Two teams searching for answers meet on a Tuesday night, and only one of them enters with any momentum at all.
The Sam Houston Bearkats (1-6) arrive on a four-game losing streak, while the Missouri State Bears (2-5) carry a one-game skid into their own building.
Kickoff is set for Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET at Robert W. Plaster Stadium, with the game airing on ESPN2.
Game details
| When | Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET |
| Where | Robert W. Plaster Stadium |
| TV | ESPN2 |
| Line | Missouri State Bears -6.5 | O/U 49.5 (market view) |
| Sam Houston Bearkats record | 1-6 |
| Missouri State Bears record | 2-5 |
The matchup
Sam Houston has not won since a Week 3 blowout of the Nicholls Colonels, 59-0. Since then it's been a rough stretch: a 14-49 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, a 3-35 defeat against the Liberty Flames, a 3-16 loss to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, and most recently a 24-30 loss at home to the New Mexico State Aggies in Week 8.
Missouri State's week-to-week results have been just as choppy. The Bears dropped their most recent game 38-61 on the road against the Delaware Blue Hens, but the week before that they beat the Kennesaw State Owls 24-21 at home. Before that stretch came a 13-34 loss to Western Kentucky, a 24-34 loss to the SMU Mustangs, and a 24-30 loss to the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Key matchups
The number that jumps out is Missouri State's defense, which has allowed 244 points this season against a Sam Houston offense that has managed just 141 points. If the Bearkats can't find ways to move the ball against that unit, it's going to be a long night.
On the other side, Sam Houston's defense has given up 177 points this season, and it will face a Missouri State offense that has put up 171. Whichever defense holds up better in that exchange probably decides this one.
The pick
The market has Missouri State favored by 6.5 with a total of 49.5, and the market score sits at Missouri State Bears 28, Sam Houston Bearkats 22.
Missouri State is coming off just one loss compared to Sam Houston's four straight, and that recent form lines up with the number. The Bears get the edge here, though neither defense has shown it can slow much of anything down this season.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Sam Houston Bearkats | Wk8 L 24-30 vs New Mexico State Aggies, Wk7 L 3-16 vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Wk6 L 3-35 vs Liberty Flames |
| Missouri State Bears | Wk8 L 38-61 vs Delaware Blue Hens, Wk7 W 24-21 vs Kennesaw State Owls, Wk6 L 13-34 vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.