The Teams: Tarleton Texans (4-1, 1-0 UAC) vs. Southern Utah Thunderbirds (1-4, 0-1 UAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (24,000)
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (John Liddle, Hek'ma Harrison)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Laura Sadler)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
After two one-possession games that featured a little bit of everything imaginable, the Texans and Thunderbirds will meet again, but for the first time in Stephenville.
 
Tarleton's game, set for 6 p.m. CT, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with John Liddle and Hek'ma Harrison 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.
 
GAME DAY FESTIVITIES
Texan Alley opens at 8 a.m. for tailgaters, and all parking lots open at 2 p.m. The Pointe-du-Hoc rally will be at 2:45 p.m. at Rudder Way Statue. Gates will open at 4 p.m.
 
For this Saturday's Texan Tunnel and Junior Run, all participants should arrive to the stadium's southwest gate at 5:30 p.m. to get organized. The Sound and the Fury will perform at 5:46 p.m., the national anthem will begin at 5:51 p.m., and then the Junior Run will follow on the field at 5:57 p.m.
 
After the Texans take the field, Tarleton State will celebrate head coach Todd Whitten's 100th win with the program, scheduled to take place just before kickoff.
 
Single-game tickets can be purchased and claimed at TarletonSports.com/Tickets. For maps of the area and complete tailgating policies, visit TarletonSports.com/TexanAlley.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the third all-time meeting. Tarleton won last year's game at SUU 42-40 after SUU won the neutral site game in 2021 40-35.
• Three of SUU's four losses have been by three points or fewer, losing by three at Arizona State, by two at No. 16 UC Davis and by two last week against No. 25 Central Arkansas, SUU's first UAC game.
• This is Southern Utah's lone road game in October.
• SUU QB Justin Miller has the tied-fifth most pass TD's in the FCS (11). TSU has allowed the tied-11th fewest pass TD's in the FCS (four).
• SUU ranks sixth in rush defense, allowing 77.8 rush yards per game.

 
QUICK HITS

• The Texans have started the season 4-1 for the second straight season. They haven't started 5-1 or better since 2019, a year they began 6-0 on their way to an 11-1 overall record and NCAA Division II playoff run.
• With a win Saturday, Tarleton would set a new season-long winning streak at three games. They last won three straight from the end of 2022 to the start of 2023, and last won three straight in the same season last year from Sept. 17-Oct 8. The third win in the stretch was at Southern Utah.
• Already the winningest coach in program history, Todd Whitten just won his 100th game at the helm of Texan Football (100-51, .662). He is the 12th HC among current Texas D1 schools to reach 100 wins with that program.
• Tarleton has the best overall record in the United Athletic Conference at 4-1. With a win Saturday, the Texans would move back into a tie for first place in the conference at 2-0 with Central Arkansas.
• Over the last two games, TSU has allowed 13.0 PPG and 320.5 YPG, with four takeaways and two defensive TDs.
• Tarleton is 4-0 when trailing the time of possession this season, and 0-1 when leading TOP.
• The Texans set a new attendance record in their last game at Memorial Stadium, hosting 22,251 fans. In each of their two home games this year, they hosted 20,000+, sitting fifth in the FCS in average attendance (21,189).

 
FEELING 100
Todd Whitten just hit the century mark as the head coach at Tarleton State, winning his 100th game at the helm of the Texans (100-51, .662). 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 (100-51, 1996, 2000-04, 2016-Present)
 
Among all active head coaches across all three divisions of collegiate football, Whitten has the 69th most wins at the helm with 125. He's one behind Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher, Air Force's Troy Calhoun and Lindenwood's Jed Stugart.
 
