The Teams: Tarleton Texans (4-4, 1-2 WAC) vs. Lamar Cardinals (2-6, 0-3 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (John Liddle, Richard Bartel)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Cody Vannoy, Keltin Wiens)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
The Texans will look to bounce back with a conference game against Lamar, who is riding a five-game losing streak.
 
The game, set for 6 p.m. CT at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with John Liddle and Richard Bartel on the call. The game can be heard on Tarleton Sports Network at 90.5 FM in Stephenville and surrounding areas, with Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Cody Vannoy and Keltin Wiens leading the broadcast.
 
GAME DAY FESTIVITIES
Tarleton is hosting its 4th Annual "Legends Game" to celebrate the 1991 Texan Baseball team's 30th anniversary. There will also be a postgame fireworks show for fans to enjoy.
 
The Texans are honoring the school's great leader with a Faculty and Staff Appreciation Game, in which all faculty and staff have access to free West Side General Admission tickets. Fans can get into the game for as little as $5 by using coupon code "LEGENDS" during checkout. The offer is only available online, tickets are for East Side General Admission or End Zone.
 
Texan Alley Tailgate will open at 9 a.m. in Lot A. For maps of the area and complete tailgating policies, visit TarletonSports.com/TexanAlley. Non-tailgating lots will open at 2 p.m., while the stadium gates will open at 4 p.m. At 4:30 p.m. at Texan Alley, the Tarleton Game Day Radio Show will begin live from onsite.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the first meeting between these two teams. When playing a brand-new opponent at home, the Texans are 27-12 in such games.
• This is the second of three straight games for Tarleton against a fellow WAC opponent. With wins in the next two, the Texans will finish above .500 in their first year in the conference at 3-2.
• Lamar is riding an active five-game losing streak. The Cardinals have lost three straight on the road. This is their last road game of the season.
• Lamar is averaging 17.0 points (tied-105th), allowing 34.9 PPG (107th) with a -5 turnover margin (5 INT, 2 FR to 5 INT, 7 FR).

 
QUICK HITS

• This is Tarleton's 4th Annual "Legends Game" in which the 1991 Texan Baseball team will be honored, celebrating its 30th anniversary. The team was the first in program history to win 40 games in a season and delivered the first TIAA championship under Hall of Fame Head Coach Jack Allen.
• With a win against Lamar, Tarleton will earn its fifth win of the season. That would mark the sixth straight season the Texans have won at least five games, the 10th time in their last 11 seasons, 21st time of the last 23.
• Over his last three games, Steven Duncan has compiled nine touchdowns and 842 passing yards (282.7 per).
• In the last game, Benjie Franklin recorded 10 tackles and an interception. He shattered his previous career-high of six tackles, done three times before. He's also the first Texan with an interception and 10+ tackles in the same game since EJ Speed had a pick and 17 tackles against #1 Minnesota State- Mankato on Dec. 1, 2018, in the playoffs. Speed currently plays for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
• When in the red zone on both sides of the ball, Tarleton has had success all year. On offense, the Texans have scored on 30-of-35 trips, a .857 clip. Their 30 scores would be 14th-best in the FCS, if not for the transition leaderboard hiatus. Meanwhile, the defense has allowed 20 scores in the red zone, a would-be top-40 FCS mark.

 
QB1 TAKING CHARGE
Following a tough loss at Eastern Kentucky (now ranked #19), quarterback Steven Duncan has taken a big step as the leader of the Texans. On his first three drives following that loss, Duncan led his squad on three 67+ yard touchdown drives. Over the past three games, Duncan has combined for nine touchdowns and 842 passing yards. He has not had an individual turnover over the last three games, and as a team, the Texans have only had one turnover total, even after facing one of the best defenses in the nation in #1 Sam Houston.
 
Against the Bearkats, Duncan threw for a career-high 403 yards to go with four touchdowns. He surpassed his previous career-high of 347 yards at Dixie State on March 13, 2021. It was the first 400+ passing yard game by a Texan since Ben Holmes had 451 passing yards at Western New Mexico on Nov. 16, 2019. Saturday was Duncan's third career four-touchdown game and second of the season (Sept. 18 vs. Southern Utah).
 
