The Teams: Tarleton Texans (5-3, 1-2 UAC) at Central Arkansas Bears (5-2, 2-0 UAC)
Where: Conway, Arkansas
Stadium: Estes Stadium (9,500)
Time: 4 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (Dylan McLemore, Wess Moore, Dorian Craft)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Laura Sadler)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
The Texans and Bears will match up for the first time as conference opponents, and it should be a good one, with the teams a combined 10-5 this season, including a No. 18 ranked UCA team.
 
Tarleton's game, set for 4 p.m. CT, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Dylan McLemore, Wess Moore and Dorian Craft 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, Keltin Wiens and Laura Sadler leading the broadcast.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is Tarleton's first game against an FCS ranked opponent since joining the subdivision. UCA is ranked No. 18 in both major rankings.
• This is the second all-time meeting. Tarleton won the first 24-3 in the 2021 season finale in Stephenville on Nov. 20.
• UCA has won four straight after starting the season 1-2. It's their longest win streak since Oct. 12-Nov. 2, 2019. They haven't won five-plus straight since 2017 (10).
• This is UCA's third straight home game. They're 4-0 at home in 2023.
• The Bears are seventh in the FCS in total offense at 455.6 YPG.

 
QUICK HITS

• The Texans just blanked Morehead State 42-0, their first shutout since March 27, 2021 (38-0 vs. Northeastern State), and their largest margin of victory since the season finale last year, a 49-7 win against Houston Christian.
• With a win Saturday, Tarleton State would guarantee themselves a fourth straight winning season at the NCAA Division I level. They would become just the third reclassifying program since 2004 to post four winning seasons in their four reclassifying years, joining North Dakota State and South Dakota State. With three straight to start, the Texans are already one of just four programs since 2004 to do so -- Central Arkansas is the other.
• This is Tarleton's first game against a ranked FCS opponent since the Texans joined the D1 level.
• The Texans have started the year 5-3 back-to-back seasons. They haven't started 6-3 or better since 2019 (9-0).
• Tarleton just outgained Morehead State 535-126 in total yardage. The Texans had 317 rushing yards to three by the Eagles, making it back-to-back games with 300-plus rushing yards, their first such stretch since Nov. 2-8, 2019.
• The Texans are an undefeated 4-0 when wearing their traditional purple helmets this season.
• Tarleton has the tied-most overall wins (five) in the United Athletic Conference with UCA and Austin Peay. 
• Kayvon Britten has scored a TD in seven of eight games. He has the tied-most total TD's in the UAC (10).

 
UAC SHOWDOWN
The 5-3 Texans and 5-2 Bears will square off for the first time as conference opponents on Saturday. The two teams have only met once before, with the Texans winning in Stephenville 24-3 in 2021. Now as conference foes, UCA is looking to stay undefeated and remain atop the UAC. They're currently tied with Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky at 2-0. The Texans could easily be 7-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play this season, if not for two brutal endings. They lost a 20-0 halftime home lead, and a 26-14 lead with less than three minutes left, against Southern Utah on Oct. 7 to lose 27-26. The following week, the Texans missed a game-winning 24-yard field goal at the end of regulation at Eastern Kentucky before ultimately losing in double overtime 41-35.
 
Saturday will be Tarleton's third straight homecoming game played. They were the visitors for Eastern Kentucky's homecoming game on Oct. 14 before hosting Morehead State for their own homecoming game this past Saturday. On the upcoming Saturday, it is Central Arkansas' homecoming game. The Bears have won four straight homecoming games, including the last three by a 45.7 point average margin of victory.
 
LAST TIME THEY SAW EACH OTHER
The Texans won big over the Bears 24-3, finishing their second year at the D1 level 6-5 (2-3 WAC). The Bears, meanwhile, dropped to 5-6 (1-1 ASUN) in 2021, their first losing record for a season since 2009.
 
Senior Jayy McDonald had 146 rushing yards on 12 carries (12.2 YPC), including a 53-yard TD scamper. Other seniors had epic performances, including Sean Walton, who recorded two sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss, eight tackles and a quarterback hurry. Senior Tre Johnson earned his first interception of the season, to go with six tackles. Senior Benjie Franklin capped the night off with his third interception of the year. Senior Chris Radford had half-a-sack, 1.5 TFL and three tackles. The other-half sack went to senior ChadWick Thibodeaux. Senior Devin Hafford ended his legendary career with seven tackles and a TFL.
 