DEFENSE HOLDING THEIR OWN
The Texan defense has shown to be one of the toughest in the nation, especially as of late. Over the past two games they've allowed just 13.0 points per game and 320.5 yards per contest. Over the two games, they've recorded four takeaways, five sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and scored two defensive touchdowns. In last week's game, the Texans won 14-13, they're fewest amount of points in a win since Oct. 24, 2009, a 13-6 win vs. No. 9 Abilene Christian at home. In that same season, they also won a game 6-0 at Northeastern State.
 
in 2023, the Texans have allowed 26.4 points per game, an amazing number when comparing time of possession and opposing plays. Tarleton's defense has defended 404 plays, the third most across the entire FCS, only behind North Alabama's 425 and Texas Southern's 421, two teams who have each played six games compared to the Texans' five. The Texan defense has been on the field an average of 32:40, the 25th 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.
 
Yardage has been hard to find by Tarleton's opponents. They're averaging 4.67 yards per play, the 14th lowest average across the FCS.
 
Tarleton's pass defense has been special. Through five games, only two teams have had a passing touchdown against the Texans this season. Opposing quarterbacks have combined for 114-of-209 (.545) for 1,169 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.
 
The Texan defense has proven to be explosive as well. Through five games, they've forced 11 turnovers, the tied-seventh most takeaways across all of FCS. The Texans have forced eight fumbles this season, recovering five, and have had six interceptions. In four of the five 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 game in last week's game at Southeastern Louisiana. With four defensive touchdowns, they lead the entire FCS in the category by themselves, having double as many as the next closest teams. No team in the FBS has four defensive touchdowns either, with three teams earning three (Kentucky, Arkansas, Coastal Carolina).
 
The Texans have also recorded 16 total sacks, the tied-ninth most in the nation, and they have 37 tackles for loss, the tied-11th most nationwide.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Texans held off Southeastern Louisiana 14-13 at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, Louisiana. This was the first all-time meeting between Tarleton and SLU, and already the Texans' second win in Louisiana this season, as they won at McNeese to start the year.
 
Tarleton scored all 14 points in the first quarter. Defensive back Blake Smith returned an interception for a touchdown on the first Texan defensive play of the game. Running back Kayvon Britten scored his team-leading sixth touchdown of the season on a 15-yard run late in the opening frame to give Tarleton the lead 14-7.
 
It remained 14-7 until the 5:17 mark of the fourth quarter. Southeastern Louisiana scored to seemingly tie the game, but the Texans blocked the extra point to cling on to a one-point lead. Tarleton refused to give SLU the ball back, bleeding out the last 5:17. After exhausting all of the Lions' timeouts, Tarleton chose to go for it on 4th-and-1 with 1:29 left at midfield. The offensive line opened up a hole for Britten to power four yards to ice the victory for the Purple and White.
 
The Texans had entered the game with already the most defensive touchdowns across the entire FCS on the season with three. They added their fourth in five games to start 2023 with Smith's pick-six to open the defensive possession, returning it 23 yards to put Tarleton up 7-0 with 12:05 left in the opening frame. SLU answered back on the next possession, driving 65 yards to tie the game 7-7 with 7:55 left in the first quarter, capped off by a Bauer Sharp 19-yard scamper. On the Lions' next possession, Tarleton's defensive line tipped Eli Sawyer's pass, and Keldric Williams came down with it for the interception at the SLU 46-yard line. Texan quarterback Victor Gabalis led them on a 54-yard scoring drive, with Britten scoring from 15 yards out.
 
It was all defense from there, until SLU's Zachary Clement found Darius Lewis from nine yards out to make it 14-13 Tarleton with 5:17 to play in the fourth quarter. The Texans blocked reigning Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week Austin Dunlap's extra point to maintain the lead. On Tarleton's clock-bleeding final drive, Britten and Derrel Kelley III rushed a combined nine times for three first downs to send the Texans back to Stephenville with the win
 
GREAT START OFFENSIVELY FOR…
DERREL KELLEY III
- Has rushed for 353 yards on 64 attempts (5.5 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.
- Has the fifth most rushing yards in the UAC.
- Rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown 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.
KAYVON BRITTEN
- Has 332 yards on 70 carries (4.7 yards per rush) and five touchdowns.
- Has six total touchdowns scored (five rushing, one receiving), the tied-12th most in the FCS, tied-most in the UAC.
- His five rushing TD's are the tied-16th most in the FCS and the tied-most in conference.
- 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 nine touchdowns over his last six games.
KEYLAN JOHNSON
- Has 288 yards on nine receptions and five touchdowns.
- Has the tied-third most receiving touchdowns 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.
BENJAMIN OMAYEBU
- Leads the team in receptions by a wide margin, recording 34 catches for 292 yards this season. Next closest Texan in receptions is at 10 (Jaden Smith).
- Has the sixth most receptions across all of the FCS at 34, averaging the tied-eighth most per game (6.8).
- Had 5+ receptions in the first four games this year.
- 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.
 