Now on the season, Duncan is 144-of-226 (.637) for 1,832 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 63.7 completion percentage stands as the second best in a single-season in Tarleton history, behind a 66.2 mark in 2012. For his Texan career, he's at 61.6 percent, presently the third best percentage in a Texan quarterback's career, behind Chase Sugarek (63.9, 2000-02) and Zed Woerner (61.8, 2014-17). With seemingly every touchdown thrown from here on out, he'll be climbing the leaderboard for most touchdowns by a Tarleton QB in a season. He's two short of matching J.D. McMahon (17, 1968) for 15th-most in a season. He needs five more TDs to reach the top 10.
 
BITSON THE BENEFICIARY
The biggest beneficiary from Duncan's efficient passing numbers has been Tariq Bitson, who has put together an impressive resume in his short time at Tarleton. On Saturday, Bitson added seven receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns, leading the team in receiving for the fifth time in eight games. On the year, Bitson has 35 catches for 612 yards and six touchdowns, with three 100+ yard games and two multi-touchdown games this season. He's had five career 100+ receiving yard games in his 15 total Tarleton contests, now the tied-11th most such games since 1978. He needs two more receiving TDs to make it into the top-10 for touchdown grabs in a season. Only 19 FCS players have caught more touchdowns than Bitson this season.
 
BEST OF THE BEST
It's been quite the season for Devin Hafford. Through eight games, the senior has six interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 13 passes defended and 28 total tackles (19 solo). His six interceptions match his career total he had entering 2021, which was five seasons, 45 games worth.
 
Across all of NCAA Division I football (FBS and FCS), Hafford has the most takeaways (eight), the tied-most interceptions (six), and the most multi-takeaway games (three). In takeaways, the closest players are both in the FCS at seven in Western Illinois' Michael Lawson and Montana's Justin Ford.  Hafford is tied with Ford at six interceptions apiece. Hafford has had three games with two turnovers in each; two FRs at SFA, two INTs against Southern Utah, and two INTs vs. Midwestern State.
 
In program history, Hafford's 12 career interceptions are the tied-third most in school history. He's tied with Dashaun Phillips (2010-13), only trailing Michael Dube (1989-92) and Lance Trinque (1979-82), who both had 14 interceptions in their Texan careers. His six interceptions this season are the tied-sixth most in a single-season in Tarleton football history, just two short of matching the most in one season in the program's total run. Craig Wright had eight in 1982, as did Walter Moeglin in 1966.
 
BRING ON THE CROWDS
On Oct. 23, Tarleton achieved its 15K Initiative -- host a school record 15,000 fans for the homecoming game against Midwestern State. TSU saw 16,216 fans through the turnstiles at Memorial Stadium, the most fans an FCS WAC team has hosted in a home stadium (SFA and Sam Houston played in front of 25,007 at a neutral site). In fact, Tarleton has hosted the two largest crowds by a WAC team in its home stadium this season. The home-opening crowd of 12,078 fans who watched the Texans beat Fort Lewis on Sept. 11 was the second largest showing.
 
BEST OF THE WAC
Tarleton is prominently featured across the top of the Western Athletic Conference stat leaderboards this year...
Steven Duncan:
- 2nd in total passing yards (1,832)
- 2nd in total completions (144)
- 3rd in total passing touchdowns (15)
- 3rd in completion percentage (.637)
- 3rd in passing yards per game (229.0)
Jayy McDonald:
- 2nd in rushing yards per game (62.7)
- 2nd in average yards per carry (6.2)
- T-2nd in total rushing touchdowns (three)
- 5th in total rushing yards (439)
Tariq Bitson:
- 1st in average yards per catch (17.5)
- 2nd in total receiving yards (612)
- 2nd in receiving yards per game (76.5)
- T-2nd in total receiving touchdowns (six)
- 3rd in total receptions (35)
- 4th in receptions per game (4.4)
D.J. Harris:
- 3rd in total tackles (66)
- 4th in tackles per game (8.3)
- T-4th in total tackles for a loss (6.0)
Devin Hafford:
- 1st in interceptions (six)
- T-1st in fumble recoveries (two)
- 2nd in total pass breakups (seven)
Ronnell Wilson:
- 4th in total tackles (54)
- T-4th in total tackles for loss (6.5)
- 5th in tackles per game (6.8)
Marsean Fisher:
- T-3rd in total pass breakups (six)
Benjie Franklin:
- T-3rd in total pass breakups (six)
Tre Johnson:
- T-3rd in total pass breakups (six)
Adrian Guzman:
- 2nd in field goal makes (eight)
- 3rd in scoring (51 points)
Jake Walrath:
- 1st in punts inside the 20 (13)
- 1st in total punt yards (1,724)
- 2nd in average yards per punt (43.1)
 
