HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The University of Northern Colorado football team went up against the nationally-ranked Sam Houston State Bearkats on Saturday and came up on the short end of a 20-7 decision.

It was the third time this season UNC has faced a nationally-ranked opponent. UNC also came up short against No. 7 Montana (27-16) and No. 17 Maine (38-0).

No. 10/11-ranked Sam Houston State improved to 6-1, while Northern Colorado fell to 1-7 on the season. It was the seventh straight loss for the Bears. The Bears had not lost seven games in a row since the end of the 1977 season and the beginning of the 1978 season. UNC lost its last five games in 1977 and then lost its first two games of the `78 campaign.

The Bears used a strong ground game from backup running back sophomore Jahir Waterman. Waterman started in place of an injured Andre Wilson, who missed the game with a high ankle sprain. Waterman rushed 31 times for 131 yards in his first career start.

Waterman began the game with a bang as he ripped off a 34-yard run on the Bears' first-play from scrimmage. The Bears failed to turn the drive into points as junior Justin Zaitz's 39-yard field attempt sailed wide left.

The UNC defense held the Bearkats on their first possession of the game and forced a punt. The Bears then used the running exploits of Waterman to drive 86 yards in just over six minutes. Waterman punched it in from nine yards out for his first career touchdown to give UNC a 7-0 lead with 3:55 to go in the first quarter.

Waterman came into the contest having rushed for 81 career yards. Waterman rushed for 88 yards in the first two drives of the game on Saturday.

Sam Houston State put its first points on the board early in the second quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Lance Garner. Garner's three-pointer pulled Sam Houston State to within 7-3 with 12:51 to go in the second quarter.

UNC junior quarterback Tony Christensen hooked up on a 51-yard pass with senior wide receiver Vincent Jackson to put the Bears back into scoring position as the Bears went from their own 25-yard line to the Bearkats 24-yard line. Sam Houston State's defense came alive as the Bears entered the red zone and the Bears' offense had to settle for a 28-yard field goal attempt from Zaitz. However, Zaitz missed his second straight field goal as this attempt went wide right.

UNC came up big on a punt block on SHSU's next possession. The Bears' Reed Doughty blocked the punt to give the Bears the ball at the SHSU 16-yard line.

UNC moved the ball to the one-yard line with the strong running of Waterman. However, a false start penalty moved the ball back to the five-yard line and two incomplete passes later left the Bears with another short field goal attempt. But Zaitz missed his third field goal of the first half from 23 yards away and left the Bears holding a 7-3 lead.

Sam Houston State wasted little time in benefiting from the Bears' field goal issues. SHSU went 80 yards in two plays and scored on a 51-yard pass from Dustin Long to Jason Methenia. The Bearkats then led 10-7 with 3:17 to go in the second quarter.

UNC tried to respond to the Bearkat score, but Christensen threw his 13th interception of the game to SHSU's Byran Richmond. Richmond returned the ball 20 yards to the UNC 30-yard line.

The Bearkats upped their lead to 10 points on a 5-yard scoring strike from Long to Robert Garmon. The Bears looked to have Garmon bottled up at the two-yard line, but the Bearkat running back fought threw two tackles and punched the ball across the goal line. The score came with only 16 seconds left in the half and gave Sam Houston State a 17-7 lead going into halftime.

The third quarter was dominated by both team's defenses. UNC held on a pair of SHSU drives, while the Bearkats third quarter highlight came on an interception by Richmond, his second game, as the Bears drove inside the 20-yard line again. However on SHSU's first play after the turnover, UNC redshirt freshman defensive back Aaron Henderson intercepted a Bearkat pass. But the Bears could not do anything with the turnover and had to punt the ball back to Sam Houston State.

Sam Houston State mustered its longest drive of the second half on the ensuing drive and finished it off with a 26-yard field goal from Garner. The drive went for 81 yards and consumed 6:23 off the clock. The field goal was kicked with 14:05 to go in the fourth quarter and gave SHSU a 20-7 advantage.

Jackson caught a game-high eight passes for 132 yards. Christensen passed for 177 yards on 11-of-21 passing before leaving the game with a left knee injury.

Defensively, the Bears were led by Thomas Smith with 10 tackles, including two for losses.

The Bears will have a bye week next weekend before heading back to Nottingham Field on Nov. 6 as they battle Southern Utah in Great West action.

NOTES: Jackson gained 21 yards on three punt returns to displace Earnest Collins for the Bears' all-time punt return yardage record (981 yards) ... Waterman came into the game having gained 81 career rushing yards ... Waterman gained 110 yards in the first half on 21 carries ... Cory Sleeth caught a career-high five passes for 36 yards ... Zaitz missed three field goals (39, 20, 28) in the first half ... the misses (20 and 28 yards) were the first of Zaitz's career at UNC from less than 31 yards after he had made his first 14 field goals of that length or shorter ... the longest losing streak in school history came in the years spanning 1900-1917 when UNC lost 11 straight games ... however the Bears did not field a team in 1901-1904 and from 1906-1916.