Texas State squanders big lead, Sam Houston wins 40-39 on late field goal

HOUSTON (AP) — Christian Pavon narrowly made a 24-yard field goal with six seconds remaining for Sam Houston's first lead of the game and the Bearkats held on for a 40-39 win over Texas State on Saturday at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans.

Sam Houston fell behind 22-0 in the first quarter, 32-21 at the break and 39-21 with 11:57 remaining in the third quarter.

Then the Bearkats defense took over. Sam Houston made two straight fourth-down stops — both leading to touchdown drives to get within 39-34. The Bobcats elected to punt on their next possession, but it only went 36 yards and Sam Houston moved down the field for Pavon's 46-yard field goal.

Mason Shipley, who made a 60-yard field goal earlier in the game, missed a 36-yard field goal with 6:49 remaining in the fourth. Sam Houston chewed up nearly seven minutes on its final drive, ending in Pavon's second field goal.

Sam Houston (4-1) booted a squib kick to leave Texas State with just four seconds left. A desperation lateral play ended with the ball going out of bounds in Texas State territory as time expired.

Sam Houston quarterback Hunter Watson was 10-of-19 passing for 95 yards and he carried it a team-high 27 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Six Sam Houston rushers combined for 57 carries for 298 yards and five touchdowns.

Jordan McCloud threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns for Texas State (2-2).

Watson finished with 100-plus yards rushing for the second straight game. Last week he became only the second Bearkat quarterback since 2013 to have a 100-yard rushing game, the other being backup Trapper Pannell in the 2022 season finale vs Southern Utah, concluding the Kats’ first transitional season to the FBS.

The Bearkats have rushed for 200-plus yards in three straight games. Sam Houston entered averaging 238.3 yards per game on the ground in its three wins.

The 93rd all-time meeting between the schools was the first matchup since 2011 when both were members of the Southland Conference. Texas State made the jump to the FBS for the 2012 season.

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