Western Kentucky finally seems to have turned a corner on the 2026 college football season, maybe. The Hilltoppers celebrated their win over Sam Houston State with a savage act of sarcastic sportsmanship after the clock hit zero.
They shook the hand of the opposing cheerleaders!
This kind of interaction could go one of two ways. Some college football fans think it is harmless fun among college kids. Others think it was disrespectful and/or embarrassing. Is it appropriate behavior?
Sam Houston State is floundering.
Phil Longo was hired as the head coach at Sam Houston State prior to last season. He was extremely successful as the offensive coordinator from 2014-2016 when the Bearkats were in the FCS, which got him the offensive coordinator job at Ole Miss in 2017. From there, he went to North Carolina and Wisconsin. Now he is back in Huntsville as the head coach.
His first two years on the job have been a disaster.
Sam Houston State went 2-10 in 2025 with only one conference win. A disastrous culture problem left the program in a tailspin and absolutely nobody showed up to the games.
This year is not any better (thus far). The Bearkats began the 2026 season at 1-5 with a loss on Wednesday night. It was their first home game at Bowers Stadium in two years. They have been playing games at a temporary stadium in Houston while the on-campus venue underwent a renovation.
Longo’s true home debut was not good.
Sam Houston finished with less than 200 total yards on offense, completed less than 50% of its passes, and converted only two of 13 attempts on third down. It also committed nine penalties for 100 yards and scored its only three points on a field goal in the second quarter. Not great for a team with an offensive-minded head coach. He may not make it to year three.
Western Kentucky dapped up the cheerleaders.
Credit to the Hilltoppers. They got absolutely destroyed during road games at Georgia and Indiana in Weeks 2 and 3. A team that looked completely dead in the water has since come alive. Western Kentucky sits at 3-4 with five games remaining.
Even if it is not the prettiest win, a win is a win is a win is a win. The Hilltoppers won the turnover battle, held ~5 minutes more of possession, finished with ~100 more yards of offense, and scored 13 more points.
As soon as the clock hit zero, a group of Western Kentucky players ran over to the Sam Houston State cheerleaders to shake their hands. One cheerleader in particular was especially receptive.
WILD: Western Kentucky football players dapped up Sam Houston cheerleaders after beating them 😠pic.twitter.com/jSdUpkgBxj
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) October 15, 2026
I don’t know the context to this video. Perhaps there is more to the story. Maybe the cheerleader had been chirping at the players throughout the game. Maybe the players were chirping at the cheerleader.
Regardless of what happened, it does not get more savage than that. The Hilltoppers dapped up the opposing cheer team before they joined their teammates on the field to shake the hands of their opponents. Ice cold.