 The Texan defense held a UCA team averaging 32.3 points per game entering to just three points and 161 total yards, 69 through the air and 92 on the ground. This was Central Arkansas' lowest scoring game since Nov. 9, 2019.
 
The Bears actually scored first, with Hayden Ray splitting the uprights from 24 yards out in the second quarter. In the middle of the same quarter, the Texans needed just two plays to score the game's first touchdown, with McDonald's 53-yard score putting the Texans ahead 7-3. Adrian Guzman nailed a 19-yard field goal on Tarleton's final drive of the first half, and Johnson earned his pick to send the Texans to the locker room up 10-3.
 
Towards the end of the third quarter, Steven Duncan threw his first of two touchdowns on the day to Derrel Kelley III. Duncan led the team on an 86-yard scoring drive, capping it off with a five-yard screen pass to the right, which Kelley stretched across the goal line to give Tarleton a 17-3 advantage. Tarleton followed in the fourth with a Gabe Douglas 34-yard TD catch to put the Texans up 24-3 with five minutes left. The Bears attempted one last drive that was killed by Franklin's interception.
 
UCA sent three quarterbacks on the field at some point in an attempt to replace starting QB Breylin Smith, who missed the game with a broken ankle. Darius Bowers started and finished, completing 4-of-13 passes for 43 yards and an INT. Hunter Loyd was 4-of-12 for 26 yards, and Tyler Gee came in for one pass at the end of the first half, promptly throwing an interception to Johnson.
 
RECLASSIFICATION SUCCESS
Both these teams know about reclassification success, two of just four programs since 2004 to start their reclassification period with three straight winning seasons. The Texans can make it four straight, something the Bears were unable to accomplish, which would put them right alongside North Dakota State and South Dakota State. As for overall record, only four programs had or have (through three years) a higher winning percentage than Tarleton. The Texans are .579 (22-16) since becoming D1. The only higher ones:
 
1. North Dakota State: .750 (33-11, 2005-08)
2. Central Arkansas: .630 (29-17, 2006-09)
3. South Dakota State: .600 (27-18, 2005-08)
4. Bryant: .591 (26-18, 2008-11)
5. Tarleton: .579 (22-16, 2020-current)
 
RUNNING WILD
Tarleton's running attack has been superb all season, no more than their last two weeks. Over the past two outings, they ran for 316 and 317 yards, respectively, their first stretch of 300-plus rushing yard games since 2019. At 633 rushing yards over the past two games, that marks Tarleton's most in a two-game stretch since that same span in 2019, where Tarleton rushed for 666 yards combined over two games (315 and 351) from Nov. 2-8.
 
Overall this season, Tarleton is rushing for 196.0 yards per game, their highest at the NCAA Division I level. They're second in the conference this year, only behind Central Arkansas' 220.3 rushing yards per game average. Tarleton is 19th in the FCS in average rush yards per game, and also 19th in yards per rush at 5.17.
 
The Texans have 1,248 yards split between their top two backs, Kayvon Britten and Derrel Kelley III. Britten leads the team with 755 rushing yards in eight games, averaging 94.4 per contest and 6.3 yards per rush. He's ninth in the FCS in total rush yards, 17th in the FCS in rush yards per game and 17th in yards per carry. Over his past two games, he's ran for 330 yards (165.0 yards per game) on 32 carries (10.3 YPC) and three touchdowns. Britten has a rushing touchdown in seven of eight games this season. He has nine rushing touchdowns on the year, most in the UAC and tied-ninth in the FCS. At 10 total touchdowns, he's got the tied-most in the UAC and tied-ninth most in the FCS.
 
DEFENSIVE PROWESS
This past game, Tarleton's defense showed their elite capability once again, shutting out Morehead State and forcing the Eagles' tied-most punts in a game in their program's history.
 
