Northwestern State Demons @ Sam Houston State Bearkats
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NWST | 7 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
SHSU | 21 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
Northwestern State rallies to upend Sam Houston State 31-28
HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Shelton Eppler passed for 306 yards and ran for the winning score as Northwestern State came from 14 points down to upset Sam Houston State 31-28 on Saturday.
The loss knocked the Bearkats (6-5, 5-3) out of a four-way tie for first in the Southland Conference.
Donovan Williams scored two early touchdowns, and a 23-yard interception return by Dwayne Williams staked Sam Houston to a 21-7 lead after a quarter.
Northwestern State (3-8, 3-5) turned the tables with a 17-point momentum swing in the second quarter. Eppler passed to Quan Shorts for a 78-yard pass play, Daniel Justino added a 43-yard field goal and Shemar Bartholomew returned an interception 96 yards for a 24-21 halftime lead.
The teams traded TD rushes in the third quarter with Eppler running in the game-winner from 5 yards out. The Bearkats were held to four punts and were intercepted on their final five possessions.
Sam Houston State's five losses have all been by a touchdown or less.
Game Information
Huntsville, TX
2025 Standings
| Southland Conference | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen F. Austin | 8-0 | 11-3 |
| SE Louisiana | 7-1 | 9-4 |
| Lamar | 5-3 | 8-5 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | 5-3 | 9-3 |
| Nicholls | 4-4 | 4-8 |
| McNeese | 4-4 | 5-7 |
| East Texas A&M | 3-5 | 3-9 |
| Incarnate Word | 3-5 | 5-7 |
| Houston Christian | 1-7 | 2-10 |
| Northwestern State | 0-8 | 1-11 |
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