HOUSTON—Following a bye week, Jax State takes on Sam Houston in its first of three Weekday CUSA contests this season.
 
The Gamecocks sit at 2-3 on the season and will look to improve to 2-0 in league play when they take on the Bearkats at Shell Energy Stadium which is serving as the home of the Sam Houston team in 2025 as Bowers Stadium undergoes major renovations.
 
The ground game has been the key to the offense, currently ranking sixth nationally in rushing per game at 261.4. Cam Cook, one of the newest additions to the Maxwell Award Watch List has rushed for at least 75 yards in all five games wearing red and white.
 
It's just 30 miles from Shell Energy Stadium to Katy, Texas the hometown of leading tackler Trevor Woods who has racked up 29 total stops, a forced fumble, and an interception in his first season in the Gamecock secondary. Freshman Mac Sanders posted 13 total stops in his second career start at Southern Miss and is second on the team in total tackles with 26.
 
Sam Houston has faced the toughest schedule of any Conference USA team this season according to the Massey Ratings, and will be playing a home game for just the second time this season. The Bearkats have dialed up four 50-yard plays this season and 16 different players have caught a pass this season.
 
On defense, Eamon Allen has a pair of interceptions, and has returned one for a touchdown. CJ Brown is among the league leaders in pass breakups with four.
 
This is the third consecutive season the Gamecocks and Bearkats have played on national television with the 2023 game being settled in overtime. After falling behind 21-7, Logan Smothers threw for two touchdowns, including one to Perry Carter with 13 seconds remaining and ran for a third to send the game to overtime where Sean Brown's 24-yard touchdown catch from Smothers won it.
 
Jax State got three Tyler Huff touchdown runs at AmFirst Stadium last year for a 21-11 win over Sam Houston, despite only having three possession in the second half to secure home field advantage in the Conference USA Championship.  
 
Jax State leads the all-time series 7-6 between the two former Southland Conference foes.
 
Shell Energy Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Downtown Houston which serves as the regular home of the Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dash professional soccer teams.
 
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.