot) and discounted for non-FBS competition, so a top back counts alongside a top quarterback. Defensive and O-line additions count as transfers but aren't box-score measurable, so they carry no impact score. The rating figure is this class's portal contribution vs. the FBS average, capped at ±2.5.
Percentile is across all FBS teams with play-by-play data for the season. "Late & close" is yards per play in Q4+ with a one-score margin — a proxy for clutch offensive performance.
