In The News

HOUSTON – Today, the Houston Texans and NFL Mexico, in partnership with Tec de Monterrey and NRG Park, announced the creation of the inaugural Mexican College Football Showcase, which will be held on Friday, Sept. 8 at NRG Stadium. 

Known as the “Clásico Regio” in Mexico, this notable matchup between the Borregos from Tec de Monterrey and the Tigres from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León marks the first ever ONEFA regular season game to be played in the United States.

“We are proud to partner with NFL Mexico and Tec de Monterrey to bring this historic matchup to NRG Stadium this fall,” Houston Texans President Greg Grissom said. “This partnership presents an exciting opportunity to establish an international network for college football and grow the game on a global level while offering passionate local fans the chance to enjoy the best rivalry in Mexican college football right here in Houston.”

This partnership between the city of Houston and Monterrey highlights the longstanding history of collaboration in industry and sport between the two communities that will enable a broader audience to partake in the rich traditions of this historic game. 

“I am looking forward to this thrilling opportunity for the city to host the first-ever regular season ONEFA college football game at NRG Stadium,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “As a sports city, we are well-prepared to welcome fans from all over the world. Houston is eagerly awaiting the exciting game ahead and further strengthening our ties with Monterrey.”

The matchup between Tec de Monterrey and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León leads up to the NFL’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15.

“This is an exciting and historic moment for college football in Mexico, and it is fantastic to see two of the top college teams represent our country in the United States,” added Arturo Olive, Director General NFL Mexico. “It will be a great showcase of the Mexican college game at the highest level and promises to be a great spectacle for fans.”

A press conference with Tec de Monterrey Rector David Garza Salazar, UANL Rector Santos Guzman Lopez, NFL Mexico Director General Arturo Olive, and Houston Texans President Greg Grissom will be held on Thursday, June 29 at 5:30p.m. CT and may be viewed at live.tec.mx. Tickets and additional information can be found at MCFS.com.

About Tecnológico de Monterrey

Tecnológico de Monterrey (http://www.tec.mx) is a private nonprofit multi-campus university system founded in 1943, and distinguished globally for its academic excellence, innovation in education, entrepreneurship, and global vision, along with its deep engagement with industry and employers, and its high executional capability. With a presence across 28 cities in Mexico, the institution has more than 67,000 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students, almost 7,000 faculty members, and more than 26,000 high school students served by 2,500 professors. The institution has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) since 1950. According to the QS World University Rankings (2023), Tecnológico de Monterrey ranks 170th globally and among the top 30 private universities worldwide. The QS Graduate Employability Rankings (2022) places the institution 1st in Latin America and 26th globally for Employer Reputation. The Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings (2022) ranks the institution 1st in Mexico and 5th in Latin America. Tecnológico de Monterrey is the only university outside the USA included in The Princeton Review & Entrepreneur magazine ranking of Top Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies (2023), placing 4th for undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. Tecnológico de Monterrey belongs to several prestigious global networks including, the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), Universitas 21 (U21), and The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).

HUNTSVILLE — A rivalry will be renewed when Sam Houston plays Texas State at NRG Stadium in Houston during the 2024 season.

Sam Houston football has played annually at NRG Stadium since 2010 and that will continue into the FBS as the Bearkats join Conference USA on July 1. It was announced in October that Sam Houston will play Air Force at the home of the Houston Texans this upcoming season. 

The Bearkats and Bobcats have previously played each other 91 times from 1915 to 2011 with the only break in the series coming during World War II (1943-45). Texas State leads the all-time series 50-36-5.

“Anytime two rivals with over a century of history come back together, it’s exciting for the fans, the schools and the community. We couldn’t be more thrilled for NRG Stadium to play host next fall to welcoming back this great Texas rivalry for the first time in over a decade,” said David Fletcher, General Manager of Lone Star Sports and Entertainment.

 The game will take place on Sept. 28, 2024, and the Bearkats will be considered the home team. The last time the two teams met on the field were as members of the Southland Conference in 2011 before Texas State joined the Sun Belt with Sam Houston coming away with a 36-14 victory in San Marcos.

NRG Stadium is a venue that Sam Houston first started playing at in 2010 when it joined forces with Stephen F. Austin and Lone Star Sports and Entertainment to move the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry to Houston.

 The game against Texas State concludes the 2024 non-conference portion of the schedule for the Bearkats. Sam Houston will play at Rice on Aug. 31, at Central Florida on Sept. 7 and host Hawai'i on Sept. 14.

