The Teams: No. 14 Tarleton State Texans (7-2, 4-1 UAC) at West Georgia Wolves (3-6, 0-6 UAC)
Where: Carrollton, Georgia
Stadium: University Stadium (9,700)
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (Logan Maddox, Parker Gore)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Ty Walker)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
Tarleton State sputtered for the first time this season this past Saturday, but the Texans can get back on track quickly at West Georgia. The Wolves are brand new to the United Athletic Conference reclassifying from NCAA Division II. Tarleton State has shined in road games recently, 8-1 at non-FBS teams since the start of last season.
 
Tarleton's game, set for 1 p.m. CT, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Logan Maddox and Parker Gore 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 Ty Walker leading the broadcast.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the first all-time meeting. Tarleton has played in Georgia just once before, over 50 years ago (Georgia Southwestern in 1983).
• Despite Tarleton being top of the conference and West Georgia at the bottom, both are in the top-four in the UAC in scoring and defense. UWG is third in scoring (31.1 PPG), Tarleton is fourth (27.6 PPG). Tarleton is first in defense (22.7 PPG), UWG fourth (25.0 PPG).
• UWG is 0-6 in UAC play, but the margin of defeat has been narrow. The Wolves have lost those by a combined 58 points (9.7 on average).
• UWG just set a program record points in a game with 88 at home.

 
QUICK HITS

• Tarleton just had its longest D1 era winning streak snapped at six games. It marked Tarleton's first loss to a non-FBS team in over a year, snapping an 11-game winning streak. The Texans fell in the major FCS polls for the first time this season, dropping from No. 7 to No. 14 in the Stats Perform FCS Poll and the AFCA Coaches Poll.
• The Texans are 4-1 on the road this season with four straight road wins, their lone loss at Baylor on Aug. 31. They've won six straight road games against non-FBS teams, last losing over a year ago (Oct. 14, 2023, at EKU). Since the start of last season, Tarleton is 8-1 against non-FBS teams on the road.
• With 141 yards, Kayvon Britten will set a new program single-season rushing record. Britten is currently at 1,420 rushing yards (second most in FCS). Derrick Ross owns the program single-season record at 1,560 (2004).
• With a win Saturday, Tarleton would set a new program D1 era record for road wins in a season at five.
• At 4-1, Tarleton is now a half-game back in the UAC standings of Abilene Christian at 5-1. If both teams win Saturday, the Texans and Wildcats game on Nov. 16 will be for at least a share of the UAC championship.
• The Texans have started 7-2 for the first time in their NCAA Division I era. It's the Texans' best start through nine games since 2019 (9-0). Tarleton can tie its most wins in a season in its D1 era with a win on Saturday.
• TSU just lost its first game this season when Victor Gabalis starts at QB. TSU is now 14-4 when Gabalis starts. 

 
DEFENSE DOMINATING
Tarleton State's defense has shined over Tarleton's past three games, pitching a shutout on homecoming to lead the Texans to a 42-0 win against Utah Tech on Oct. 12, then allowing just 17 points at Austin Peay in a 27-17 win on Oct. 26, and last Saturday, allowing just 17 points in a 17-13 loss to Eastern Kentucky. Over those three games, the Texans have averaged just 11.3 PPG allowed and 274.0 YPG allowed, while posting five takeaways and seven sacks.
 
Conference-wise, the Texans have the best group in the UAC. Tarleton State is first in points allowed (22.7), total defense (366.9 yards allowed per game), red zone defense (.706), and takeaways (20). On Saturday, they allowed fewer than 300 yards for the third time this season, including just 31 passing yards, the fewest passing yards allowed by Tarleton since at least 2012.
 
Tarleton's defense has been a strong group generally all season. Across nine games, Tarleton has allowed under 20 points in more than half of those games (five), and under 24 points in six games. The Texans are 35th nationally in scoring defense at 22.7 PPG allowed -- the lowest in Tarleton's D1 era is 21.8 PPG.  In takeaways, Tarleton is tied-fifth best in the country with 20 on the year. Head coach Todd Whitten has said that this defense may bend but it doesn't break -- look no further than red zone defense. The Texans are 16th in the FCS by allowing no points 29.4 percent of the time in those instances, including a 1-yard line fumble recovery on Saturday.
 
