The Teams: 4-seed Tarleton State Texans (12-1, 7-1 UAC) vs. 12-seed Villanova Wildcats (11-2, 7-1 CAA)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN (Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray, Lauren Sisler, Adam Coppinger)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Ty Walker)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
It's quarterfinals action in Stephenville, as the 4-seed Tarleton State will host the 12-seed Villanova at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the playoffs.
 
The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray and Lauren Sisler 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.
 
GAME DAY FESTIVITIES
Promotions are aplenty once again for the playoff game, with the big ticket item serving as $1 beer and $1 hot dogs for all fans 21 years and older in attendance. All beers are $1 at the game, with last call at the end of the third quarter. Also at the game, the Tarleton Alumni Association will be awarding four $500 scholarships to students who have checked into the Corq App, and students must be present to win. Plus, Tarleton State will be giving away 20,000 rally towels, to further an electric atmosphere at Memorial Stadium.
 
Texan Alley Tailgate will open at 7 a.m. on Saturday. The Pointe-du-Hoc rally will be at 7:40 a.m. at Rudder Way Statue. Memorial Stadium gates will open at 9 a.m.
 
The Sound and the Fury will perform at 10:42 a.m., followed by the national anthem at 10:48 a.m. The Texan Rider will lead the Texans onto the field at 10:55 a.m. The coin toss will be conducted by Tarleton State alumna Shelby Slawson, and the game ball will be presented by Tarleton State alumnus and popular country music artist Koe Wetzel. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:02 a.m.
 
Single-game tickets can be purchased and claimed at TarletonSports.com/Tickets. Fans should add their tickets to their mobile wallet before arriving on campus. Texan students should now use the Corq app to attend Tarleton State Athletics' games and events for free.
 
Parking for this game will be free in all lots except for Lots A, B, C and F. So the lots around the EECU Center (P22, P23, P29), Lot D south of Traditions South, Lot E in front of Wisdom Gym and the parking garage are all free.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the first all-time meeting, and Tarleton State's third game against a team from Pennsylvania, first since 1990 (Westminster).
• Villanova has made the playoffs in three straight years and five of the last seven years. Villanova is 17-15 all-time in the FCS Playoffs.
• Villanova has won 10 straight games, its longest winning streak since 1997, when the Wildcats started 12-0 before a playoffs defeat.
• Villanova is a balanced team, 23rd in total defense (334.5 YPG allowed) and 35th in total offense (396.2 YPG).
• Villanova (five) has the fewest amount of turnovers in the country (Tarleton State is tied-fourth at eight). Villanova (+11) is tied-ninth in turnover margin (Tarleton State is first at +30).

 
QUICK HITS

• The Texans have reached the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in just their second year of D1 postseason eligibility. Tarleton State is the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). Tarleton State is one of four Texas programs to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first or second playoff appearance (Texas State in 2005, SFA in 1988, North Texas in 1983).
• Tarleton State now owns a 6-6 NCAA playoff record in seven playoff appearances (not including bowl games). Including bowl games, Tarleton State has played in 23 postseason games; 11-12 overall, 9-10 playoffs, 2-2 bowl.
• Tarleton State has hosted five playoff games in its NCAA era (4-1). The Texans just rolled North Dakota at home 31-13, outgaining them 437-248, with a 37-to-23 minute time of possession advantage.
• Tarleton State has tied its most wins in a single-season at 12 (2018). That season, Tarleton State won its first two playoff games, reaching the NCAA Division II quarterfinals before falling at No. 1 Minnesota State-Mankato.
• The Texans are undefeated at home this season at 7-0, with nine straight home wins. This is Tarleton State's longest home winning streak since rattling off 13 straight wins at Memorial Stadium from 2018-19.

 
PLAYOFF MATCHUP
The 4-seed Tarleton State will host the 12-seed Villanova on Saturday, the first meeting between the two. Like most teams in the playoffs, both teams are well balanced, and turnovers may be the key in Saturday's game. The Wildcats have the fewest turnovers across all of the FCS, with just five coughed up all season, spanning four of their 13 games played. Meanwhile, the Texans are No. 1 in takeaways, with 38 on the year (next closest is at 28). That's the most takeaways by an FCS program since James Madison had 44 in 2017.
 
The Texans have a Walter Payton Award finalist at quarterback who ranks No. 2 in pass yards per completion (15.4), No. 7 in pass touchdowns (28), No. 7 in passing efficiency (164.9), and No. 14 in pass yards per game (244.2). As a team, the Texans are No. 12 in pass offense (267.8 YPG), and Villanova allows 201.4 pass yards per game, No. 40 in the FCS. Of course, the Texans' rushing offense is as elite as their pass offense, averaging the 12th most rush yards per game at 204.5. Villanova has a solid rush defense to counter, allowing just 133.1 yards per game, No. 29 in the country.
 
On the flip side, Villanova has a better rushing offense (No. 32, 177.8 YPG) than passing offense (No. 51, 218.4 YPG). The same can be said about Tarleton State's rush defense and pass defense, with the Texans No. 6 in pass defense (160.5 YPG) and No. 69 in rush defense (163.6 YPG). Tarleton State has allowed more 200-yard rushing performances (five) than 200-yard passing performances (three).
 
In a college football world that is typically familiar, Saturday's matchup is not. The Texans have never played Villanova and have played just a single team from Pennsylvania. The Texans hosted Westminster twice, the games played in 1989 and 1990. This is the second straight year Villanova will play an FCS Playoffs game in the state of Texas, as the Wildcats faced Incarnate Word in San Antonio in the second round last year, falling 13-6.
 
HISTORIC SEASON
It's been a historic season for the Texans. The team is the 4-seed in the FCS Playoffs and has advanced to the quarterfinals, conference co-champs and 12-1 overall, including a spotless 7-0 mark at home. They have won a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), have set record crowds at Memorial Stadium, and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls.
 
Offensively, the Texans are one of the best teams in the nation, ranked No. 1 in scoring (44.1 points per game), No. 4 in total offense (472.3 YPG), No. 4 in team passing efficiency (170.5), No. 12 in rushing offense (204.5 YPG), and No. 12 in passing offense (267.8 YPG).
 
Turnovers and takeaways have been a major reason for Tarleton State's historic campaign. On offense, the Texans have turned the ball over just eight times, the tied-fourth fewest amount of turnovers lost across the FCS. On the flip side, Tarleton State has earned 38 takeaways, by far the most in the FCS with the next closest team at 28. The Texans' 38 takeaways are the most by an FCS team since 2017 (James Madison with 44). Tarleton State averages a turnover margin of +2.31, well above the margin that the No. 2 team averages (North Dakota State at +1.38). Tarleton State currently has the third highest average turnover margin in FCS history.
 
Furthermore defensively, Tarleton State has been elite, No. 6 in pass defense (160.5 YPG allowed), tied-10th in scoring defense (18.0 PPG allowed) and No. 16 in total defense (324.2 YPG allowed). The Texan defense has scored four touchdowns themselves, tied-fifth most in the nation (Jadan Aubert, Omar Emmons, AJ Owens, Ty Rawls). It's been a full effort by the Texans on defense, with 13 players recording a fumble recovery, 13 players with an interception, nine with a forced fumble, eight with a sack, six players at 5.0+ TFL, and four with a defensive touchdown. Kasyus Kurns has the tied-most interceptions in the nation at six, and has the highest interception rate per game at 0.55. Angelo Anderson is second in the nation in forced fumbles per game (0.45) and is tied-10th in the nation in sacks per game at 0.86.
 
QUARTERFINALS RARITY
As elite as Tarleton State has been, it's important to not take the run for granted. Tarleton State is just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first team since 1985 that is currently in the FCS to accomplish that feat.
- Tarleton State (2025)
- Troy (1993)
- UCF (1990)
- Eastern Washington (1985)
- Holy Cross (1983)
- Indiana State (1983)
- Southern Illinois (1983)
- Colgate (1982)
- Eastern Illinois (1982)
- Western Carolina (1982)
- South Carolina State (1981)
- Tennessee State (1981)
- Delaware (1981)
- Boise State (1980)
 
Tarleton State is also one of four Texas schools to make an FCS Playoffs Quarterfinal in its first or second playoff appearance.
- Tarleton State (2025)
- Texas State (2005)
- Stephen F. Austin (1988)
- North Texas (1983)
 
GABALLER
Gabalis keeps solidifying his resume as one of the best quarterbacks in Tarleton State Football history. He recently surpassed Ben Holmes in career pass touchdowns and now is No. 2 in program history, and he just surpassed Scott Grantham for No. 3 on the career pass yards list. He is just three pass touchdowns short of the program's all-time career pass touchdown mark, and 181 pass yards short of the No. 1 spot on the program's all-time career pass yards list.
 
