Sam Houston triumphs over Georgia Southern, 31-26, to notch a 10-win season and their first FBS bowl game victory.
Press Release from GoBearkats.com
It wasn’t Easy, but it was Big.
Sam Houston used a stingy defense and clutch plays on offense to knock off Georgia Southern, 31-26, in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome on Thursday night.
Jaylon Jimmerson accounted for two of the Bearkats’ five takeaways, which tied a New Orleans Bowl record, to become the first defensive player to be named the game’s Most Valuable Player since 2004. His first interception resulted in a return for a touchdown which set the tone for Sam Houston to complete a 10-win season and win the program’s first-ever appearance in a bowl game at the FBS level.
Quarterback Hunter Watson threw for 213 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, one passing and two on the ground. Simeon Evans had seven catches for 85 yards and a score.
The Bearkats (10-3) did not have to wait long to get on the board, and for the second straight season, the first score of the game came via the defense. Jaylon Jimmerson snagged a pass out of the air by Georgia Southern quarterback JC French and returned it 29-yards for a pick six, three minutes into the first quarter.
The Eagles finally answered with a touchdown in the second quarter to tie the game, but that was about the only thing that went right.
Sam Houston had three interceptions, a second by Jimmerson and one by linebacker Kavian Gaither, and three sacks by Issiah Nixon, Briceon Hayes and Richard Outland Jr., all coming in the opening half.
Jimmerson’s second takeaway led to another touchdown for the Kats after Watson, who tied a Superdome bowl record with 14 straight pass completions to begin the game, connected with Evans for a 33-yard score and a 14-7 lead. Jimmerson used only one hand for his interception, and Watson plunged into the end zone from two yards out to help Sam Houston go up 21-10 at the half.
The third quarter was all Georgia Southern as a field goal right before the break carried over the momentum. The Eagles scored nine straight points to pull within three.
That’s when a key personal foul on a facemask that negatived a sack sparked a resurgence for the Bearkats in the fourth quarter. The penalty moved Sam Houston out near midfield, and Watson found Evans for a 32-yard catch and run which featured Evans dragging a pair of defenders to the GS 2-yard line.
Watson put the finishing touches on the gut punch with a sneak and a 28-19 advantage with just over 11 minutes left.
Briceon Hayes was the next Kat up in the turnover department when he reeled in the fourth interception. Sam Houston couldn’t turn the turnover into points, but CJ Johnson striped the punt returner of the ball which led to a 21-yard field goal by Christian Pavon to nail down the victory.
POSTGAME NOTES
– Sam Houston’s victory gave it a 10-win season in 2024. It is the 12th 10-win season in program history. The Kats are the third program since 2000 to post a 10-win season within the first two seasons of moving from FCS to FBS. Also included in that group are James Madison with 11 wins in 2022 and Appalachian State’s 11 wins in 2014
– The Kats won despite finishing with only 267 yards of total offense, the lowest total by a victorious team in New Orleans Bowl history
– Jaylon Jimmerson was named the game’s MVP, becoming the third defensive player to earn the bowl’s top honors in its 24-year history and the first since 2004. He finished with 10 tackles and a TFL, along with a pair of interceptions. He is the fifth player in New Orleans Bowl history with multiple interceptions and the first since Georgia Southern’s Justin Birdsong in 2020
– His first interception came on the game’s first play, which was the Kats’ second pick-6 of the season. It is the sixth pick-6 in New Orleans Bowl history
– The Kats finished with a season-high four interceptions and had five takeaways, tying a New Orleans Bowl record
– Hunter Watson completed 14 consecutive passes before a third-down incompletion late in the first half. It tied the New Orleans Bowl record for consecutive completions, equaling Louisiana’s Terrance Broadway’s effort vs Nevada in 2014
– Watson finished with 213 yards in the air, completing a season-high 23 passes on 28 attempts. It was his fourth game this season going over 200 passing yards
– The Kats held a 21-10 lead at the half before hanging on for the victory, closing 2024 with a 6-0 mark when leading at the half and a perfect 6-0 record in one-score games
– Sam Houston finished with three takeaways while turning it over just once, winning the turnover battle for the eighth time this season
