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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Sam Houston State University football team |
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closed out a historic season by winning the 2020-2021 NCAA Division |
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I Football Championship Subdivision title; and |
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WHEREAS, The Bearkats posted a perfect regular-season ledger |
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and claimed their eighth Southland Conference crown to enter the |
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FCS playoffs as the second seed; embarking on a thrilling |
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postseason run against top 10-ranked opponents, SHSU began by |
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besting Monmouth University 21-15, sealing the win by intercepting |
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a pass in the end zone in the final minute of play; the team then |
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came from behind to dispatch North Dakota State University 24-20 in |
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the quarterfinals; and |
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WHEREAS, Playing in the semifinals on its Bowers Stadium home |
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field, SHSU met James Madison University on May 8; trailing by three |
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touchdowns at the half, the Bearkats erupted for 24 points in the |
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third quarter and prevailed by the final score of 38-35; with the |
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victory, SHSU punched its ticket to the championship game for the |
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first time since 2012, and it remained undefeated in FCS playoff |
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games hosted on its own turf, having won a total of 16 through the |
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years; and |
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WHEREAS, The Sam Houston State players battled No. 1 seed |
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South Dakota State University for the FCS crown on May 16 in Frisco; |
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in a contest beset by torrential rain and a lightning delay, the |
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Bearkats once again stormed back when the game was on the line; |
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trailing 21-17 with less than six minutes remaining, SHSU converted |
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a series of clutch fourth-down plays on its last possession before |
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scoring on a 10-yard touchdown strike with 16 seconds left to clinch |
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the 23-21 triumph; the team celebrated the first national title in |
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program history and capped the year with an unblemished record of 10 |
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wins and zero losses; and |
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WHEREAS, SHSU was led by Jequez Ezzard, the championship game |
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Most Outstanding Player, and Eric Schmid, the Southland Conference |
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Player of the Year; both were selected as FCS All-Americans, as were |
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Jahari Kay and Colby Thomas; the Bearkats also received valuable |
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contributions throughout the year from the other members of the |
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roster, and the players were guided by K. C. Keeler, the SLC Coach |
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of the Year and the all-time winningest coach in FCS playoff |
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history; everyone associated with the Bearkats demonstrated great |
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resilience during an unforgettable year; the team was forced to |
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compete in the spring after the 2020 season was postponed due to the |
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COVID-19 pandemic, and it also endured the hardships inflicted by |
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Winter Storm Uri in February 2021; and |
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WHEREAS, Winning a national title represents the culmination |
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of countless hours of training and an unwavering commitment to |
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excellence, and the Sam Houston State Bearkats may indeed reflect |
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with pride on a job well done; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Sam Houston State University |
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football team on winning the 2020-2021 NCAA Division I Football |
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Championship Subdivision title and extend to the team's players, |
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coaches, and staff sincere best wishes for continued success; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |