Bearkats Face Formidable Road Opener at Troy
Source: KBTX News 3 Sports. Casualplayhub News adds summary, context, and editorial framing while linking back to the original report.
Sam Houston State opens its 2026 football season with a daunting challenge: a road trip to Troy, Alabama, to face the Trojans—a team that went 8-6 last year and claimed the Sun Belt West title. The Bearkats enter as 16.5-point underdogs, a reflection of the gap in experience and recent success. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT Saturday, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Head coach Phil Longo, entering his second season after a tough 2-10 campaign, believes the team has turned a corner. “We’re very happy with the progress in camp,” Longo said. “There have been numerous rooms where we have had more competition. And we say iron sharpening iron all the time. But that’s been going on in a bunch of rooms in camp, and they’re starting to shake out a little bit now in the secondary and at linebacker and on the offensive line and at receiver.”
Troy’s passing attack, which amassed nearly 3,000 yards last season, will test a Sam Houston secondary that has been rebuilt with length and athleticism. Longo emphasized the importance of the defensive line in supporting the back end. “It always starts with how well we play up front, and I think the more effective we are on the D-line, the more that helps the back end. But the back end is longer this year. We use our hands a little bit better, and that tends to complement a good front four. With guys like Ish Atkins and Cesar McGee, two longer corners, that helps them and it helps us up front. It’ll be fun to watch that matchup on Saturday.”
The Trojans’ offense is led by redshirt senior quarterback Goose Crowder, a veteran presence who Longo identified as the key to stop. “What I do know is they have a returning quarterback that’s very good, and I think that will be the guy that they lean on in Saturday’s game. And that’s going to be the guy that we have to stop.” Further complicating preparations is the arrival of a new offensive coordinator, Adam Austin, who brings an element of uncertainty. Longo acknowledged the challenge: “The big mystery in defending Troy with our defense is what direction is the offense going to go and what is the character of the offense going to be in this opening game. What we think we have and what actually plays out on Saturday sometimes are two different things.”
On the offensive side, Longo plans to rely on a deep rotation along the offensive line, using seven or eight players to keep legs fresh. “We are at seven and maybe eight. The physical part of the eighth player is not an issue. It’s, are we going to get him where he needs to be mentally? We’ll have a better feel for that in a few days. We’ve got a front five we’re very happy with. We have two that we feel like we’ll rotate in the game to keep everybody fresh.”
Health is a positive note for the Bearkats entering the season. Longo reported that the team is relatively healthy, with only a couple of players sidelined for the year and minimal impact on the two-deep depth chart. “We are relatively healthy right now. We have lost a couple for a few months, maybe two for the year. We have not really been affected very much in our two-deep on offense or defense. Right now, I’d say we’re pretty healthy.”
Offensively, Longo’s philosophy prioritizes efficiency over a fixed run-pass ratio. “I don’t care if we throw at 70 and run at 10 or if we run at 70 and throw at 10. I just want to be efficient doing both. If you’re going to load the box, then that’s what we want to be able to do efficiently. If you’re going to cover and drop eight, we want to be able to run the football and throw the thing underneath.” Quarterback Landon Locke will have the freedom to adjust plays at the line based on defensive looks. “Landon puts us in a position to attack the weakness of the defense from a down-to-down situation, and that will be half the battle for us on Saturday,” Longo said.
Defensively, the most improved unit according to Longo is the defensive line. “We’re deeper there than we were a year ago. We went into the La Tech game last year with no healthy defensive tackles for the most part, and it was a struggle. We don’t have that issue this year, at least not right now. I think we have an opportunity to be better on the defensive line than we were a year ago.”
Special teams also feature new faces: punter Cal Joseph, a transfer from Wake Forest, and kicker Sam Carpenter, from Pitt. Longo praised their veteran presence. “Sam and Cal bring some maturity. They’re both veterans. All I’ve seen from both of them is maturity and the grind. They’ve had a tremendous August camp, and I think the two of them are ready for opening day.”
The Bearkats will need all that preparation and depth to overcome a Troy team that is both experienced and unpredictable. The game kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. CT in Alabama.
Article commentary
Sam Houston State’s season opener against Troy is a classic measuring stick for a program still finding its footing in the FBS. After a 2-10 debut under Phil Longo, the Bearkats are looking to prove that last year’s struggles were a necessary growing pain, not a sign of deeper systemic issues. The 16.5-point spread underscores the gap in perceived talent and recent performance, but it also reflects the difficulty of winning on the road against a team that captured the Sun Belt West last season. Troy, led by veteran quarterback Goose Crowder, presents a formidable challenge. The Trojans’ passing game was potent in 2025, and the addition of a new offensive coordinator, Adam Austin, adds an element of uncertainty that could work in their favor or create early-season hiccups. Longo’s strategy of attacking the offensive line with a deeper defensive front is sound, but the secondary—which he praised for its length and improved hand usage—will be the true test. If corners like Ish Atkins and Cesar McGee can hold up against Troy’s receivers, the Bearkats could force Crowder into uncomfortable situations. Offensively, Sam Houston’s approach is flexible. Longo’s refusal to commit to a run-pass ratio suggests he wants to capitalize on whatever defensive weakness Troy shows. Quarterback Landon Locke’s ability to read defenses and adjust at the line is critical, especially given that the Bearkats are breaking in a new offensive line rotation. The health of the unit is a positive sign, as depth issues plagued them last season, particularly on the defensive line. One of the most intriguing subplots is the improvement of Sam Houston’s defensive line. Longo’s claim that the unit is deeper and healthier than a year ago could be a game-changer. In their 2-10 campaign, the Bearkats struggled to generate pressure and stop the run, which made life difficult for the entire defense. If the defensive line can hold its own against a Troy offensive line that returns experience, it will give the linebackers and secondary a chance to make plays. Special teams often go overlooked in season openers, but the addition of veteran transfers Cal Joseph and Sam Carpenter brings a level of consistency that the Bearkats lacked. Field position and kick scoring could be decisive in a game where points may be at a premium for the underdog. Ultimately, this game is less about the final score and more about the trajectory of the program. A competitive showing—even in a loss—would signal that Longo’s second year is on the right track. A blowout, however, would raise questions about whether the program has the talent to compete in the Sun Belt. The Bearkats have the pieces to surprise, but they need to execute from the first snap. Troy, with its experienced quarterback and home-field advantage, is the clear favorite, but college football has a way of humbling even the most confident programs. Saturday’s matchup will offer the first real glimpse of whether Sam Houston is ready to take the next step.