The Sam Houston Bearkats have added the Nicholls Colonels to their 2026 football schedule, according to their official athletics website.
Sam Houston will host Nicholls at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The game will mark the 36th overall gridiron meeting between the two schools.
Sam Houston and Nicholls first met in football on Sept. 15, 1979 in Huntsville, which resulted in a 29-10 Colonels victory. In their most recent contest on March 13, 2021, the Bearkats rolled to a 71-17 win at home to extend their advantage in the overall series to 22-12-1.
Nicholls currently competes in the Southland Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which has been their home since 1991. Sam Houston competed in the Southland from 1986 through 2021 before later moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and joining Conference USA.
Sam Houston is slated to open the 2026 season on the road against the Troy Trojans on Sept. 5 before hosting the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Sept. 12. A road tilt against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Sept. 26 rounds out the non-conference slate for the Bearkats.
Sam Houston is the first known non-conference opponent for Nicholls’ 2026 football schedule.
The 2026 season is currently slated to be an 11-game schedule for FCS teams. That could change, however, as there has been a proposal to permanently play 12 games per season.
[h/t @SportsofSHSU]
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