The 2020 Houston Baptist Huskies football team represented Houston Baptist University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Huskies played four non-conference games in the fall of 2020 and opted out of the Southland Conference season played in the spring of 2021 and instead competed as an FCS independent. Led by eighth-year head coach Vic Shealy, Houston Baptist compiled a record of 1–3. The team played home games at Husky Stadium in Houston.
Preseason
Preseason poll The Southland Conference released their original preseason poll in July 2020. The Huskies were picked to finish ninth in the conference, prior to their schedule split from the rest of the league. In addition, five Huskies were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team
1 Central Arkansas* 190 (12) 2 Sam Houston State 170 (4) 3 Nicholls 169 (6) 4 Southeastern Louisiana 157 5 McNeese State 113 6 Incarnate Word 104 7 Abilene Christian* 101 8 Stephen F. Austin* 60 9 Houston Baptist* 59 10 Northwestern State 49 11 Lamar 38 (*) These teams opted out of playing in the revised spring 2021 Southland schedule, and instead played as Independent in the fall of 2020.
Preseason All–Southland Teams
Offense
2nd Team Dreshawn Minnieweather – Running Back, SR Ben Ratzlaff – Wide Receiver, SR Jerreth Sterns – Wide Receiver, JR Blake Patterson – Punter, SR
Defense
2nd Team Caleb Johnson – Linebacker, SR
Schedule Houston Baptist had a game scheduled against Texas Southern, but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 22, Houston Baptist announced that it had added a game against Louisiana Tech as a replacement for Texas Southern.
Game summaries
At North Texas
Statistics HBUUNT First downs 28 33 Total yards 569 721 Rushing yards 89 360 Passing yards 480 361 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 31:41 28:19 Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Baptist Passing Bailey Zappe 39/62, 480 yards, 3 TD Rushing Ean Beek 12 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Ben Ratzlaff 6 receptions, 108 yards, TDNorth Texas Passing Jason Bean 11/18, 217 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Oscar Adaway III 5 rushes, 118 yards, 2 TD Receiving Greg White 2 receptions, 76 yards, TD
At Texas Tech
Statistics HBUTTU First downs 28 35 Total yards 600 624 Rushing yards 28 194 Passing yards 572 430 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:56 33:04 Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Baptist Passing Bailey Zappe 30/49, 567 yards, 4 TD Rushing Ean Beek 16 rushes, 34 yards Receiving Josh Sterns 5 receptions, 209 yards, 2 TDTexas Tech Passing Alan Bowman 38/52, 430 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing SaRodorick Thompson 22 rushes, 118 yards, 2 TD Receiving KeSean Carter 6 receptions, 86 yards, TD
At Louisiana Tech
Statistics HBULT First downs 26 32 Total yards 501 542 Rushing yards 95 182 Passing yards 406 360 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 29:37 30:23 Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Baptist Passing Bailey Zappe 37/58, 406 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Ean Beek 6 rushes, 35 yards Receiving Jerreth Sterns 14 receptions, 138 yards, 3 TDLouisiana Tech Passing Luke Anthony 17/30, 314 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Justin Henderson 11 rushes, 77 yards, TD Receiving Wayne Toussant 3 receptions, 91 yards, 2 TD
At Eastern Kentucky
Statistics HBUEKU First downs 24 26 Total yards 520 480 Rushing yards 140 184 Passing yards 380 296 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 27:41 32:19 Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Baptist Passing Bailey Zappe 35/46, 380 yards, 3 TD Rushing Dreshawn Minnieweather 9 rushes, 38 yards, TD Receiving Vernon Harrell 10 receptions, 98 yards, TDEastern Kentucky Passing Parker McKinney 25/40, 296 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Alonzo Booth 17 rushes, 108 yards, TD Receiving Keyion Dixon 6 receptions, 112 yards, TD
References