HUNTSVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — Sam Houston produced a dominant performance in every phase Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, rolling past visiting Nicholls State 59-0 in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game at Elliot T. Bowers Stadium. The Bearkats scored 21 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, 7 in the third and 10 in the fourth while holding the Colonels scoreless. Sam Houston improved to 1-2 this season, while Nicholls State fell to 2-2. The game marked the first victory of the year for the Bearkats after narrow losses to Tulsa and Troy, and it handed the Colonels their second defeat after a 2-1 start.

Quarterback Landyn Locke led the Bearkats with a precise and productive day, completing 19 of 28 passes for 322 yards and four touchdowns while adding four rushes for 24 yards. The Rockwall, Texas, product consistently found space downfield and helped Sam Houston build an insurmountable lead. Locke’s touchdown passes covered 65 yards to Tim Burns Jr., 3 yards to Grady O’Neill, 11 yards to Darrick Bledsoe III and 48 yards to Kamari Maxwell. His connection with Burns opened the scoring in the first quarter, and his strike to Maxwell early in the third quarter kept the offense rolling. Sam Carpenter added a 33-yard field goal and converted extra points throughout the rout. Carpenter later attempted a 51-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that was no good.

The Bearkats spread the ball across a deep group of playmakers. Burns finished with one reception for 65 yards and a touchdown, plus one kick return for 29 yards and two punt returns for 7 yards. Maxwell caught two passes for 86 yards and a score. Kyan Berry-Johnson recorded two receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown, including a 61-yard scoring connection from B. Holloway in the third quarter. O’Neill had five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. Chris Reed added two catches for 59 yards, and Bledsoe had four receptions for 36 yards and a score. Landan Brown contributed three rushes for 13 yards, two receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown. MJ Dowdy ran three times for 15 yards, while Ah’Marion Gaines-Smith added three carries for 21 yards. Aviyon Smith-Mack had one reception for 3 yards, and Max Whisner had one catch for 10 yards. Cal Joseph punted three times for 123 yards. B. Holloway also rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, and Alton McCaskill scored on a 5-yard run.

Sam Houston’s defense controlled the line of scrimmage and never allowed Nicholls State to find rhythm. Dean Ford led the unit with eight tackles. Elijah Groves recorded three tackles and two quarterback hurries, while Mike King Jr. had four tackles and one quarterback hurry. Brody Henderson added three tackles, and Brian Bates Jr., Ishmel Atkins, and Ca’lub Holloway each finished with three tackles. Dylan Frazier and Cameron Franklin each had four tackles. Josh Alexander-Felton registered a sack among his tackle. Sam Houston also generated turnovers. Railyn Adams intercepted a pass by Ean Rodrigue at the Sam Houston 48 and returned it 52 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the play was nullified by a holding penalty. She’Fon Boyd also recorded an interception to go with two tackles. Additional defensive contributions came from Justin Cottrell, Tokyo Gordon, Jace Arnold, Caius Coy, Dravon Wilson, Justin Terrell, Jalyn Stanford, and Darien Jackson, who each had two tackles. Aaron Edwards, Marcus Bourda Jr., Cole Worthington, Caesar Magee, Braylen Wortham, and Tyler Bailey each recorded one tackle.

Nicholls State could not sustain offense against the Bearkats. Quarterback Ean Rodrigue completed 7 of 21 passes for 39 yards and rushed three times for 1 yard. Karaaz Johnson made two receptions for 15 yards. The Colonels’ defense spent much of the afternoon on the field and received tackles from Kasai Jones, Charlie Diedrich, and Gavin Duplechin, who each had four. Skylar Husband and Shermar Carter each recorded three tackles. Despite those efforts, Nicholls State was unable to keep Sam Houston out of the end zone or generate enough offense to threaten the lead. The Colonels had entered the game with wins over UT Rio Grande Valley and Mississippi Valley State and a loss at Kansas State. The shutout dropped Nicholls State to 2-2 on the season.

Sam Houston opened the scoring in the first quarter when Locke hit Burns for a 65-yard touchdown. Carpenter added a 33-yard field goal later in the quarter. In the second quarter, Locke found O’Neill for a 3-yard score and Brown rushed for a 5-yard touchdown. Locke then broke free for a 44-yard rushing score before connecting with Bledsoe for an 11-yard touchdown. The Bearkats continued to pour it on in the third quarter as Locke hit Maxwell for a 48-yard touchdown, McCaskill scored from 5 yards out, and B. Holloway threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Berry-Johnson. In the fourth quarter, Sam Houston added a 10-yard touchdown run by B. Holloway after Carpenter’s 51-yard field goal attempt missed. The Bearkats’ defense finished the shutout, preserving the lopsided result.

The victory gave Sam Houston its first win of the season and momentum before a challenging stretch. The Bearkats are scheduled to visit Texas Tech on Sept. 26 before opening a run of matchups that includes trips to Liberty, Missouri State, Jacksonville State and Florida International and home games against Western Kentucky, New Mexico State, Kennesaw State and Middle Tennessee. Nicholls State returns home to face Lamar on Sept. 26 and then visits Houston Christian on Oct. 3 before a stretch that includes Stephen F. Austin, Northwestern State, McNeese State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Incarnate Word and Southeastern Louisiana.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Sam Houston 42, Nicholls State 15. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Sam Houston with a 72.8 percent probability to win. Nicholls State had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +21. The total score of 59 went under the over/under line of 50.5.