Tarleton State Career Pass TD:
1. Zed Woerner 72 (2014-17)
2. Victor Gabalis 69 (2023-25)
3. Ben Holmes 62 (2018-19)
4. Scott Grantham 57 (2007-09)
5. Steve Kelly 51 (1999-01)
 
Tarleton State Career Pass Yards:
1. Zed Woerner 8,243 (2014-17)
2. Steve Kelly 8,203 (1999-01)
3. Victor Gabalis 8,062 (2023-25)
4. Scott Grantham 7,860 (2007-09)
5. Chad Cole 7,267 (1995-98)
 
Through his 11 games played, Texan quarterback Victor Gabalis has completed 175-of-293 (.597) passes for 2,687 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
 
This is Gabalis' sixth season at the collegiate level; two seasons at Washington State (2020-21), one season at Utah Tech (2022) and now in his third season at Tarleton State (2023-25). He's played in 48 career collegiate games, sitting at 10,209 passing yards and 88 passing touchdowns. In games Gabalis has started in his career, his teams have gone 30-9 (.769). At Tarleton State, Gabalis is 27-7 (.794) as a starter with 8,062 passing yards on 532-of-903 (.589) passing and 69 touchdowns.
 
Stats Perform announced Gabalis is on its list of 30 finalists for the 2025 Walter Payton Award, which is presented to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. Gabalis has thrown 3+ touchdowns in more than half of his games played (six), including a four-touchdown game and a season-high five touchdowns against Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 6, to go with 295 pass yards. His five passing touchdowns are the most in a game by a Tarleton State QB in 10 years, since Zed Woerner had five against Oklahoma Panhandle on Oct. 24, 2015. He had three touchdowns and 311 pass yards in the regular season finale, in which he led a comeback victory at Austin Peay to win a share of the UAC championship, leading the Texans on a game-tying drive at the end of regulation, then throwing the game-winning touchdown in overtime. He also just threw for three touchdowns and 292 yards in the second round of the FCS Playoffs to help defeat North Dakota 31-13.During the preseason, Gabalis was named the unanimous UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-UAC Team. He was also named to the 2025 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List, one of 30 players named to the list for an award that is equivalent to the Heisman Trophy at the FBS level.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE
Last week, the United Athletic Conference announced its postseason honors, tabbing 12 Texans as First and Second Team All-Conference. Tarleton State's 12 All-Conference honors are the most in the UAC by a wide margin, with Abilene Christian and Austin Peay tied-second with seven honors, Southern Utah and West Georgia tied-fourth with six honors, Eastern Kentucky sixth with five honors, Central Arkansas and North Alabama tied-seventh with three honors, and Utah Tech ninth with two honors.
 
Tarleton State had four players make First Team All-Conference and eight make Second Team All-Conference. The Texans' 12 players to make First and Second Team All-Conference sets a program NCAA Division I record, surpassing the 10 they had honored in both 2024 and 2022. The four First Team All-Conference honors ties a program D1 record, first set in 2023.
 
Among Tarleton State's 12 All-Conference honors, seven are offensive players and five are defensive players. Two from each side of the ball made First Team. Tarleton State wide receiver Peyton Kramer and offensive lineman Hunter Smith made First Team on offense, and defensive lineman Angelo Anderson and defensive back Kasyus Kurns made First Team on defense. On Second Team from Tarleton State's offense are quarterback Victor Gabalis, running back Tre Page III, wide receiver Cody Jackson, offensive lineman Aidan Moe and offensive lineman Braden Smith. On Second Team from Tarleton State's defense are defensive lineman Brandon Tolvert, linebacker Yasir Holmes, and nickel Omar Emmons.
 
