'Proud of my Bearkats': Finner congratulates Sam Houston State University on FCS Championship win

Following the Sam Houston State University Bearkats Football Team winning their first-ever FCS Championship 23-21 over South Dakota State, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, a former Bearkat himself, hailed the win.

Finner took to Twitter to share his congratulations with the Bearkats.

“Congratulations to all the players and @CoachKCKeeler @BobbyWilliamsAD on winning the championship,” Finner said in a tweet. “Proud of my Bearkats!”

The Bearkats took their win over the Jackrabbits following a lengthy delay in the second quarter due to lightning, according to coverage by ESPN. Leaving the score 14-7, Bearkats at the half, South Dakota outscored Sam Houston in the second half, putting up 14 points in the final quarter against nine points scored by the Bearkats in the entire second half.

"It just showed such character by our kids. You're talking about the ultimate game and you have to make one last drive," South Dakota Head Coach K.C. Keeler was quoted as saying by ESPN. "It's really a special group when you consider this thing started in June and we had no idea when this thing would ever end.”

There were multiple delays to the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a season that should have ended in January extending into May, ESPN reported. 

“You know, we decided not to play a fall season,” Keeler was quoted as saying by ESPN. “It's been an emotion-draining year, a physically draining year."

The No. 2 seed Bearkats secured the win only in the final minutes of the game, with a touchdown pass from Eric Schmid to Ife Adeyi, according to coverage by CBS Sports.

Keeler also comes away from the win distinguished as the first coach to lead multiple programs to FCS national championships, CBS Sports reported. His first win was with Delaware in 2003, and he was previously tied with Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel for most ever FCS playoff wins.