GREAT START DEFENSIVELY FOR…
PATRICK JONES
- Leads the team in tackles with 36 (27 solo), along with an INT returned for a touchdown and two pass breakups.
- Was UAC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 1.
BLAKE SMITH
- Has the second most tackles on the team (25).
- Just had a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown on the first defensive play of the game.
- Had two forced fumbles in the home opener.
D.J. HARRIS
- Was UAC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 2.
QUA'SHAWN WASHINGTON
- Has 23 tackles, two TFL, a FR and two QB hurries.
JALEN CARR
- Leads the team in pass breakups with four.
AHMIR CROWDER
- Has a team-high 4.5 TFL.
O'TAY BAKER
- Has a team-high three sacks, plus 4.0 TFL, to go with 18 tackles, one FF and two QBH.
- Has the tied-30th most sacks in the FCS at three.
DEVIN STERLING
- Led the Texans vs. Southwest Baptist in tackles (eight) and tackles for loss (2.5), adding a pass breakup.
- Has 3.5 TFL on the season, third most on the team.
TY RAWLS
- Had a 16-yard interception return for touchdown vs. Southwest Baptist
ROBERT RIOS
- Had a 50-yard pick six in the home opener vs. North Alabama.
CAIMYN LAYNE
- Had two sacks in the season opener, the most by a Texan in a game since 2021.
 
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 43 wins since the start of 2018, the most wins in the state by an NCAA Division I or II program. They have a .729 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	.733
2.	Angelo State	LSC	.712
3.	Sam Houston	C-USA	.672
4.	Texas A&M	SEC	.662
5.	Incarnate Word	SLC	.650
6.	Texas	Big 12	.642
7.	Texas A&M-Commerce	SLC	.623
8.	SMU	AAC	.615
9.	Midwestern State	LSC	.592
10.	TCU	Big 12	.582

 

#	School	Conf.	Wins
1.	Tarleton State	UAC	44
2.	Texas	Big 12	43
	Texas A&M	SEC	43
4.	Angelo State	LSC	42
5.	Baylor	Big 12	40
	SMU	AAC	40
7.	TCU	Big 12	39
	Sam Houston	C-USA	39
	Incarnate Word	SLC	39
10.	UTSA	AAC	38

 
LAST TIME AGAINST
Last time the Texans and Thunderbirds met, it was pure chaos. Tarleton survived a late push by Southern Utah to win 42-40 at Eccles Coliseum. Patrick Jones provided the game-sealing interception with 21 seconds left and the Texans clinging to a two-point lead.
 
A defensive first half for both teams turned into an offensive onslaught in the second half, the third quarter belonging to Tarleton, and the fourth quarter to Southern Utah. The Texans scored three touchdowns in the third to win the frame 21-3 and take a 35-13 lead into the fourth.
 
The Thunderbirds answered with four touchdowns in the final 15 minutes, including one with 33 seconds left to make it a two-point game and a two-point try incoming. However, the Texan defense held strong on the try, putting pressure on quarterback Justin Miller and forcing an incompletion. SUU needed to recover the onside kick to have a chance, and based on the chaotic second half, it was only fitting the Thunderbirds recovered it to add to the dramatics. Jones silenced the home crowd on the first play of the ensuing drive, intercepting Miller and giving Tarleton the win, pulling out a backflip to celebrate.
 
Tarleton DB Donovan Banks provided the needed points in the fourth quarter that proved to be the difference with a 41-yard pick-six at the 4:07 mark to make it 42-27.
 
