FRISCO — Of course an FCS national title would be anything but easy for Sam Houston State after this strange, prolonged pandemic season.
After blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to South Dakota State on Sunday and after converting two fourth downs on the deciding drive, the Bearkats needed one more defining play.
Quarterback Eric Schmid, who kept getting up from hard hit after hard hit, found Ife Adeyi between three South Dakota State defenders. The sophomore from Mansfield Legacy went down to the ground to secure the 10-yard touchdown catch with 16 seconds remaining.
After South Dakota State couldn’t manufacture a score on a couple of lateral plays, Sam Houston (10-0) had secured its first NCAA football championship 23-21 and the celebration began at Toyota Stadium.
“It’s immortality for the rest of our lives and beyond that,” Bearkats coach K.C. Keeler said. “Sam Houston State is the national champion.”
Sam Houston became the first Texas school to claim an FCS title after coming close with losses to North Dakota State in the 2011 and ’12 title games. The Bearkats had shared an NAIA championship with Concordia (Minn.) College in 1964.
Keeler became the first coach to win FCS titles at different schools, having collected a championship ring at Delaware in 2003. He came to Sam Houston before the 2014 season, hired to win a title. Keeler made changes in the program, lobbying athletic director Bobby Williams to hire a full-time strength coach to become more physical.
This season, Sam Houston and other FCS schools saw their fall playoffs shifted to spring. Because of previously scheduled renovations, the Bearkats didn’t have a home locker room.
Beyond the challenge of No. 1 seed SDSU, Sam Houston had to endure heavy rains that slowed its offense early, and a 74-minute lightning delay with 8:25 remaining in the first half. The elements led to five fumbles alone between the two teams in the first quarter.
“To win a national championship — this isn’t basketball,” Keeler said. “You’re not playing indoors. It’s not climate-controlled. You need to go through so many different things in a football game, in a football season, and this is just one of them we’re going to go through.
“If we truly are the best team in the country, bring it on.”
Said Schmid: “We were kind of joking in the locker room, like it’s got to be this way for us to win.”
Sam Houston receiver Jequez Ezzard, a grad transfer from Howard, claimed MVP recognition with 10 catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. His 5-yard catch on fourth down extended the 16-play, 65-yard drive. His punt return for a touchdown was negated by penalty.
South Dakota State had taken a 21-16 lead with 5:41 remaining on an 85-yard touchdown run by freshman Isaiah Davis, running through five would-be tackles. He finished with 178 yards on 14 carries, with 155 yards coming in the second half.
The Jackrabbits (8-2) played nearly the entire game without starting quarterback Mark Gronowski, the Missouri Valley player of the year. Gronowski injured his left leg on the opening drive and did not return after trying one practice throw on the sideline.
SDSU coach James Stiegelmeier said Gronowski suffered “a pretty serious injury.” He was replaced by Keaton Heide, who finished 11 of 22 for 107 yards with one interception.
Sam Houston kept the faith throughout.
On the game-winning third-down call at the SDSU 10 with four vertical receiver routes, defensive line coach Siddiq Haynes assured senior lineman Joseph Wallace that the Bearkats would score.
“I said, ‘I already know, coach.’ Nobody ever doubted on the sideline,” said Wallace, a Skyline graduate. “We all knew what was about to happen, honestly.”