2012 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

2012 Sam Houston State Bearkats football
Southland co-champion
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 2
FCS CoachesNo. 2
Record114 (61 Southland)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDoug Ruse (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread option
Defensive coordinatorScott Stoker (4th season)
Base defense3–3–5
Home stadiumBowers Stadium
2012 Southland Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 10 Central Arkansas +^  6 1   9 3  
No. 2 Sam Houston State +^  6 1   11 4  
Southeastern Louisiana  5 2   5 6  
McNeese State  4 3   7 4  
Stephen F. Austin  4 3   5 6  
Northwestern State  2 5   4 7  
Lamar  1 6   4 8  
Nicholls State  0 7   1 10  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • ^ FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2012 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bearkats were led by third-year head coach Willie Fritz and played their home games at Bowers Stadium. They were a member of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 11–4, 6–1 in Southland play to claim a share of the regular season conference championship. They earned an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs where they advanced to the national championship game where, for the second consecutive year, they lost to North Dakota State.