BRITTEN CLOSE TO HISTORY
Tarleton State running back is close to setting a new rushing record in Texan Football history. He is just 140 rushing yards away from the all-time single-season record in program history, 141 from owning the record himself. He currently has the fifth most in a single-season in program history:
 
1. Derrick Ross with 1,560 (156.0/game) in 2004
2. Derrick Ross with 1,512 (151.2/game) in 2005
3. Xavier Turner with 1,469 (113.0/game) in 2018
4. Daniel McCants with 1,457 (145.7/game) in 2019
5. Kayvon Britten with 1,420 (157.8/game) in 2024
 
Britten is already one of three players in program history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He now has 2,570 career rushing yards in his two seasons at Tarleton State, and at his current pace of 157.8 rush yards per game, he is scheduled to become the fifth player in program history to reach the 3,000-yard rushing mark.
 
Nationally, Britten is now second in the country in both total rush yards and rush yards per game, trailing Southern Utah's Targhee Lambson (1,431) by 11 total yards and a 1.2 yard per game average (159.0). Britten is tied-fourth nationally with 13 rushing touchdowns. He's one away from 30 rushing touchdowns as a Texan, and he's at 30 total touchdowns scored currently, 10 back from the most scored by a Texan in their career (Roderick Smith had 40 from 2007-10). In a two-year span, Derrick Ross had 39 from 2004-05.
 
EYES ON THE PLAYOFFS
For the first time this season, Tarleton State fell in the national rankings, but the Texans are still in great shape with three games to play. Tarleton is slated at No. 14 in both the Stats Perform FCS Poll and the AFCA Coaches Poll, and remain the highest ranked team across the United Athletic Conference.
 
In some of the metrics used by the FCS Playoff Committee, here's where the Texans stand nationally:
- W/L record: 7-2 with the tied-seventh most wins and the tied-11th best winning percentage (0.778)
- Massey Ratings: 21st
- KPI: 26th
- Strength of Schedule: 44th
 
There are three regular season games remaining for Tarleton; at West Georgia on Saturday, vs. Abilene Christian on Nov. 16 and vs. Central Arkansas on Nov. 23. If Tarleton and ACU both win on Saturday, then the Nov. 16 game will be a battle for at least a share of the conference championship.
 
Since the start of 2023, the Texans are 15-5 (.750) overall, and 15-3 (.833) against non-FBS opponents. The Texans have won 11 of their last 13 games overall.
 
Since the start of 2023, Tarleton State has the tied-12th best winning percentage across all of the FCS, with the tied-seventh fewest amount of losses. Tarleton likely would have made the FCS Playoffs last year at 8-3 if eligible.
 
OTHER BRITTEN NOTES
Kayvon Britten has logged seven straight 100+ yard games, reaching the century mark in eight of nine games this season. He also reached 150+ yards for the sixth time this season on Saturday.
 
On Oct. 5 at Southern Utah, Britten crossed the 1,000-yard mark in the sixth game of the year. Only five FCS players have reached 1,000 yards in fewer games; South Dakota State's Zach Zenner in 2012, Portland State's Charles Dunn in 2000, Sacramento State's Charles Roberts in 1999, Siena's Reggie Greene in 1997, and Butler's Arnold Mickens in 1994. Britten became the third running back in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in multiple seasons (Derrick Ross, Daniel McCants).
 
Britten has already set program records this season for most rush yards in a game and for the longest rush. He was named the FCS Offensive National Player of the Week and UAC Offensive Player of the Week against North Alabama after 273 rushing yards and four touchdowns, averaging 13.0 yards per carry. Britten surpassed Derrick Ross' 269 yards rushing vs. Western New Mexico on Sept. 10, 2005. Britten's 273 rushing yards are the most in a single-game across FCS and second most across all of NCAA Division I this season, with the FBS leader at 278 (Auburn's Jarquez Hunter). Britten's four rushing touchdowns are the tied-second most in a game at the FCS level this season. Britten tied the program record in scoring with his four touchdowns, joining six others. Before Britten, the most recent to score four times in a game was Xavier Turner on Oct. 20, 2018. In the second quarter at North Alabama, Britten scored his first touchdown on a 96-yard run, which marked the longest run in program history. It's the third longest rushing play across D1 this year, just a yard short of UIW's Dekalon Taylor (Sept. 21) and Saint Francis' DeMarcus McElroy (Sept. 14).
 
Career-wise, Britten has logged 3,500+ rushing yards between two seasons at Arkansas Pine-Bluff (1,294 in 19 games) and two seasons at Tarleton (2,570 in 20 games). Since Derrel Kelley III has 2,000 rushing yards with the Texans, Britten and Kelley have become the third duo across FCS who each have rushed for 2,000 yards for the same program, joining UCA's ShunDerrick Powell/Darius Hale, and William & Mary's Bronson Yoder/Malachi Imoh.
 
NEAR THE TOP
Tarleton is shining on the national stage, near the top of the nation as a team by placing...
- Tied-2nd in Fumbles Lost (1)
- 4th in Kickoff Return Defense (14.3 yards allowed per)
- Tied-5th in Turnovers Gained (20)
- Tied-6th in Interceptions (12)
- 7th in Red Zone Offense (.931)
- Tied-8th in Fumbles Recovered (8)
- 10th in Turnover Margin (+1.00 per)
- 10th in Rushing Offense (210.2 rush yards per game)
- 12th in Pass Yards per Completion (13.9)
- Tied-12th in Fumble Recoveries (7)
- 16th in Red Zone Defense (.706)
- 17th in Net Punting (40.3 yards)
- 17th in Punt Return Defense (4.6)
- 17th in Tackles for Loss Allowed (4.22 per)
- 28th in Sacks Allowed (1.33 per)
- 35th in Scoring Defense (22.7 PPG Allowed)
 
Individually, Tarleton has top-25 student athletes at...
- Tied-1st in Fumble Recoveries (Kasyus Kurns) at three
- 2nd in Rushing Yards (Kayvon Britten) at 1,420
- 2nd in Rush Yards Per Game (Kayvon Britten) at 157.8
- 3rd in Yards Per Completion (Victor Gabalis) at 14.6
- 4th in All-Purpose Yards (Kayvon Britten) at 159.9 per
- Tied-4th in Rushing TD's (Kayvon Britten) at 13
- Tied-4th in Forced Fumbles (Kasyus Kurns) at three
- 8th in Rush Yards Per Carry (Kayvon Britten) at 6.67
- 13th in Receiving Yards (Darius Cooper) at 732
- Tied-13th in Interceptions (Blake Smith) at three
- 20h in Receiving Yards Per (Darius Cooper) at 81.3
- 20th in Tackles for Loss Per (Brandon Tolvert) at 1.3
- 20th in Yards Per Reception (Darius Cooper) at 18.3
 
LAST TIME OUT
Tarleton State dropped a tight contest at Memorial Stadium, the Texans' first loss to an FCS program in over a year and their first loss in conference play this season.
 
The No. 7 Texans had their six-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Eastern Kentucky 17-13 in Stephenville. Tarleton State held EKU to just 31 passing yards in the game and outgained the Colonels in total yardage 397-274, but the Texans' three interceptions plagued them.
 
EKU scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winning touchdown with 2:26 remaining in the game. Tarleton had held off the Colonels' scoring threat at the 1-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter with a forced fumble and recovery, but gave EKU too many chances.
 
Texan QB Victor Gabalis completed 17-of-41 for 234 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Kayvon Britten rushed for 154 yards on 25 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per rush. Benjamin Omayebu logged 100 yards on nine receptions. Bam Smith finished with 10 tackles and a half-sack. Brandon Tolvert recorded nine tackles and 2.5 TFL. Tramaine Chism had a fumble recovery and eight total tackles. Donta Stuart finished with an interception and seven tackles. EKU's Matt Morrissey threw for 31 yards on 6-of-11 passing, with an INT. The reigning UAC Offensive POW, Joshua Carter, scored two touchdowns to go with 147 yards. A trio of Colonels had an interception.
 
