[Joseph Duarte, ChronBlog]
Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin have agreed to a four-year agreement to play their annual “Battle of the Piney Woods” football series at Reliant Stadium through 2013, organizers and school officials announced Tuesday.Great idea. Two small area schools, who have a pretty fierce rivalry that flies under the radar locally, getting a chance to play ball in the Regional NFL stadium. This is a theory that works well in other areas, and I don't see any reason it can't work in Houston.
The wife is a SHSU grad so I'm sure we'll be heading down to many of these games. Sam Houston home games are a good time, albeit on a much smaller scale.
On another note: Are those REALLY UH & Rice fans I see in the comments taking shots at the two schools for attendance???
It wasn't too many years prior UH fan that SHSU was coming close to outdrawing you. They're still close to outdrawing Rice. (And, this year, both teams are playing better football) Those who live in glass houses etc. etc.
Besides, D-1 schools picking on D-1AA schools is weak sauce. Sort of like Kansas State picking on poor aTm.