The Texans are now allowing 25.0 points per game, the second fewest points allowed in the United Athletic Conference, just behind Austin Peay's 24.9 PPG allowed average. Tarleton's number is especially amazing when comparing time of possession and opposing plays. Tarleton's defense has defended 617 plays, the most across the entire FCS. The Texan defense has been on the field an average of 32:04, the tied-19th highest average across the FCS. In the largest difference this season vs. North Alabama, the Lions had the ball for 36:13 compared to the Texans' 23:47. North Alabama ran 109 plays to Tarleton's 56. The Lions averaged just 5.2 yards per play to Tarleton's 8.6. Tarleton just won the time of possession for the second time this season this past Saturday. Yardage has been hard to find by Tarleton's opponents. They're averaging 4.68 yards per play, the tied-11th lowest average across the FCS, lowest in the UAC.
 
The Texan defense has proven to be explosive as well. Through eight games, they've forced 12 turnovers, the tied-29th most takeaways across all of FCS. The Texans have forced nine fumbles this season, recovering five, and have had seven interceptions. In four games, Tarleton has scored a defensive touchdown; a 71-yard pick-six by Patrick Jones in the fourth quarter of the season opener at McNeese; a 50-yard pick-six by Robert Rios in the fourth quarter of the home opener vs. North Alabama; a 16-yard pick-six by Ty Rawls in the fourth quarter of the Sept. 23 game vs. Southwest Baptist; a 23-yard pick-six by Blake Smith on the first defensive play of the Sept. 30 game at Southeastern Louisiana. With four defensive touchdowns, they have the tied-most across all of NCAA Division I football, both FBS and FCS, tied with Michigan, Incarnate Word and Richmond.
 
The Texans have also recorded 22 total sacks, the tied-sixth most in the FCS, and they have 53 tackles for loss, the tied-ninth most nationwide.
 
OFFENSE BACK ON TRACK
The Texans have scored 35 and 42 points, respectively, over their past two games,  their most points since opening the season with back-to-back 52-point outings. They've totaled 500-plus yards in each of the past two games, their first such stretch of the season. They just had 535 total yards of offense, their second most this season, behind their 554 in the season opener at McNeese, and they had 317 rushing yards, their most in a game since Sept. 11, 2021, vs. Fort Lewis (347). The previous week, the Texans averaged 7.71 yards per rush, their most in a game since joining the NCAA Division I ranks and their most in a game since Nov. 8, 2019, at William Jewell (9.0 YPC).
 
Overall this year, Tarleton is now averaging 31.4 points per game (tied-25th) and they're tied-14th in the FCS in total points at 251. The Texans are 28th in the FCS in yards per game (408.0). They have 34 red zone attempts this year, tied-seventh most in the nation
 
FEELING 100
Todd Whitten hit the century mark as the head coach at Tarleton State, winning his 100th game at the helm of the Texans on Sept. 30 at Southeastern Louisiana, now sitting at 101 wins (101-53, .656). Already the winningest head coach in program history, Whitten became just the 12th head coach among all current NCAA Division I schools in Texas to reach 100 wins with one program:
1. TCU's Gary Patterson (181-79, 2000-21)
2. Texas' Darrell Royal (167-47-5, 1957-76)
3. Houston's Bill Yeoman (160-108-8, 1962-86)
4. Texas' Mack Brown (158-48, 1998-2013)
5. Rice's Jess Neely (144-124-10, 1940-66)
6. Texas A&M Commerce's Ernest Hawkins (132-92-6, 1964-85)
7. Sam Houston's Ron Randleman (131-125-3, 1982-2004)
8. Baylor's Grant Teaff (128-105-6, 1972-92)
9. Texas A&M's R.C. Slocum (123-47-2, 1989-2002)
10. North Texas' Odus Mitchell (122-85-9, 1946-66)
11. TCU's Dutch Meyer (109-79-13, 1934-52)
12. Tarleton State's Todd Whitten (101-53, 1996, 2000-04, 2016-Present)
 
Among all active head coaches across all three divisions of collegiate football, Whitten has the tied-68th most wins at the helm with 126. He's tied with Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher and incoming UAC member West Georgia's David Dean.
 
