# Sam Houston–Texas State football rivalry

The Sam Houston–Texas State football rivalry is a college football rivalry between the Sam Houston Bearkats and the Texas State Bobcats. The rivalry dates back to 1915. From 1915 to 2011, the series was played on an annual basis.

## Series history

Historically, Texas State and Sam Houston are old rivals, playing every year from 1915 to 2011. The rivalry dates back to 1915. Both were charter members of the Lone Star Conference in 1931 before both moving to the Gulf Star Conference (1984–86) and then the Southland Conference (1987–2011). It ended in 2012, when Texas State joined the Western Athletic Conference in the FBS. The rivalry was renewed in 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Both schools are founding members of the Texas State University System and have seen their respective university profiles grow nationally during the 21st century. Both have roots as normal schools and have historically competed for students.
The rivalry became notably heated during their time as members of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The game was traditionally the final of the season for each school during their time in the SLC, often holding conference title and playoff implications. The 2011 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team won the final meeting as conference rivals, beating the Bobcats 36-14 in San Marcos, TX in front of a sold-out crowd, clinching the Southland title in the process.
The teams met each again for the first time as NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in 2024, Texas State as a member of the Sun Belt Conference and Sam Houston State in Conference USA. Sam Houston won the game 40–39 on a game-winning field goal with 6 seconds left after having trailed by 22 points at the end of the first quarter. ESPN would later rate the game at no. 72 on its list of the "100 best college football games of the 2024 season".
Texas State holds the all time series lead 50–38–5.

## Game results

| Texas State victories | Sam Houston victories |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | November 15, 1915 | San Marcos | Tie | 0–0 |
| 2 | November 18, 1916 | Huntsville | Sam Houston Normal | 61–0 |
| 3 | November 17, 1917 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Normal | 12–0 |
| 4 | October 24, 1918 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Normal | 39–0 |
| 5 | November 8, 1919 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State Normal | 7–0 |
| 6 | October 22, 1920 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Normal | 32–0 |
| 7 | October 22, 1921 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State Normal | 14–13 |
| 8 | October 21, 1922 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Normal | 22–0 |
| 9 | October 20, 1923 | Huntsville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 6–0 |
| 10 | October 25, 1924 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 13–0 |
| 11 | November 14, 1925 | Huntsville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 12–9 |
| 12 | November 11, 1926 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 9–0 |
| 13 | November 11, 1927 | Huntsville | Tie | 6–6 |
| 14 | November 9, 1929 | Huntsville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 19–0 |
| 15 | October 30, 1931 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 6–0 |
| 16 | November 11, 1932 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 6–0 |
| 17 | November 10, 1933 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 3–0 |
| 18 | November 9, 1934 | Huntsville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 6–0 |
| 19 | November 8, 1935 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 19–0 |
| 20 | November 6, 1936 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 14–0 |
| 21 | November 20, 1937 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 14–6 |
| 22 | November 19, 1938 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 13–7 |
| 23 | November 17, 1939 | Huntsville | Tie | 0–0 |
| 24 | November 16, 1940 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 19–13 |
| 25 | November 15, 1941 | Hunstville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 29–7 |
| 26 | November 14, 1942 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 23–20 |
| 27 | November 16, 1946 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 21–13 |
| 28 | November 15, 1947 | Hunstville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 7–6 |
| 29 | November 13, 1948 | Hunstville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 14–0 |
| 30 | November 12, 1949 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 19–14 |
| 31 | November 11, 1950 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 20–13 |
| 32 | November 10, 1951 | San Marcos | Tie | 20–20 |
| 33 | November 8, 1952 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 35–27 |
| 34 | November 7, 1953 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 21–13 |
| 35 | November 13, 1954 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 26–22 |
| 36 | November 12, 1955 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 16–14 |
| 37 | November 10, 1956 | Huntsville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 28–0 |
| 38 | November 12, 1957 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State Teachers | 9–0 |
| 39 | November 8, 1958 | Hunstville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 9–0 |
| 40 | October 31, 1959 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 18–14 |
| 41 | October 29, 1960 | Hunstville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 7–0 |
| 42 | October 28, 1961 | San Marcos | Sam Houston State Teachers | 9–7 |
| 43 | October 27, 1962 | Hunstville | Southwest Texas State | 21–20 |
| 44 | November 2, 1963 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 10–8 |
| 45 | October 24, 1964 | Hunstville | Sam Houston State Teachers | 15–14 |
| 46 | October 23, 1965 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 17–7 |
| 47 | October 22, 1966 | Hunstville | Sam Houston | 27–16 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 48 | October 21, 1967 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 61–0 |
| 49 | October 26, 1968 | Hunstville | Southwest Texas State | 31–15 |
| 50 | October 25, 1969 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 24–21 |
| 51 | October 24, 1970 | Hunstville | Sam Houston | 25–24 |
| 52 | October 23, 1971 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 10–7 |
| 53 | October 21, 1972 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State | 26–14 |
| 54 | October 18, 1973 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 28–7 |
| 55 | October 26, 1974 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State | 20–6 |
| 56 | October 25, 1975 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 3–0 |
| 57 | October 23, 1976 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State | 40–10 |
| 58 | October 15, 1977 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 16–5 |
| 59 | October 14, 1978 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 21–16 |
| 60 | October 13, 1979 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 40–22 |
| 61 | October 18, 1980 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State | 55–7 |
| 62 | October 17, 1981 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 38–14 |
| 63 | October 16, 1982 | Houston | Southwest Texas State | 52–21 |
| 64 | October 15, 1983 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 26–10 |
| 65 | November 17, 1984 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 21–17 |
| 66 | November 23, 1985 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 27–25 |
| 67 | November 22, 1986 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 32–31 |
| 68 | November 21, 1987 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 24–21 |
| 69 | November 19, 1988 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State | 10–3 |
| 70 | November 18, 1989 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 24–0 |
| 71 | November 17, 1990 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 26–25 |
| 72 | November 23, 1991 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 20–14 |
| 73 | November 21, 1992 | Huntsville | Tie | 22–22 |
| 74 | November 20, 1993 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 35–10 |
| 75 | November 19, 1994 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 34–14 |
| 76 | November 8, 1995 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 26–20 |
| 77 | November 23, 1996 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 29–17 |
| 78 | November 22, 1997 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 35–30 |
| 79 | November 21, 1998 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 31–24 |
| 80 | November 20, 1999 | San Marcos | Southwest Texas State | 20–14 |
| 81 | November 18, 2000 | Huntsville | Southwest Texas State | 24–17 |
| 82 | November 17, 2001 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 31–13 |
| 83 | November 23, 2002 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 20–14 |
| 84 | November 22, 2003 | San Marcos | Texas State | 49–28 |
| 85 | November 20, 2004 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 27–9 |
| 86 | November 19, 2005 | San Marcos | Texas State | 26–23$^{OT}$ |
| 87 | November 18, 2006 | Huntsville | Texas State | 28–21 |
| 88 | November 15, 2007 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 29–28 |
| 89 | November 22, 2008 | Huntsville | Texas State | 48–45$^{OT}$ |
| 90 | November 21, 2009 | San Marcos | Texas State | 28–20 |
| 91 | November 20, 2010 | Huntsville | Sam Houston | 31–29 |
| 92 | November 19, 2011 | San Marcos | Sam Houston | 36–14 |
| 93 | September 28, 2024 | Houston | Sam Houston | 40–39 |
| Series: Texas State leads 50–38–5 |||||