BEST IN TEXAS
Since the start of the 2018 season, Tarleton State has been one of the best scholarship football programs in the entire state of Texas. The Texans enter Saturday's game with a .753 winning percentage since the start of 2018, the highest mark across all of the NCAA Division I and II programs in the state. Tarleton State is the only Texas D1 or D2 institution with all seven winning seasons since 2018. They have 70 wins since the start of 2018, the second most wins in the state by an NCAA Division I or II programs. The list of the top scholarship programs in Texas over that span are as follows:
 

#	School	Conf.	Win Pct.
1.	Tarleton State	UAC	.753
2.	Angelo State	LSC	.701
3.	Texas	SEC	.692
4.	SMU	American	.670
5.	Texas A&M	SEC	.663
6.	Incarnate Word	SLC	.656
7.	Sam Houston	C-USA	.593
8.	TCU	Big 12	.586
9.	UTSA	C-USA	.578
10.	UTPB	LSC	.570

 

#	School	Conf.	Wins
1.	Texas	SEC	72
2.	Tarleton State	UAC	70
3.	SMU	American	67
4.	Texas A&M	SEC	65
5.	Incarnate Word	SLC	61
	Angelo State	LSC	61
7.	UTSA	American	59
8.	TCU	Big 12	58
9.	Texas Tech	Big 12	55
10.	Baylor	Big 12	54
	Sam Houston	C-USA	54

 
WHITTEN THE WINNER
Tarleton State Football head coach Todd Whitten can be described easily with one word -- winner. Whitten is now 126-58 (.685) at Tarleton State across his 16 seasons, and in the regular season finale, he won his 150th game as a collegiate head coach.
 
Now at 12 wins this season, this marks the seventh time in program history the Texans have reached double-digit wins. Those seasons are 2025, 2024, 2019, 2018, 2009, 2001 and 1990. Whitten has been the head coach for five of those seven 10+ win seasons. The winningest head coach in team history has more wins than Nos. 2-3 have combined. Among all active college football head coaches, Whitten is tied-34th in career wins with 151.
 
Stats Perform announced that Whitten is one of 15 finalists for the 2025 Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football.
 
CONFERENCE CHAMPS
With a chaotic overtime win against Austin Peay on Nov. 22, the Texans clinched a share of the United Athletic Conference championship, along with Abilene Christian. This is Tarleton State's third conference championship in the past eight seasons, and the Texans' sixth conference championship as an NCAA institution. The Texans won five during their NCAA Division II days in 2019, 2018, 2013, 2009 and 2001. This is Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in the NCAA Division I era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship in the D1 era (Tennis in 2022).
 
Trailing for most of the game against Austin Peay with the conference championship on the line, Tarleton State clawed its way back in the fourth quarter and forced overtime off a 41-yard field goal from Corbin Poston in the closing seconds. Victor Gabalis found Cody Jackson for a 27-yard touchdown pass in overtime to take the lead. The Texans forced the Governors into an incomplete pass on their two-point conversion attempt that allowed Tarleton State to clinch the win and a share of the conference championship. Gabalis led Tarleton State's passing with 311 yards and three touchdowns. Tylan Hines led the Texans' rushing attack with 215 yards and a touchdown. Jackson and senior wide receiver Trevon West both recorded 100-yard games, with Jackson tallying 116 yards to go with a pair of touchdowns. West had 100 yards off six receptions and a touchdown.
 
"It's outstanding. Never giving up is who we are," head coach Todd Whitten said after the game. "Being conference champions is unbelievable. I'm so happy for our players and our fans. Our players never gave up and stayed the course. That's what you have to do to win championships. I'm really grateful for this football team right here."
 
RUNNING BACK ROOM
It's been a revolving door of quality backs this season for Tarleton State, most recently with Tylan Hines bursting on scene. Hines has back-to-back games rushing for 100+ yards, racing for 120 in the second round of the playoffs and for 215 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries (11.3 yards per rush) against Austin Peay on Nov. 22. Hines has played just four games this season, the last three and the season opener, where he suffered an injury that kept him out the next nine games. Now Hines is No. 1 on the depth chart, already with 415 rush yards and three touchdowns in his three games back from injury (138.3 rush yards and a touchdown per game).
 
Despite missing four games due to injury, redshirt freshman Tre Page III has had one of the best seasons by any running back in the country, not just freshmen. Stats Perform announced Page is on its list of 25 finalists for the 2025 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the national freshman player of the year in college football's Division I FCS subdivision. Page led the Texans in rushing in the regular season with 839 yards in eight games, averaging 104.9 rushing yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry. He also had seven rushing touchdowns, third most on the team. His 7.5 rush yards per carry average would have led the nation if qualified in games played (cutoff is 75 percent of team's games), along with a No. 10 rank in rush yards per game.
 
