Two talented Texas teams take the stage under the lights this Friday night as bitter Lonestar Conference rivals #6 Sam Houston State and Texas State look for a signature win to right the ship after some early season struggles.
Newcomers to NCR, the two teams may not be well known to fans tuning in. But the cross-state foes are certainly familiar with each other, often battling right up to the final whistle in their matchups over the last few years. And one thing is for sure when these two meet, which is perhaps best summed up by a quote from poet philosopher Olivia Newton John. Despite the fact that Newton John is more of a rugby league fan, her words still ring true for this match: when the Bearkats and the Renegades square off “it’s gonna get physical.”
If fans are familiar with one of these teams it’s probably Sam Houston, who have won the last three Lonestar Bowls⸺they dismantled a talented Kansas team 64-0 in last year’s contest⸺ and a DI-AA CRC 7s Championship in 2022. The Bearkats are 2-1 so far in 2025 with wins over Rice (72-0) and Texas (36-24). Though they escaped with a win against the Longhorns, coach Luke Nenes says the match was an eye-opener for the team, letting them know they weren’t where they wanted or needed to be this season. Following an off week after their game against Baylor was postponed, the squad came out flat on the road against Southern Nazarene, the #19 ranked team in Division I, and were handed their first loss of the season, a 19-43 drubbing in which they struggled to stay competitive throughout.
The loss has thrown a little extra fuel on the fire this week in practice, according to the team, as the boys are hungry to prove that the loss was just a blip on the radar as they pursue November glory at Nationals. According to Nenes, the team knows the system and structure they want to play three games into the 2025 season, they just have to execute to a high level. They also know that they’ll have to do so while matching, or exceeding, the level of physicality that the Renegades will bring to the match as they play the role of David to Sam Houston’s Goliath.
The team is confident they can face that challenge, however, as the brunt of the physicality will be borne on the brawny shoulders of the team’s All-American front rowers Drake Torno and Preston James as well as senior standout Chad Okpara. Torno has actually been selected as an All-American for the entirety of his collegiate career to this point and at two positions, hooker and scrumhalf. It’s an impressive feat, to be selected as both a forward and a back, and something that has not happened before in this writer’s admittedly feeble memory.
The Bearkats’ forwards are also bolstered by captain Carter Grom in the engine room, who leads with the Rooseveltian philosophy of speak softly but carry a big stick. Sophomore flyhalf Devon Smith also adds some dynamism to their backline, and local freshman Tate Standridge has reportedly provided a breath of fresh air at fullback in his debut season.
To counter Sam Houston’s physicality, Texas State will rely on the two Kyles: versatile captain Kyle Tucker, who has played multiple positions in the pack so far this season for the Renegades, and club president Kyle Campbell. They will also look to flyhalf Cole Douglass to make some magic on offense early in this game to put them ahead.
Much like the Bearkats, Texas State has struggled with starting games off on the right foot this season, especially on the road. The Renegades came out flat in an away game against LSU and lost 24-12 despite a furious late comeback effort. They also got steamrolled early by #7 Texas A&M, another conference foe, and wound up on the wrong end of a 70-10 scoreline. However, the team did sandwich a promising 41-10 win over Baylor between those two losses. And they believe that each loss is still a valuable learning experience for their young core of inexperienced players who have been progressing much faster than the team expected.
That young core will have to play a tight game to hold off Sam Houston State on Friday Night. The Renegades will want to pressure the Bearkats on defense, make clean, dominant tackles, and they’ll have to be impeccable at the breakdown to hold off Sam Houston’s expert poachers.
For Sam Houston, the key will be to get front-foot ball with their dominant forward pack and to use some of the big boots they have in the backline to win the territory battle. Once they’re in Texas State territory, however, they’ll have to execute. Any mistakes could lead to devastating counterattacks or momentum swings in what is sure to be a tight contest.
With two teams looking to prove themselves in a physical contest between conference rivals, there are sure to be some fireworks.
Tune into The College Rugby Show at 6pm EST before you watch this epic Friday Night Rugby matchup at 7pm EST.