HOUSTON –The 2022 Battle of the Piney Woods presented by H-E-B, featuring the Sam Houston Bearkats and Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on this Saturday, October 1, from NRG Stadium in Houston. Ahead of Saturday’s showdown, fans will have the opportunity participate in two free fan events to extend and enhance the weekend around one of Texas’ oldest college football rivalries. 

On Friday, September 30^th, Bearkat and Lumberjack fans can attend the free Karbachtoberfest at Krabach Biergarten (2032 Karbach St.) for live music from some amazing oompah bands, the notorious Stein-Hoisting Competition, Wiener Dog Races, and concerts on Friday night starting at 7 p.m. CT.  On Saturday, TexFest will open up on the NRG Stadium grounds starting at 12 p.m. with music, food, giveaways and fun for all ages.  Access to TexFest is free for all fans with a game ticket. 

For the second consecutive year, a live television broadcast of the game will be provided by Bally Sports Southwest across the network’s four-state footprint, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Randy McIlvoy and John Harris will provide the call, with Deepi Sidhu reporting from the sideline. The radio broadcast of the game will be available in the Houston market on SportsRadio 610 KILT-AM with Adam Spolane doing the play-by-play and Seth Payne providing the color commentary.

Fans can purchase tickets and find game information at www.battleofthepineywoods.com, by visiting the Sam Houston Athletics site at www.gobearkats.com or by visiting the SFA Athletics site at www.sfajacks.com.

This year’s game marks the 96th meeting between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin dating back to 1923, making the matchup the third oldest college football rivalry in the state of Texas. In 2021, the Sam Houston emerged with a 21-20 victory over the Stephen F. Austin, erasing a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. The Bearkats hold a 58-35-2 edge in the all-time series entering the 2022 matchup.

About Lone Star Sports & Entertainment

Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans. Since its founding, LSSE has established itself as the leading sports event promoter in Houston. In addition to producing annual college football events such as the TaxAct Texas Bowl and the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin, LSSE has emerged as a premier promoter for international soccer matches, including the Copa de Lone Star, Copa America Centenario, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United, the 2006 FC Barcelona U.S. tour, the International Champions Cup, the 2003 and 2008 matches between the United States and Mexico, and the 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019 and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cups.

About H-E-B

H-E-B, with annual sales of more than $34 billion, operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience at everyday low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 110,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com.

Media Contacts

Tim Wiemann – tim.wiemann@houstontexans.com

Rachel Richards – rachel.richards@houstontexans.com

HOUSTON – Lone Star Sports & Entertainment today announced that the 2022 Battle of the Piney Woods presented by H-E-B, featuring the Sam Houston Bearkats and Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, from NRG Stadium in Houston. For the second consecutive year, a live television broadcast of the game will be provided by Bally Sports Southwest across the network’s four-state footprint, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Randy McIlvoy and Taylor McHargue will provide the call, with Deepi Sidhu reporting from the sideline. A radio broadcast of the game will be available in the Houston market on SportsRadio 610 KILT-AM. Fans can purchase tickets and find game information at www.lsse.net/battle-of-the-piney-woods, by visiting the Sam Houston Athletics site at www.gobearkats.com or by visiting the SFA Athletics site at www.sfajacks.com.

“H-E-B is excited to build on the Battle of the Piney Woods partnership with Bally Sports Southwest. This year’s slot will continue to grow exposure for this historic matchup,” said H-E-B Houston Director of Marketing Joe Casiano.  “We can’t wait to welcome Bearkat and Lumberjack fans back to NRG Stadium on October 1.”

This year’s game marks the 96th meeting between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin dating back to 1923, making the matchup the third oldest college football rivalry in the state of Texas. In 2021, the Sam Houston emerged with a 21-20 victory over the Stephen F. Austin, erasing a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. The Bearkats hold a 58-35-2 edge in the all-time series entering the 2022 matchup.

About Lone Star Sports & Entertainment

Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans. Since its founding, LSSE has established itself as the leading sports event promoter in Houston. In addition to producing annual college football events such as the TaxAct Texas Bowl and the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry between Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin, LSSE has emerged as a premier promoter for international soccer matches, including the Copa de Lone Star, Copa America Centenario, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United, the 2006 FC Barcelona U.S. tour, the International Champions Cup, the 2003 and 2008 matches between the United States and Mexico, and the 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019 and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cups.

About H-E-B

H-E-B, with annual sales of more than $34 billion, operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience at everyday low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 145,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com.

Media Contact

Jackson Riebel – jackson.riebel@houstontexans.com