Tarleton State struck first in this one after Stuart picked off Morrissey. Gabalis led the Texans on a nine-play, 89-yard drive, capping it off on a lob to Jackson in the left corner of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown. The Texans led 7-0 after the first quarter. After a forced turnover on downs, the Texans gave it right back on an interception, leading to an EKU 1-yard touchdown to make it a 10-7 game. The Texans led 13-7 at halftime. Of the 10 combined drives in the second half, there was just one touchdown and one field goal. The Texan defense forced a fumble on their own 1-yard line and recovered it, but eventually the dam broke, and EKU scored the game winning touchdown with 2:26 to play.
 
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 a .733 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 the only Texas D1 or D2 institution with all six winning seasons since 2018. They have 55 wins since the start of 2018, the third most wins in the state by an NCAA Division I or II program, behind Texas (who has played 10 more games) and SMU (who has played nine more). The list of the top scholarship programs in Texas over that span:
 

#	School	Conf.	Win Pct.
1.	Tarleton State	UAC	.733
2.	Angelo State	LSC	.726
3.	Incarnate Word	SLC	.684
4.	Texas	SEC	.679
5.	SMU	AAC	.675
6.	Sam Houston	C-USA	.653
7.	Texas A&M	SEC	.646
8.	UTSA	C-USA	.581
9.	TCU	Big 12	.554
10.	Baylor	Big 12	.548

 

#	School	Conf.	Wins
1.	Texas	SEC	57
2.	SMU	AAC	56
3.	Tarleton State	UAC	55
4.	Texas A&M	SEC	53
	Angelo State	LSC	53
6.	Incarnate Word	SLC	52
7.	UTSA	AAC	50
8.	Sam Houston	C-USA	49
9.	TCU	Big 12	46
	Baylor	Big 12	46

 
UAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Tarleton has garnered five UAC Player of the Week awards through Week 10.
 
In Week 0, Texan running back Kayvon Britten and punter Adrian Guzman were named the UAC Offensive and Special Teams players of the week, respectively, while defensive back Kasyus Kurns was named the UAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Britten rushed for the second most yards across all of college football, finishing with 164 yards on 25 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. He was three yards short of the highest rushing total in the nation. Kurns had one of the best defensive games a player can have in Week 0, scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery, recovering two fumbles in total, forcing one fumble, adding a tackle for loss and six total tackles. His scoop and score marked the first fumble return touchdown by a Texan since March 6, 2021, vs. Mississippi College (both Zech Hopkins and Benjie Franklin). He also became the first Tarleton State player since 2014 to come up with two takeaways and a touchdown in the same game (Devin Figures vs. McMurry on Oct. 25). Kurns added an interception in Week 1 and now has the most takeaways across the FCS with three. Guzman had a solid day punting in Week 0, averaging 46.3 yards across his six boots, launching two 50+ yards and two inside the 20.
 
In Week 4, Britten earned his second weekly honor of the season after he set the program's single game rushing record with 273 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He broke a nearly 20-year-old program rushing record set by Derrick Ross on Sept. 10, 2005. Britten's four touchdowns were tied for the most by an FCS running back this season and his 273 rushing yards were just four yards shy of his career-high set during his time at Arkansas Pine-Bluff.
 
In Week 5, linebacker Ty Rawls was named the UAC Defensive Player of the Week, his first conference weekly award since joining the Texans. Rawls had a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and six total tackles in Tarleton State's 36-33 home win vs. Southeastern Louisiana. His forced and recovered fumble marked a crucial part of the game, key to Tarleton's 15-point swing from trailing by five to leading by 10. When the Texans were down 19-14, they scored to go up 22-19, and three plays later, Rawls forced the takeaway. On the very next play, the Texans scored again to lead 29-19. Rawls' fumble recovery was the second of his career, and it marked his first career forced fumble.
 
