SPOKANE -- The Sam Houston State football traveled to Spokane, Washington Friday for their FCS semifinal playoff game against Eastern Washington. The Bearkats and Eagles will kick-off at 3:00pm central time Saturday afternoon. The game will be televised on ESPNU.

The trip to Spokane included a special ceremony during the flight. Four seniors who are missing graduation this weekend in Huntsville had their own ceremony on the plane. Audrey Williams who was a student worker in the Sam Houston sports information office for three years and is the daughter of Sam Houston State Athletic Director Bobby Williams was one of the seniors recognized.

Joining Williams in the graduation ceremony was Bearkat running back Vincent Dotson and offensive linemen Riley Smith and Kaleb Hopson. Smith said the ceremony was really special and a lot of fun. "I was actually asleep when they woke us up to go to the back of the plane and do it. The fake diploma says graduated at 36,000 feet so that is definitely going next to my real diploma on the wall. I was pretty excited."

Once the team plane landed in Spokane it was back to business with the game against Eastern Washington. The Bearkats won the only other meeting between these two teams in the 2004 FCS playoffs. Sam Houston rallied from a 20 point fourth quarter deficit to win 35-34.