BEST IN TEXAS
Since the start of the 2018 season, Tarleton has been one of the best scholarship football programs in the entire state of Texas. The Texans enter Saturday's game with 45 wins since the start of 2018, the most wins in the state by an NCAA Division I or II program. They have a .714 winning percentage since the start of 2018, the highest mark across all of the NCAA Division I and II programs in the state. Tarleton is one of two Texas D1 or D2 schools with all five winning seasons since 2018, only joined by Sam Houston. The list of the top scholarship programs in Texas over that span are as follows:
 

#	School	Conf.	Win Pct.
1.	Tarleton State	UAC	.714
2.	Angelo State	LSC	.705
3.	Incarnate Word	SLC	.667
4.	Texas A&M	SEC	.642
5.	Texas	Big 12	.638
6.	Sam Houston	C-USA	.629
7.	SMU	AAC	.627
8.	Texas A&M-Commerce	SLC	.607
9.	Baylor	Big 12	.586
10.	UTSA	C-USA	.577
	Midwestern State	LSC	.577

 

#	School	Conf.	Wins
1.	Tarleton State	UAC	45
2.	Texas	Big 12	44
3.	Texas A&M	SEC	43
	Angelo State	LSC	43
5.	SMU	AAC	42
	Incarnate Word	SLC	42
7.	Baylor	Big 12	41
	UTSA	AAC	41
9.	TCU	Big 12	40
10.	Sam Houston	C-USA	39

 
GREAT SEASON OFFENSIVELY FOR…
KAYVON BRITTEN
- Has 755 yards on 119 carries (6.3 yards per rush) and nine touchdowns.
- Has 10 total touchdowns scored (nine rushing, one receiving), the tied-ninth most in the FCS, tied-most in the UAC.
- His nine rushing TD's are the tied-ninth most in the FCS and the most in conference.
- Has 330 rushing yards and three touchdowns over the past two games.
- Scored three touchdowns, rushing for 82 yards and two scores on 19 carries (4.3 YPC), adding 25 yards and a TD on two receptions in the season opener at McNeese.
- Has scored 13 touchdowns over his last nine games.
- Has scored a touchdown in seven of Tarleton's eight games this season.
DERREL KELLEY III
- Has rushed for 493 yards on 90 attempts (5.5 yards per carry) and four touchdowns in seven games.
- Rushed for 136 yards and a TD on 18 carries (7.6 yards per rush) in the season opener, marking his fifth 100+ yard game on the ground in a six-game stretch.
- Has three touchdowns over the past two games.
BENJAMIN OMAYEBU
- Leads the team in receptions by a wide margin, recording 46 catches for 376 yards this season. Next closest Texan in receptions is at 19 (Darius Cooper).
- Has the tied-10th most receptions across all of the FCS at 46, averaging the tied-18th most per game (5.8).
- Had 5+ receptions in the first four games this year, and has had 5+ catches in six of Tarleton's eight games.
- Had a career-high 12 receptions at Texas Tech, Tarleton's first 12+ reception game in two years.
- Had 21 receptions over two games for 175 yards between Sept. 16-23.
KEYLAN JOHNSON
- Has 313 yards on 11 receptions and five touchdowns.
- Has the tied-17th most receiving TD's in the FCS.
- Had four touchdowns on six receptions, with 219 receiving yards in the home opener. Entered the contest with six receptions for 96 yards and 0 TD in previous 10 games since 2020.
- Was UAC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 2.
 
GREAT START DEFENSIVELY FOR…
PATRICK JONES
- Leads the team in tackles with 56 (38 solo), plus has an INT returned for a touchdown and two pass breakups.
- Was UAC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 1.
QUA'SHAWN WASHINGTON
- Has the second most tackles on the team (41), to go with 2.5 TFL, a fumble recovery and three QBH's.
KYLE TAYLOR
- Has the third most tackles on the team (40), to go with three sacks, 4.0 TFL, three pass breakups (three), and a FR.
BLAKE SMITH
- Had a 23-yard pick-six on the 1st defensive play at SLU.
- Had two forced fumbles in the home opener.
JALEN CARR
- Leads the team in pass breakups with eight, tied-13th most in the FCS.
AHMIR CROWDER
- Has a tied-team-high 5.5 TFL, with three sacks.
DEVIN STERLING
- Has a tied-team-high 5.5 TFL, with 38 tackles.
O'TAY BAKER
- Has a team-high four sacks, plus 5.5 TFL, to go with 24 tackles, one FF and two QBH.
TY RAWLS
- Had a 16-yard pick-six vs. Southwest Baptist.
ROBERT RIOS
- Had a 50-yard pick six vs. North Alabama.
 