COOPER ETCHES NAME IN THE BOOKS
If people didn't already know, Darius Cooper is officially one of the best wide receivers in program history. Cooper is in the top-five career receiving touchdowns in program history, now at 20, tied with Will Moody. The top-five:
 
1. Zimari Manning (34, 2018-19)
2. Le'Nard Meyers (27, 2012-15)
3. Devin Guinn (26, 2006-09)
4. Jeremy Madkins (25, 2003-06)
T5. Darius Cooper (20, 2020-Present)
T5. Will Moody (20, 2000-03)
 
Cooper is 99 receiving yards away from reaching the top-five in the category in program history. Cooper sits at 2,467 yards, while Moody is at 2,566 yards.
 
TALE OF TURNOVERS
Through the first seven games, the Texans won the turnover battle in each, limiting turnovers and forcing plenty of takeaways, which had been a change from 2023. Through the first seven games in 2023, the Texans had 16 turnovers, and in 2024 through seven games, Tarleton State had  the second best turnover margin in the FCS at +11, the tied-fifth most takeaways in the country with 16 , and the tied-10th fewest turnovers lost with five.
 
Over the past two games, the Texans have lost the turnover battle for the first time, with six interceptions thrown between games at Austin Peay and vs. Eastern Kentucky. Tarleton State still forced two takeaways in each game, giving them 20 on the season, but the Texans went 1-1 in the W-L area over the last two after starting 7-1.
 
RECLASSIFICATION SUCCESS
There's no way around it, the Texans had one of the most impressive reclassification periods in NCAA history. The Texans posted a winning season in every year of reclassification, just the third team since 2004 to do so. The Texans also posted the third highest winning percentage in a reclassification period since 2004 at .610:
1. North Dakota State: .750 (33-11, 2005-08)
2. Central Arkansas: .630 (29-17, 2006-09)
3. Tarleton: .610 (25-16, 2020-23)
 
NATIONAL LEADER
Across the country, only 12 NCAA Division I teams (seven FBS, five FCS) have a better win percentage than Tarleton since 2018 (Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ohio State, North Dakota State, James Madison, Princeton, South Dakota State, Florida A&M, Dartmouth). So among some 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.	Georgia	SEC	.889
2.	Ohio State	Big 10	.880
3.	Alabama	SEC	.879
4.	North Dakota State	MVFC	.875
5.	Clemson	ACC	.833
6.	Notre Dame	Ind.	.824
7.	South Dakota State	MVFC	.811
8.	James Madison	SBC	.807
9.	Florida A&M	SWAC	.758
10.	Princeton	Ivy	.737
	Dartmouth	Ivy	.737
12.	Oklahoma	SEC	.747
13.	Tarleton State	UAC	.733

 
31: The Texans just allowed 31 pass yards to EKU, the fewest by Tarleton State since at least 2012. No Colonel had multiple receptions in the game, with a high of 11 yards receiving. Tarleton is second in the UAC in pass defense (199.9).
 
10: Offensive lineman Kariem Al Soufi brings a unique background to Tarleton coming from Germany. Al Soufi is one of just 10 players in FCS who is from Germany, and he is one of three international football players in the United Athletic Conference. He is the only UAC player from Germany, and he is just one of three German FCS players playing for a Texas School (two from Stephen F. Austin).
 
1: Whitten is the only coach at any NCAA level actively coaching in his third stint at his current school. He is just one of 37 coaches at any NCAA level to have three non-consecutive tenures at one school and he is the second coach in with three stints at Tarleton State (W.J. Wisdom, 1920-22, 1924-28, 1930-35).
 
53: With his first kick in the first quarter of his first game at Tarleton, kicker Michael James split the uprights on a 53-yard field goal. It marked Tarleton's first 50+ yard field goal make in 15 years. The last 50+ yard field goal make by Tarleton State was from 64 yards out on Nov. 14, 2009, by Garrett Lindholm at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
UP NEXT
Tarleton State will be back home for its final two regular season games against rival Abilene Christian. Depending on Saturday's results, the game on Saturday, Nov. 16, could be a game for at least a share of the UAC championship. The Texans will host the Wildcats at Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m. for their Legends Game.