Tarleton State's other two main running backs on the year have been Caleb Lewis and James Paige, who are the two leading scorers on the ground for the Texans. Lewis has punched it in nine times this season, adding 465 yards on 127 carries. He scored a touchdown in his first six games played on the season. Paige, the quarterback turned running back, has eight rushing touchdowns on the year, to go with 520 yards on 96 carries (5.4 YPC). He had a special debut, totaling five touchdowns, four on the ground and one through the air, at Utah Tech on Oct. 11.
 
ICE IN THEIR VEINS
Tarleton State's kickers have come up clutch this season. Most recently, Brad Larson just went 3-for-3 from field goal range in Tarleton State's second round playoff game. In the regular season finale, Stephenville native Corbin Poston nailed a 41-yard field goal with three seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game, leading to a 45-44 Tarleton State overtime victory to clinch a UAC co-championship. Poston has made four 40+ yard field goals on the season.
 
Earlier this year, Larson had a Texan place-kicking debut for the ages at Army. He instantly became a Texan legend with his 2-for-2 mark in the overtimes, including a 37-yard field goal make in double overtime to upset the Black Knights at Michie Stadium in front of 23,032 fans. Altogether he was perfect on the day, making 3-of-3 field goal attempts and 3-of-3 extra points. He made a 30-yard field goal to give Tarleton State a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, then made a 28-yard field goal in the first overtime to give Tarleton State a 27-24 lead, and finally made a 37-yard field goal to win the game for Tarleton State in double overtime. Even more incredibly, Larson is a childhood cancer survivor. He's raised almost $38,000 for Childhood Cancer Research (Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation) via kicking in high school and college.
 
NATIONAL LEADER
Across the country, only 10 NCAA Division I teams (seven FBS, three FCS) have a better win percentage than Tarleton State since 2018 (Ohio State, Georgia, North Dakota State, Alabama, Notre Dame, James Madison, Oregon, Clemson, South Dakota State, and Montana State). So among some other elite programs, Tarleton State has a higher W% than the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, USC, LSU, etc.
 

#	School	Conf.	Win Pct.
1.	Ohio State	Big 10	.885
2.	Georgia	SEC	.881
3.	North Dakota State	MVFC	.878
4.	Alabama	SEC	.853
5.	Notre Dame	Ind.	.829
6.	James Madison	SBC	.812
7.	Oregon	Big 10	.802
8.	Clemson	ACC	.796
9.	South Dakota State	MVFC	.791
10.	Montana State	MVFC	.786
11.	Tarleton State	UAC	.753
12.	Montana	Big Sky	.745
13.	Oklahoma	SEC	.738
14.	Dartmouth	Ivy	.729
15.	Boise State	MWC	.723

 
7: Tarleton State is the only NCAA Division I program in Texas with seven straight winning seasons. Among head coach Todd Whitten's 15 completed seasons at Tarleton State, his team has finished .500 or better 14 times, the only losing record at 5-6 in 2016.
 
12: Tarleton State has the second most points scored in a season in program history (573). If the Texans score 12 points on Saturday, they will match their most points in a single-season in program history (585 in 2018).
 
1: Victor Gabalis is close to being the top quarterback in program history in both touchdown passes and pass yards. Gabalis needs three pass touchdowns to tie Zed Woerner's 72 career pass touchdown record, and 181 pass yards to tie Zed Woerner's 8,243 career pass yards record.
 
5: Angelo Anderson has five forced fumbles this season, the tied-second most in the country. His five FF are the most in a single-season by a Texan since EJ Speed had five in 2016.
 
2: No FCS team has averaged a +2.00 average turnover margin since 2012 (Richmond). The Texans are at +2.31. The FCS record for average turnover margin is +3.18 (Saint Peter's in 2001), with just one more higher than Tarleton State's current mark (+2.73 by Western Kentucky in 2000).
 
UP NEXT
The winner of this FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals game will face the winner of 8-seed UC Davis and unseeded Illinois State. If the Texans win, they will host the winner of that game on Dec. 20 in the FCS Playoffs Semifinals.