Darius Cooper finished with three catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Jones added six tackles and a pass breakup to his interception, while Banks had three tackles and a TFL with his INT TD. D.J. Harris (seven tackles) had a sack. Qua'Shawn Washington played in his first game since Sept. 10 and led with 10 tackles and 3.0 TFL.
 
Neither team could get much going offensively in the first quarter, with six punts and an interception combined. The first quarter didn't see a point, quite the contrast from the 2021 meeting between these teams, where the first eight drives of the game resulted in touchdowns.
 
 Tarleton scored a touchdown on all three of their third quarter drives, essentially making it five straight touchdown scoring drives, if not counting the run-out-the clock first half single play. To end the third quarter, Cooper had a 67-yard score to make it 35-13.
 
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Harris intercepted Miller and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a penalty. Then suddenly, the Thunderbirds found their groove and Tarleton lost theirs. SUU scored touchdowns on each of their first two drives to make it 35-27, before Banks seemingly ended the game with his pick-six. SUU didn't go away though, driving 59 yards in less than a minute. An onside kick and Jones' interception later, it was Tarleton coming away victorious.
 
NICE TO BE RECOGNIZED
Through the first two weeks and the first six total United Athletic Conference Player of the Week awards, Tarleton won four of the six.
 
In Week 2, wide receiver 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 touchdowns, finishing with 219 receiving yards on six receptions. He tied a program record for touchdowns 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 touchdowns 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 second most in a single game at the FCS level this season, and the seventh most across all of D1, FBS and FCS. Johnson has the only 200-plus yard, 4-plus TD game across all of D1, FBS and FCS, this season.
 
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 Texan kicker/punter Adrian Guzman was named 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 touchdown 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).
 
NEW CONFERENCE, WHO DIS?
Like most of the nation, you'll almost never know which conference Tarleton Football is in year-to-year. For the fourth time in five seasons, the landscape has changed for the Texans, now members of the United Athletic Conference. The UAC is a brand-new, football-only conference that features both WAC and ASUN programs. There are nine participating teams in 2023, with a 10th program set to start in 2024 (West Georgia) and an 11th program in 2025 (UTRGV); Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Utah Tech. Before the UAC, Tarleton was in the Western Athletic Conference in 2022 and 2021, independent in 2020, and in the Lone Star Conference in 2019.
 
FACILITY UPGRADES ON UPGRADES
Tarleton State's fieldhouse underwent its final stage of renovation this summer to further enhance recruiting, as well as the student-athlete and coaching experience. Completed additions include a multi-purpose room, nutrition bar, film room, nine coach offices, an academic advisement office and a full service barber shop. In 2021, Tarleton opened its multi-million dollar field house and locker room. The facility also includes a unified locker room, training room, hydro room and equipment space. Memorial Stadium has also undergone major upgrades recently, including new north end zone seating to boost capacity to 24,000 last season. In 2019, a grandstand was built on the west side of the stadium, plus a video board was added on the south side, a $26 million renovation.
 
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	.894
2.	North Dakota State	MVFC	.893
3.	Alabama	SEC	.892
4.	Georgia	SEC	.890
5.	Princeton	Ivy	.860
6.	Clemson	ACC	.851
7.	Notre Dame	Ind.	.829
8.	James Madison	SBC	.821
9.	Cincinnati	Big 12	.797
10.	Oklahoma	Big 12	.786
11.	Dartmouth	Ivy	.744
12.	Appalachian State	SBC	.743
13.	Tarleton State	UAC	.733

 
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.
 
11: Tarleton is 11-3 at Memorial Stadium over the past three seasons. Under head coach Todd Whitten, the Texans are 59-20 (.747) at home, going .500 or better in all 13 of his previous seasons in Stephenville.
 
UP NEXT
The Texans will return to Richmond, Kentucky, to face the Eastern Kentucky Colonels for the second time in three seasons, but the first time as conference opponents. That game will kick off at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Roy Kidd Stadium.