You’d think a game between a titan of the SEC and a program that only recently moved up to the FBS wouldn’t have much staying power. Honestly, on paper, it looks like a classic "buy game" where the big school pays the small school a million dollars to come get beat up for four quarters. But the history between Sam Houston State football vs Texas Longhorns football is kinda more interesting than the final scores suggest.
Texas usually wins. Actually, they always win. But for the Bearkats, these games in Austin are basically a yardstick for how far the program has come since their days dominanting the FCS.
The Brutal Reality of the 2025 Matchup
The most recent meeting on September 20, 2025, was a rough one for the folks from Huntsville. Final score: 55-0.
Arch Manning was under center for the Longhorns and he basically put on a clinic. He threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns, while also tucking the ball and running for two more scores himself. It was a 14-0 game after the first quarter, but things spiraled fast. By halftime, it was 31-0, and the Bearkats' offense just couldn't find a rhythm against a Texas defensive line that looked like it was made of granite.
Sam Houston entered that game as a program still finding its footing in Conference USA. They’d had a wild 2024 season—becoming bowl eligible and winning the New Orleans Bowl under interim coach Brad Cornelsen—but the depth difference between an SEC powerhouse and a transitioning G5 school was on full display at DKR.
Texas used the game as a final tune-up before heading into the meat of their SEC schedule. For Sam Houston, it was a "welcome to the big leagues" moment that showed exactly how high the ceiling is at the top of the FBS.
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Why 2006 Was Different (Sorta)
If you look back to the first time these two met in the modern era, you’ve got to go all the way to 2006. Texas was coming off that legendary 2005 National Championship win over USC. They were the kings of the world. Sam Houston showed up to Austin on September 30, 2006, and got hit with a 56-3 loss.
Colt McCoy was a freshman then. He threw for three touchdowns. Jamaal Charles was in that backfield, too. It’s wild to think about the NFL talent that has historically been on the field for these matchups.
- 2006: Texas wins 56-3.
- 2025: Texas wins 55-0.
Notice a pattern? The gap in score hasn't really narrowed much, even though Sam Houston moved up from FCS to FBS between those two games. But the context around the games has shifted. In 2006, Sam Houston was a Southland Conference team just happy to be there. In 2025, they arrived as a peer (technically) in the same division of college football.
The "Regional Rivalry" That Isn't
Distance-wise, Huntsville and Austin aren't that far apart. It’s about a three-hour drive. You’d think there would be more of a "Texas" connection here, but these schools live in different universes.
Texas spends more on their nutrition program than some G5 schools spend on their entire athletic department. That’s not a knock on Sam Houston; it’s just the reality of the 2026 college football landscape.
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However, Sam Houston has a chip on its shoulder. They won an FCS National Championship in 2020. They’ve produced NFL talent like PJ Hall and Marcus Adams. When they walk into DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, they aren't looking for a participation trophy. They’re looking to prove they belong in the same conversation as the big boys in the state.
The Coaching Factor
K.C. Keeler was the architect of the modern Bearkat era. He’s the guy who navigated the jump to the FBS. When he left for Temple in late 2024, it felt like the end of an era. The 2025 game against Texas was one of the first major tests for the post-Keeler era.
Texas, meanwhile, has found its groove under Steve Sarkisian. The 2025 season was a continuation of the "Texas is back" narrative that finally actually came true. Watching how these two programs manage their rosters via the transfer portal is basically a case study in modern sports management.
What the Stats Don't Tell You
People look at a 55-0 blowout and think it’s a waste of time. I’d argue otherwise. These games fund the Bearkats' athletic department for the year. That one Saturday in Austin probably paid for new equipment, travel for the volleyball team, and scholarships for athletes who will never touch a football.
Also, for the players? It’s the biggest stage they’ll ever play on.
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Playing in front of 100,000 people at DKR is a core memory. Even if you lose by 50, you’re competing against the best of the best. You’re measuring yourself against future Sunday players.
What’s Next for the Bearkats and Longhorns?
Looking ahead to the 2026 season and beyond, the scheduling is getting tighter. With Texas in the SEC, they have fewer non-conference slots to play with. Sam Houston is also filling their schedule with more balanced G5 matchups to help their bowl chances.
If you're a fan of either team, here is what you should actually keep an eye on:
- Scheduling Trends: Look for Sam Houston to schedule more games against schools like Texas Tech or Baylor, where the talent gap is slightly—just slightly—smaller than it is with UT.
- The Portal: See how many Bearkats starters eventually end up as depth pieces for the Longhorns. It's a "food chain" world now.
- Recruiting: Sam Houston is starting to win battles for three-star recruits who might have previously walked on at Texas. Keeping that talent in Huntsville is the only way to make the next Sam Houston State football vs Texas Longhorns football game more competitive.
The 2025 blowout might have been hard to watch for Bearkat fans, but it’s a necessary part of the climb. You don't get to the top of the mountain without seeing how the giants live.
To get the most out of following this series, stop looking at the scoreboard and start looking at the individual matchups on the line of scrimmage. That’s where the real story is told. Next time these two meet, look at the trench play in the first quarter. That’ll tell you everything you need to know about the state of both programs.