2004 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

The 2004 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 23rd-year head coach Ron Randleman, the Bearkats compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 4–1 in conference play, and finished as Southland co-champion with Northwestern State. Sam Houston State advanced to the Division I-AA playoffs and defeated Western Kentucky and Eastern Washington before losing to Montana in the semifinal.

2004 Sam Houston State Bearkats football
Southland co-champion
NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal, L 13–34 vs. Montana
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	11–3 (4–1 Southland)
Head coach	Ron Randleman (23rd season)
Defensive coordinator	Mike Lucas (15th season)
Home stadium	Bowers Stadium
Seasons ← 2003 2005 →

2004 Southland Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 4 Sam Houston State +^		4	–	1					11	–	3
No. 17 Northwestern State +^		4	–	1					8	–	4
Texas State		3	–	2					5	–	6
Nicholls State		2	–	3					5	–	5
Stephen F. Austin		1	–	4					6	–	4
McNeese State		1	–	4					4	–	7
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 4	Ouachita Baptist*		Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 60–7		[1]
September 11	at Southwest Missouri State*		Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 31–33	10,039	[2]
September 18	No. 1 Montana*		Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 41–29	12,941	[3]
September 25	at Southeastern Louisiana*	No. 24	Strawberry Stadium Hammond, LA	W 45–17	9,480	[4]
October 7	Tarleton State*	No. 13	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 44–14	6,944	[5]
October 16	Nicholls State	No. 13	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 38–10	10,038	[6]
October 23	Northern Colorado*	No. 11	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 20–7		[7]
October 30	at No. 13 Stephen F. Austin	No. 8	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX (Battle of the Piney Woods)	W 31–28	13,753	[8]
November 6	McNeese State	No. 4	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 52–47	8,152	[9]
November 13	at No. 19 Northwestern State	No. 3	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA	L 27–45	7,320	[10]
November 20	Texas State	No. 10	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (rivalry)	W 27–9		[11]
November 27	No. 11 Western Kentucky*	No. 4	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	W 54–24	9,554	[12]
December 4	at No. 8 Eastern Washington*	No. 4	Woodward Field Cheney, WA (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)	W 35–34	7,633	[13]
December 11	at No. 2 Montana*	No. 4	Washington–Grizzly Stadium Missoula, MT (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)	L 13–34	23,607	[14]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

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References

1. "Sam Houston St. 60, Ouachita 7". The Odessa American. September 5, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "'Oh, this feels great' SMS scores TD with two second left to edge Sam Houston St". The Springfield News-Leader. September 12, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Sam Houston slices, dices UM defense". Great Falls Tribune. September 19, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Sam Houston St. 45, SE Louisiana 17". The Alexandria Daily Town Talk. September 26, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Long tosses 5 TD passes for Sam Houston". Tyler Morning Telegraph. October 8, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Sam Houston St. 38, Nicholls St. 10". The Daily Advertiser. October 17, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Sam Houston St. extends UNC's losing streak to 7". Fort Collins Coloradoan. October 24, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Bearkats edge Lumberjacks in wild-ending finish, 31–28". Longview News-Journal. October 31, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "McNeese falls in shootout". Daily World. November 7, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "NSU pummels Sam Houston State". The Shreveport Times. November 14, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Sam Houston St. 27, Texas St. 9". The Tyler Courier-Times. November 21, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Hilltoppers fall hard in I-AA playoffs, 54–24". The Courier-Journal. November 28, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "The bitter end, Long directs Sam Houston State to win on last play, overcoming 20-point deficit". The Spokesman-Review. December 5, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Tuff enough, Harris' two interceptions helps Griz punch ticket to title game". The Missoulian. December 12, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "2004 Football Schedule". Sam Houston State University. Retrieved December 18, 2022.