HUNTSVILLE, Texas _ Teams that combined to win three of the past four Southland Conference football titles will meet at 3 p.m. Saturday at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
The defending champion University of Central Arkansas Bears, ranked No. 12/13 in this week's FCS polls, take on No. 19/21 Sam Houston State, which won the league championship in 2014 and 2016. The Bears and Bearkats have combined to win 49 conference games over the past three+ seasons, with UCA sporting a 25-3 league mark and SHSU a 24-4 record.
Two of UCA's losses have been to SHSU while the Bears handed the Bearkats their only league loss a year ago, winning 41-30 on "The Stripes" in Conway. The Bears and Bearkats will be meeting as nationally ranked teams for the third consecutive season.
UCA is 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the SLC after a 33-25 home victory over Southeastern Louisiana two weeks ago and a bye week last Saturday. The win was UCA's fifth consecutive in an SLC opener. SHSU is 1-2 overall and 0-1 after a 27-7 loss at No. 15 Nicholls State last weekend.
UCA sophomore quarterback Breylin Smith leads a Bears offense that is ranked No. 1 in the Southland in passing efficiency. Smith, a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder from Conway, has completed 72.4 percent of his passes this season, his first as a starter, and has thrown for 775 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception. Hs favorite target has been senior Lester Wells, who has caught a combined 19 passes in the past two games and 21 for 206 yards and a touchdown on the season.
Sophomore receiver Brandon Myers hauled in four passes for a career-high 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win over Southeastern.
Sam Houston, which has had one of the most prolific offenses in the nation in recent years, is ranked 11th and last in the SLC in total offense through three games, averaging just 321 yards per game. The Bearkats have allowed a league-high 13 sacks (4.3 per game) and are ranked eighth in both rushing offense and passing offense.
UCA's defense is led by junior safety Juan Jackson, who has a team-high 27 tackles, three forced fumbles and an interception. Senior linebacker Raphael Garner has 4.5 of UCA's 23 tackles for loss. The Bears are ranked second in the SLC in turnover margin at +3 after forcing three against Southeastern. SHSU quarterback Mike Dare was intercepted twice last week at Nicholls and has four interceptions and three touchdown passes on the season.
The series between the Bears and Bearkats is tied at 6-6, with the teams splitting the last six meetings. UCA is 2-4 in games played in Huntsville. The Bears' past two games, at home vs. Murray State and on the road in Hammond, La., have had lightning delays. Rain and thunderstorms are possible in Huntsville on Saturday.
The game will be carried live on The Point 94.1 and The Bear 91.3 with Justin Acri, Chris Kane and R.J. Hawk, and on ESPN3 with Randy McIlvoy and Shea Walker.
UCA returns home next weekend, hosting Houston Baptist in SLC action at 6 p.m. at First Security Field at Estes Stadium.
