Sam Houston State lost its sixth-straight game of the 2025 college football season in front of a nonexistent crowd on Thursday night. Absolutely nobody showed up to watch the Bearkats drop to 0-6.
I can confidently say that I have never seen a more pathetic turnout.
There are a lot of different factors involved with this poor college football attendance. The product on the field is perhaps the biggest.
Sam Houston State is building a new stadium.
Before we go any further, it must be noted that Sam Houston State only moved up to the FBS from the FCS in 2023. This is still a program in the middle of a major transition.
In addition, head coach K.C. Keeler left the school during the offseason for the same job at Temple and a good chunk of the roster turned over through the transfer portal prior to the arrival of Phil Longo. Longo also has a history of failed offenses so the expectations were not super high for his first year.
With that being said, Keeler won 10 games (including a bowl game) with the Bearkats last season so it’s not like they are dead in the water. It is possible to win at Sam Houston State. The proof is in the pudding.
I must also note that Elliott T. Bowers Stadium is currently under renovation. The on-campus college football stadium in Huntsville, Texas will not be used in 2025.
Construction is coming along nicely.
As a result of this ongoing renovation, the Bearkats are playing about 70 miles south of Huntsville at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. It’s about an hour drive. Maybe a few minutes more.
That presents logistical challenges. Fans don’t want to make that drive. They are even less inclined to make that drive for a team that has yet to win a single game. The stadium would be absolutely packed if Sam Houston State was undefeated. It’s not.
The college football crowd was pathetic.
Jacksonville State traveled to Houston on Thursday night. Sam Houston State scored a go-ahead touchdown with 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter to take a 26-21 lead.
It looked like the Bearkats might win their first game… until it didn’t.
The Gamecocks drove 48 yards on seven plays in 47 seconds to kick a game-winning field goal as time expired. Garrison Rippa ripped one right down the middle from 52 yards.
WALK OFF 52 YARD FIELD GOAL FOR THE WIN‼️
— College Football Campus Tour (@cfbcampustour) October 10, 2025
Jax State 29, Sam Houston 27 pic.twitter.com/f8zzWiIHem
Fortunately, nobody was there to see it. The crowd was nonexistent.
This was 20 minutes before kickoff:
I know traffic is horrendous in Houston….but this is the stadium 20 mins before kickoff! pic.twitter.com/jXWCVAhc6V
— Lane Fobbs (@BearkatBites) October 9, 2025
This was at kickoff:
Sam Houston is playing 70 miles south of campus this year in downtown Houston (currently 75 minute drive on Google Maps) and is currently 0-5.
— Steve Helwick (@s_helwick) October 10, 2025
Here is the crowd at kickoff vs. Jax State. Week 1 game vs. UNLV got 5,837. pic.twitter.com/D14AFjq1Pa
The school announced an attendance of 5,419. That number is likely inflated by about 5,000. I genuinely don’t know if there was 1,000 fans in the crowd. I don’t even know if there was 500!
Phil Longo may not make it to year two…