TACKLING TEAMMATES
Starting linebackers D.J. Harris and Ronnell Wilson are great friends off the field and constant competitors on the field. In fact, they host a competition between themselves on who can tally the most tackles in a season. Harris is winning the battle in 2021 so far with his team-leading 66 tackles (35 solo), although Wilson is not far behind. The senior is second on the team with 54 total tackles (32 solo). The top two Tarleton tacklers are third and fourth on the WAC's total tackles leaderboard. They're fourth and fifth, respectively, on the WAC's tackles per game board (8.3 per for Harris, 6.8 per for Wilson).
 
On Oct. 23 against Midwestern State, Wilson racked up 11 tackles. On his ninth in the second quarter, he surpassed Robert Ivey (339, 1985-88) for second on Tarleton's all-time tackles leaderboard. At 344 career tackles, Wilson only trails Tally Neal in Texan history (613 tackles, 1975-78).
 
NICE TO BE RECOGNIZED
Several Tarleton individuals have been recognized for their great performances this season. Just last week, Devin Hafford was named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, and Marsean Fisher was named to the 2021 Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice Award watch list. Here's everyone who has earned an individual award or some notice this season...
 
In Week 2, linebacker D.J. Harris was named the TicketSmarter WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his dominant performance against Fort Lewis. Harris had 13 tackles (six solo), a forced safety, 1.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles for a loss and three quarterback hurries.
 
In Week 4, defensive back Greg Eggleston Jr. was named the TicketSmarter WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his two-interception game against New Mexico Highlands. He's the first Tarleton freshman (true or redshirt) to have two interceptions in a single game since Dee Collins had two picks against Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2008 as a redshirt freshman.
 
In Week 7, wide receiver J.F. Thomas and kicker Adrian Guzman were named the TicketSmarter WAC Offensive and Special Teams Players of the Week from their nights at Dixie State. Thomas pulled in six catches for 169 yards and a touchdown, with four of his receptions surpassing 30+ yards. It's his first 100+ yard game in over two years. Guzman made two field goals and all five of his extra point attempts. His two field goal makes tied a season-high for makes in a game, and both were 37-yard attempts, new season-longs for the freshman.
 
In Week 8, defensive back Devin Hafford was named the TicketSmarter WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his two-interception game against Midwestern State. He also tallied two pass breakups and seven tackles. After the game, he led all of NCAA Division I in takeaways (eight), interceptions (six) and multi-takeaway games (three).
 
In the middle of Week 9, defensive back Marsean Fisher was one of 22 FCS players named to the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award watch list. The award is presented to the national freshman of the year in college football's Division I subdivision. At the time of the announcement, he was tied-third in the WAC in pass breakups (six).
 
THE BEST IN TEXAS
Since the start of the 2018 season, there has not been a better scholarship football program in the entire state of Texas than Tarleton State University. The Texans enter Saturday's game with 32 wins since the start of 2018, tied for the most wins in the state by an NCAA Division I or II program. The list of the top scholarship programs in Texas over that span are as follows:
 

#	School	League	Wins
1.	Tarleton	WAC	32
	Texas A&M	SEC	32
3.	Sam Houston	WAC	30
4.	Texas	Big XII	29
	SMU	AAC	29
6.	Baylor	Big XII	27
	A&M-Commerce	LSC	27
8.	Angelo State	LSC	23
9.	UTSA	C-USA	22
	West Texas A&M	LSC	22

 
MILESTONE WATCH
2: At 12 interceptions in his career, Devin Hafford is two short of tying Michael Dube (14, 1989-92) and Lance Trinque (14, 1979-82) for the most career interceptions by a Texan.
 
2: At six interceptions on the year, Devin Hafford is two short of tying Craig Wright (1982) and Walter Moeglin (1966) for the most interceptions in a single -season by a Texan.
 
2: At 15 touchdown passes on the season, Steven Duncan is two short of matching J.D. McMahon (1968) for the 15th-most TD passes in a single-season by a Texan. He's five short of the top-10.
 
2: At six touchdown receptions on the season, Tariq Bitson is two short of tying six others for the 10th most touchdown catches in a single-season by a Texan.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
Tarleton will play its last road game and its last conference game of the year at Abilene Christian on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m. CT. ACU has the same record as the Texans at 4-4.