CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) – Mabrey Mettauer threw a touchdown pass, and the Sam Houston special teams made significant plays in the second half to help the Bearkats rally past Oregon State with a 21-17 victory on Saturday night. This win snapped an eight-game losing streak for Sam Houston and marked a historic moment for the team.
The Bearkats, now at 1-8, avoided their first-ever 0-9 start in program history. First-year coach Phil Longo celebrated his first win as a head coach since Nov. 12, 2005, when he was coaching at La Salle.
In the game, Mettauer connected with Chris Reed for a 35-yard touchdown with 1:14 remaining in the second quarter, narrowing Sam Houston’s deficit to 17-7 at halftime.
The second half saw dramatic special teams plays: Tim Burns Jr. returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, igniting momentum for the Bearkats. Later, Lyric Smith blocked a punt that Brody Henderson scooped up and returned 31 yards for another touchdown, giving Sam Houston a 21-17 lead with 8:29 remaining in the game.
Despite the win, Sam Houston struggled offensively, finishing with only eight first downs and being outgained 474 yards to 157. Oregon State’s Anthony Hankerson carried the ball 33 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns. David Wells Jr. contributed nine receptions for 112 yards.
Gabarri Johnson completed 28 of 39 passes for 283 yards, but he threw no touchdowns and two interceptions.
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