NICE TO BE RECOGNIZED
On Oct. 9, the United Athletic Conference distributed Tarleton their fifth Player of the Week award. Adrian Guzman became the first player in UAC history to receive multiple weekly awards in the same season. Guzman went 4-for-4 on kicks, including 2-of-2 on field goals from 40 yards and 35 yards out, plus had five punts cover 42.6 yards on average against Southern Utah. Among his five punts, he had a long boot of 58 yards that pinned SUU inside the 5-yard line, and placed a 40-yard punt to put SUU at the 12. This was his second weekly award of the year and the fifth of his career. Guzman has missed just one kick this year, going a combined 33-for-34 (7-for-8 FG, 26-for-26 PAT).
 
In Week 2, WR Keylan Johnson was the UAC Offensive Player of the Week and D.J. Harris was the UAC Defensive Player of the Week. Johnson scored four TD's, finishing with 219 receiving yards on six receptions. He tied a program record for TD's scored in a single game at four, and had the fifth most receiving yards in a single game in team history at 219. Johnson has the tied-most receiving TD's in a single game at the FCS level this season, and the tied most across all of NCAA Division I, FBS and FCS. His 219 receiving yards are the fourth most in a single game at the FCS level this season. Johnson has one of only two 200-plus yard, 4-plus TD game across all of D1, FBS and FCS, this season (Chattanooga's Javin Whatley).
 
Before stat corrections hit, Harris had a team-high 12 tackles, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry. It marked his 11th career double-digit tackle game.
 
In Week 1, Texan defensive back Patrick Jones was named the UAC Defensive Player of the Week and Guzman was the UAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Jones had a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown that sealed the game in the fourth quarter. He also had a team-high seven tackles and a pass breakup. Jones became the first Texan with a defensive TD scored in the season opener since 2018. Guzman made all eight of his kicks, splitting the uprights on a 41-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, plus he went 7-of-7 on extra points.
 
He also had three punts cover 118 yards (39.3 average), with a long of 45 yards and a punt inside the 20-yard line. Guzman's 41-yard field goal make is his longest since Sept. 10, 2022, at TCU (47 yards).
 
NATIONAL LEADER
Across the country, only 12 NCAA Division I teams (eight FBS, four FCS) have a better winning percentage than Tarleton since 2018 (Cincinnati, Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Appalachian State, North Dakota State, James Madison, Princeton, Dartmouth). So among some of the other elite programs, Tarleton has a higher W% than the likes of Michigan, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, Oregon, Iowa, USC, LSU, etc.
 

#	School	Conf.	Win Pct.
1.	Ohio State	Big 10	.899
2.	Alabama	SEC	.896
3.	Georgia	SEC	.893
4.	North Dakota State	MVFC	.885
5.	Clemson	ACC	.842
6.	James Madison	SBC	.826
	Princeton	Ivy	.826
8.	Notre Dame	Ind.	.819
9.	Oklahoma	Big 12	.792
10.	Cincinnati	Big 12	.775
11.	Appalachian State	SBC	.722
12.	Dartmouth	Ivy	.717
13.	Tarleton State	UAC	.714

 
4: Since 2004, only four reclassifying programs have started the period with three straight winning seasons; Tarleton (2020-22), North Dakota State (2005-08),  South Dakota State (2005-08) and Central Arkansas (2006-08).
 
5: Through three years of reclassification by teams since 2004, Tarleton posted the fifth highest winning percentage at .567. Only North Dakota State (.750), Central Arkansas (.630), South Dakota State (.600), and Bryant (.591) had better winning percentages.
 
9: Kayvon Britten has nine rushing TD's in eight games. He already has the most by a Texan in their NCAA Division I era, surpassing Derrel Kelley III's eight in 2022. Since 2016, Britten has the tied-fourth most rushing TD's in a single-season at TSU.
 
UP NEXT
The Texans will be back in Stephenville for their final home game of 2023. They'll host Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m. The game will serve as both Senior Night and Military Appreciation.