Lamar University head coach Mike Schultz and his youthful Cardinals travel to Huntsville, Texas Saturday for a showdown against the defending Southland Conference champion, and seventh-ranked Sam Houston State Bearkats. The matchup pits two teams currently headed in opposite directions.
 
The Bearkats (5-1/3-1 SLC) are currently tied for fourth in the Southland standings a game back of Central Arkansas for league lead, but still very much in the playoff hunt. Big Red enters the week looking to put an end to a four-game slide. The Cardinals (1-5/0-4 SLC) are tied for 10^th and one of two remaining Southland schools still looking for their first league win of the season.
 
The Cardinals are coming off a tough nine-point loss at Incarnate Word last week that saw them have to dig out of an early 14-0 first quarter hole. Big Red found itself with an opportunity to grab the lead in the fourth quarter but was unable to come up with the play it needed in the end.
 
Sam Houston State has won consecutive games, but has found the going a little tougher of late. After opening the year with three-straight wins including a victory over nationally ranked Richmond and a 66-17 decision over Nicholls (who is currently second in the SLC standings), the Bearkats have struggled a bit lately. SHSU dropped an 11-point decision at Central Arkansas and followed that up with an 11-point victory at Stephen F. Austin. The Bearkats recorded a four-point decision over Northwestern State last week, but pulled that game out late in the fourth quarter.
 
Despite the recent struggles, Sam Houston remains as one of the nation's top teams. The Bearkats enter the week with the Southland's top offense averaging better than 42 points per game and 550 yards of total offense per contest. SHSU is led by the reigning Walter Payton Award winner at quarterback, Jeremiah Briscoe. The Houston, Texas native has completed nearly 57 percent of his passes this year for 2,145 yards and 18 touchdowns (with only seven interceptions).
 
"Sam Houston is the complete package," said Schultz. "We are faced with an unbelievable challenge this week. Sam Houston is one of the best teams in the nation. These guys are good in all three phases of the game. Coach Keeler has done a tremendous job up there. What makes them so tough on offense is they can run and pass the ball the effectively. Defensively, they are very active, and P.J. Hall may be the best defensive player in the league.
 
"This is a huge task for us, but I know our guys are excited to be able to face Sam Houston State. We have a lot of work ahead of us," added Schultz.
 
The Cardinals will counter punch Sam Houston's attack with the Southland's top pass defense. The Red and White leads the league surrendering just 177 passing yards per contest. Five different Cardinals have picked off a pass this season, including one which has been returned for a touchdown.
 
Sam Houston also brings one of the league's better ground attacks into the contest led by Corey Avery and Remus Bulmer. Avery leads the team averaging nearly 77 rushing yards per game, to go along with four touchdowns. Bulmer is averaging 6.5 yards per carry for the Bearkats in 2017.
 
The all-time series between the two schools dates back to the 1951 season and it is one that has been renewed 29 times. Sam Houston State holds the upper hand in the series with a 19-9-1 (.672) record. The Cardinals have managed just two wins all-time in Huntsville (2-8-1/.227). The Cardinals dropped a 13-point decision to the Bearkats last season in Beaumont. The last time LU made the trip to Huntsville it pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history. Led by a 230-yard rushing performance from eventual All-American Kade Harrington, the Cardinals stunned the third-ranked Bearkats, 49-46, in front of their home fans. LU's other road victory in the series came during the 1959 season when it recorded a 27-14 decision.
 
Saturday's game is slated to kick off at 3 p.m. from Bowers Stadium. It can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI, and seen live on ESPN3.
 
-LU CARDINALS-