# List of Sam Houston State Bearkats football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Sam Houston Bearkats football team. The Bearkats compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of Conference USA. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 12,593-seat Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
Sam Houston has two national championships in their history, the first coming in 1964 as a member of the NAIA. The most recent title was in the 2021 spring season when Sam Houston defeated South Dakota State 23–21 in the NCAA Division I FCS national championship game.
The head coach of the Bearkats is K. C. Keeler, who has led the team since 2014. Keeler guided the Bearkats to six postseason appearances and is the all-time winningest head coach in FCS playoff history. The Bearkats were members of FCS (formerly I-AA) from 1984 to 2022, before moving up to join the FBS in 2023.

## Seasons

Legend :
* † National champions
* $^†$ Conference champions
* ^ Bowl game berth / playoff result
List of Sam Houston Bearkats football seasons :
| Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Regular season results | Regular season results | Regular season results | Regular season results | Regular season results | Regular season results | Regular season results | Postseason results | Final ranking | Final ranking |
| Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Bowl game/Playoff result | AP/NCAA Poll | Coaches' Poll |
| Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | Finish | Bowl game/Playoff result | AP/NCAA Poll | Coaches' Poll |
| Sam Houston Normal ||||||||||||||
| 1912 | 1912 | S. R. Warner | Independent | 2 | 2 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1913 | 1913 | S. R. Warner | Independent | 3 | 1 | 1 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1914 | 1914 | Gene Berry | Independent | 3 | 2 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1915 | 1915 | Gene Berry | Independent | 5 | 1 | 1 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1916 | 1916 | Gene Berry | Independent | 5 | 2 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1917 | 1917 | Gene Berry | Independent | 1 | 3 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1918 | | Gene Berry | Independent | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I | No team due to World War I |
| 1919 | 1919 | Gene Berry | Independent | 0 | 7 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1920 | 1920 | Mutt Gee | Independent | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | | | — | — | — |
| Sam Houston Normal Bear Cats ||||||||||||||
| 1921 | 1921 | Mutt Gee | Independent | 3 | 1 | 2 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1922 | 1922 | Mutt Gee | Independent | 2 | 3 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| Sam Houston State Bearkats ||||||||||||||
| 1923 | 1923 | J. W. Jones | Independent | 4 | 4 | 0 | | | | | — | — | — |
| 1924 | 1924 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1925 | 1925 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1926 | 1926 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1927 | 1927 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1928 | 1928 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1929 | 1929 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1930 | 1930$^†$ | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st$^†$ | — | — | — |
| 1931 | 1931 | J. W. Jones | TIAA | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1932 | 1932 | J. W. Jones | Lone Star | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1933 | 1933 | J. W. Jones | Lone Star | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1934 | 1934 | J. W. Jones | Lone Star | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1935 | 1935 | J. W. Jones | Lone Star | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1936 | 1936 | Henry O. Crawford | Lone Star | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1937 | 1937 | Henry O. Crawford | Lone Star | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1938 | 1938 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1939 | 1939 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1940 | 1940 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1941 | 1941 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1942 | 1942 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1943 | | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II |
| 1944 | | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II |
| 1945 | | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II | No team due to World War II |
| 1946 | 1946 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1947 | 1947 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1948 | 1948 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1949 | 1949 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1950 | 1950 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1951 | 1951 | Puny Wilson | Lone Star | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1952 | 1952 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | Won 1952 Shrimp Bowl vs. Northeastern State (OK), 41–20 ^ | — | — |
| 1953 | 1953 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | Won 1953 Refrigerator Bowl vs. College of Idaho, 14–12 ^ | — | — |
| 1954 | 1954 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1955 | 1955$^†$ | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1st$^†$ | — | — | — |
| 1956 | 1956$^†$ | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st$^†$ | Won 1956 Refrigerator Bowl vs. Middle Tennessee State, 27–13 ^ | — | — |
| 1957 | 1957 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1958 | 1958 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | Lost 1958 Christmas Festival Bowl vs. Northwestern State, 11–18 ^ | — | — |
| 1959 | 1959 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1960 | 1960 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1961 | 1961$^†$ | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | | 1st$^†$ | — | — | — |
| 1962 | 1962 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1963 | 1963 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1964 | 1964† | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1st$^†$ | Tied 1964 Championship Bowl vs. Concordia, 7–7 ^ | 2 | 9 |
| 1965 | 1965 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1966 | 1966 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1967 | 1967 | Paul Pierce | Lone Star | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — |
| 1968 | 1968 | Tom Page | Lone Star | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1969 | 1969 | Tom Page | Lone Star | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1970 | 1970 | Tom Page | Lone Star | 8 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | T-20 | — |
| 1971 | 1971 | Tom Page | Lone Star | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1972 | 1972 | Allen Boren | Lone Star | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1973 | 1973 | Allen Boren | Lone Star | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — |
| 1974 | 1974 | Billy Tidwell | Lone Star | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1975 | 1975 | Billy Tidwell | Lone Star | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1976 | 1976 | Billy Tidwell | Lone Star | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1977 | 1977 | Billy Tidwell | Lone Star | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — |
| 1978 | 1978 | Melvin Brown | Lone Star | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1979 | 1979 | Melvin Brown | Lone Star | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 1980 | Melvin Brown | Lone Star | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1981 | 1981 | Melvin Brown | Lone Star | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — |
| 1982 | 1982 | Ron Randleman | Lone Star | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — |
| 1983 | 1983 | Ron Randleman | Lone Star | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — |
| 1984 | 1984 | Ron Randleman | Gulf Star | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 1985 | 1985$^†$ | Ron Randleman | Gulf Star | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1st$^†$ | — | — | — |
| 1986 | 1986$^†$ | Ron Randleman | Gulf Star | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — First Round ^ | 11 | — |
| 1987 | 1987 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | – | 19 | — |
| 1988 | 1988 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — |
| 1989 | 1989 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1990 | 1990 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1991 | 1991$^†$ | Ron Randleman | Southland | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — First Round ^ | 12 | — |
| 1992 | 1992 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1993 | 1993 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 1994 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 1995 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 1996 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 4 | 7 | | 3 | 3 | | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 1997 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 5 | 6 | | 3 | 4 | | 4th | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 1998 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 3 | 8 | | 1 | 6 | | 8th | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 1999 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 6 | 5 | | 4 | 3 | | 4th | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 2000 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 7 | 4 | | 4 | 3 | | 4th | — | — | — |
| 2001 | 2001$^†$ | Ron Randleman | Southland | 10 | 3 | | 5 | 1 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 7 | — |
| 2002 | 2002 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 4 | 7 | | 2 | 4 | | 5th | — | — | — |
| 2003 | 2003 | Ron Randleman | Southland | 2 | 9 | | 1 | 4 | | 4th | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 2004$^†$ | Ron Randleman | Southland | 11 | 3 | | 4 | 1 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 4 | — |
| 2005 | 2005 | Todd Whitten | Southland | 3 | 7 | | 2 | 4 | | 5th | — | — | — |
| 2006 | 2006 | Todd Whitten | Southland | 6 | 5 | | 4 | 2 | | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 2007 | Todd Whitten | Southland | 7 | 4 | | 5 | 2 | | 2nd | — | — | — |
| 2008 | 2008 | Todd Whitten | Southland | 4 | 6 | | 2 | 5 | | 6th | — | — | — |
| 2009 | 2009 | Todd Whitten | Southland | 5 | 6 | | 2 | 4 | | 5th | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 2010 | Willie Fritz | Southland | 6 | 5 | | 4 | 3 | | 3rd | — | — | — |
| 2011 | 2011$^†$ | Willie Fritz | Southland | 14 | 1 | | 7 | 0 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – National Championship Game ^ | 2 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2012$^†$ | Willie Fritz | Southland | 11 | 4 | | 6 | 1 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – National Championship Game ^ | 2 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2013 | Willie Fritz | Southland | 9 | 5 | | 4 | 3 | | 3rd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Second Round ^ | 14 | 13 |
| 2014 | 2014$^†$ | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 11 | 5 | | 7 | 1 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs – Semifinals ^ | 6 | 6 |
| 2015 | 2015 | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 11 | 4 | | 7 | 2 | | 2nd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 3 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2016$^†$ | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 12 | 1 | | 9 | 0 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 5 | 5 |
| 2017 | 2017 | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 12 | 2 | | 8 | 1 | | 2nd | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Semifinals ^ | 4 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2018 | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 6 | 5 | | 5 | 4 | | 4th | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 2019 | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 7 | 5 | | 6 | 3 | | 4th | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 2020† | K. C. Keeler | Southland | 10 | 0 | | 6 | 0 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Champions ^ | 1 | 1 |
| Sam Houston Bearkats ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2021$^†$ | K.C. Keeler | WAC | 11 | 1 | | 5 | 0 | | 1st$^†$ | NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs — Quarterfinals ^ | 5 | 4 |
| 2022 | 2022 | K.C. Keeler | WAC | 5 | 4 | | 0 | 0 | | | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 2023 | K.C. Keeler | C-USA | 3 | 9 | | 2 | 6 | | | — | — | — |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | All-time: 564–486–36 (.536) | All-time: 564–486–36 (.536) | All-time: 564–486–36 (.536) | Conference: 309–285–16 (.520) | Conference: 309–285–16 (.520) | Conference: 309–285–16 (.520) | | Postseason: 28–13–1 (.679) | | |