LU 49 SHSU 46 FINAL

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HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals recorded one of the biggest upsets in program history, and one of the largest in the country this season, after defeating the No. 3 (STATS, Inc. Top 25 Poll) Sam Houston State Bearkats, 49-46, at Bowers Stadium Saturday night. The victory gives LU (2-1/1-0 SLC) its second-straight win over a ranked FCS program, and its first against the Bearkats since bringing back football.

In addition to recording its first win over Sam Houston since the program’s rebirth, LU picked up just its second win ever in Huntsville and its first since 1959.

For the first time this season, junior Carson Earp was handed the reins of the LU offense for the whole game and he guided LU to 551 yards of total offense, including 328 on the ground. Earp completed 14-of-25 (.560) passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns.

Junior Kade Harrington had a career night both running and receiving the ball. He recorded a career-high 230 yards on 24 carries with two scores, and caught two passes for 83 yards and touchdown.

Senior Devonn Brown caught four passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.

“We really played a good, clean first half of football,” said LU head coach Ray Woodard. “We couldn’t put them away in the third quarter. They made some great adjustments. The thing that I was the most proud of is that we had some patience, and didn’t tank. We were able to out play them in the fourth quarter. We just fought until we won it.”

The Cardinals took the first lead of the game when Earp found Begelton from four yards out. The touchdown pass capped an 11-play 56-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock. It was also one of two TD catches for Begelton on the night who is now second all-time in school history with 18 touchdown receptions.

The Bearkats tied the game 90 seconds later when Yedidiah Louis broke off a 46-yard touchdown run, but LU would answer back. After a 15-yard run from Harrington and a 42-yard scamper from Earp, the Cardinals had the ball 1^st-and-10 from the Sam Houston 19-yard. Big Red reclaimed the lead on the very next play when Earp hit Begelton in the back of the end zone.

After the Bearkats tied the game at 14, the Cardinals rattled off 21 unanswered points to take a commanding 35-14 lead into the locker room. Harrington got the run started when he hauled in a pass at his own 23-yard line and took it 77 yards for the score. The Cardinals were back on the march seven minutes later with Harrington capped a six-play, 89-yard drive with a five-yard run. LU closed out the half when Earp hit senior Devonn Brown over the middle for an 18-yard scoring strike. The pass to Brown gave LU a 21-point lead heading into the locker room, 35-14.

The Cardinals recorded nearly 400 yards of total offense in the opening half, including 183 on the ground. Harrington led LU with 12 carries for 97 yards and score, and also added two catches for 83 yards and a touchdown in the first 30 minutes.

Earp completed 12-of-16 (.750) passes for 214 yards in the opening half, including four to Begelton.

After scoring 21-straight points in the second quarter, the Cardinals were held to eight yards of total offense in the third. Sam Houston State cut the lead to 12 points, after a Luc Swimberghe 36-yard field goal and a Donavan Williams five-yard touchdown run. The Bearkats went for two and were unsuccessful but got the points back 73 seconds later when a bad snap sailed into the end zone for a safety.

Big Red finally broke its small scoring drought with 9:17 on the clock. Senior Carl Harris scored on a 27-yard run which was set up by a 44-yard scamper by Harrington. The Kingwood, Texas native appeared to be stopped in the backfield before picking up the large gain to give 147 yards and a new career high.

The Bearkats answered the LU score with two touchdowns to pull within three points, 42-39, with 3:21 on the clock. The Cardinals turned to Harrington again who came through with a 73-run to put LU back in front by 10, 49-39. Sam Houston State didn’t go quietly answering with another touchdown with 58 seconds on the clock, but after an unsportsmanlike penalty called on the ‘Kats on the extra point attempt they were forced to kick off from their own 20. SHSU attempted an onside kick but it didn’t go 10 yards, and LU got the ball back.

Harrington’s 230 rushing yards are the most by a Cardinal since the 1985 season, and the second-best single-game mark in program history. Harrington finished the night just 29 yards shy of Burton Murchison’s single-game record which was set that same season. It was also Harrington’s seventh career 100-yard rushing game which ties him for second all-time in program history with Doug Matthews.

“The last two times we’ve played these guys, we went into the game with Kade not healthy,” said Woodard. “Tonight was the first time he’s been healthy in this game, and it showed. Kade is a special player who gets better as the game goes on.”

“I can’t take credit for those stats tonight,” said Harrington of his performance. “It is easy to run when you have holes, and all you have to do is run in a straight line. (The offensive line) makes my job easy. All I have to do is run straight. Our offensive line blocked incredible, and our defense picked us up when we were sluggish in the second half.”

The Cardinals will have nearly two weeks to prepare for Southeastern Louisiana. LU returns to action Saturday, Oct. 1, when they travel to Hammond, La. The game against the Lions is slated to kick off at 6 p.m. from Strawberry Stadium.

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