Miles recognizes Bearkats on state Senate floor: ‘Thank you for making Texas proud’

After the Sam Houston University football team’s first National Championship win, beating South Dakota State 23-21 in the final minutes, Sen. Borris Miles (D-Houston) hosted members of the team for an official recognition.

Miles, who attended Sam Houston State, posted about the recognition on his official Twitter account.

“As a proud alumni of Sam Houston State University, I was thrilled to recognize a few of the Nation Champion Bearkats on the Senate Floor today,” Miles said in his tweet. “Thank you for making Texas proud. Always and forever, Go Bearkats!”

Miles, who runs his own insurance agency, the Borris L. Miles Insurance Agency, graduated from Sam Houston State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was joined by fellow Bearkat alum Troy Finner, Houston’s chief of police, in sending out congratulations to the team.

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

According to coverage by ESPN, the game was only decided in the final minutes with a last-minute touchdown. South Dakota State had been in the lead, 21-17, with just over five minutes left in the game.

"It just showed such character by our kids. You're talking about the ultimate game and you have to make one last drive," Sam Houston State University 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. You know, we decided not to play a fall season. It's been an emotion-draining year, a physically draining year."