The Teams: 4-seed Tarleton State Texans (11-1, 7-1 UAC) vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (8-5, 5-3 MVFC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Time: 12 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (Jack Benjamin, Doc Holliday, David Tasca)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Ty Walker)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
There is playoff football in Stephenville on Saturday, as the 4-seed Tarleton State is set to take on North Dakota in the second round of the FCS Playoffs at Memorial Stadium at noon.
 
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Jack Benjamin and Doc Holliday 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
There is plenty happening on Tarleton State's campus for the playoff game, starting Friday night. On Friday will be Texan Alley After Dark, starting at 7 p.m. in Texan Alley, with a live concert featuring Giovannie and the Hired Guns playing. There will be food trucks and lots of fun on the eve of the playoff game, with Texan Alley rolling through midnight.
 
Texan Alley Tailgate will then open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and last until game time, with a postgame tailgate scheduled as well that will last through midnight. The Pointe-du-Hoc rally will be at 8:40 a.m. at Rudder Way Statue. Memorial Stadium gates will open at 10 a.m.
 
The Sound and the Fury will perform at 11:42 a.m., followed by the national anthem at 11:48 a.m. The Texan Rider will lead the Texans onto the field at 11:55 a.m. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:02 p.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 first game against a team from the state of North Dakota.
• This is UND's sixth playoff appearance, now 2-5 in playoff games.
• UND's five losses have all been one-score games, including 38-35 at No. 17 Kansas State and 15-10 at No. 1 North Dakota State.
• TSU (36) and UND (26) are Nos. 1 and 2 in the FCS in takeaways.
• The Fighting Hawks are elite in the run game on both sides of the ball, No. 6 in rush defense (99.5 YPG allowed) and No. 16 in rush offense (199.4 YPG). They are No. 16 in both scoring offense (34.5 PPG) and scoring defense (19.0 PPG allowed).

 
QUICK HITS

• The Texans have reached the second round of the FCS Playoffs in back-to-back years, their first two years of postseason eligibility since completing reclassification to NCAA Division I. Not including bowl games, this is their seventh playoff appearance in their NCAA era, owning a 5-6 NCAA playoff record. Including bowl games, Tarleton State has played in 22 postseason games, sitting at 10-12 overall (8-10 in playoffs, 2-2 in bowl games).
• Tarleton State has hosted four playoff games in its NCAA era (3-1). Last year, the 13-seed Texans won 43-29 against Drake in the first round. They fell to 4-seed South Dakota on the road in the second round 42-31.
• Tarleton State has reached 11 wins on the year for the third time in program history (2019, 2018, 1990). With a win on Saturday, the Texans will match their 2018 12-win mark, the most wins in a single-season in team history.
• The Texans are undefeated at home this season at 6-0, with eight straight home wins. This is Tarleton State's longest home winning streak since rattling off 13 straight wins at Memorial Stadium from 2018-19.
• Last time in action, the Texans clinched a share of the UAC championship with a walk-off win in overtime against Austin Peay at home 45-44 on Nov. 22. It marks Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in its D1 era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship (Tennis in 2022).

 
PLAYOFF MATCHUP
The 4-seed Tarleton State will host North Dakota on Saturday, the first meeting between the two. Both teams are among the nation's best across all categories, but on paper, it appears Tarleton State may try to get it done through the air and North Dakota on the ground.
 
The Texans have a Walter Payton Award finalist at quarterback who ranks No. 4 in pass yards per completion (15.0), No. 8 in pass touchdowns (25), No. 8 in passing efficiency (162.5), and No. 14 in pass yards per game (239.4). As a team, the Texans are No. 13 in pass offense (265.8 YPG), and North Dakota allows 200.7 pass yards per game, No. 38 in the FCS. Of course, the Texans' rushing offense is as elite as their pass offense, averaging the 10th most rush yards per game at 209.5. But, North Dakota has a stout rush defense, No. 6 in the country at allowing just 99.5 yards per game. North Dakota has forced teams under 100 rushing yards seven times this season, going 5-2 in those games. The Texans have been held under 100 rush yards just a single time this season, corresponding with their single loss on the year, at Abilene Christian.
 
On the flip side, North Dakota has a much better rushing offense (No. 16, 199.4 YPG) than passing offense (No. 75, 198.6 YPG). The same can be said about Tarleton State's rush defense and pass defense, with the Texans No. 8 in pass defense (164.6 YPG) and No. 71 in rush defense (165.9 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 a team from North Dakota, and have no players from the state, while North Dakota last played a Texas team in 2022 (Abilene Christian), last played in the state of Texas in 2018 (at Sam Houston), and have just three players on roster who list a hometown from Texas (WR B.J. Fleming from Aledo, Edge Myles Terry from Conroe, DT Tyler Henry from Houston).
 
HISTORIC SEASON
It's been a historic season for the Texans. The team is the 4-seed in the FCS Playoffs, conference co-champs and 11-1 overall, including a spotless 6-0 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 (45.2 points per game), No. 4 in team passing efficiency (169.1), No. 5 in total offense (475.3 YPG), No. 10 in rushing offense (209.5 YPG), and No. 13 in passing offense (265.8 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 seven times, the tied-fourth fewest amount of turnovers lost across the FCS. On the flip side, Tarleton State has earned 36 takeaways, by far the most in the FCS with the next closest team at 26, the very team the Texans face on Saturday, North Dakota. The Texans' 36 takeaways are the most by an FCS team since 2019 (Alcorn with 36), and if the Texans get another on Saturday, it will be the most since 2017 (James Madison with 44). Tarleton State averages a turnover margin of +2.42, nearly double the margin that the No. 2 team averages (UTRGV at 1.33). Tarleton State currently has the third highest average turnover margin in FCS history.
 
Furthermore defensively, Tarleton State has been elite, No. 8 in pass defense (164.6 YPG allowed), No. 12 in scoring defense (18.4 PPG allowed) and No. 23 in total defense (330.5 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, 12 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-second most interceptions in the nation at five, and has the second highest interception rate per game at 0.5. Angelo Anderson is second in the nation in forced fumbles per game (0.5) and is ninth in the nation in sacks per game at 0.95.
 
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."
 
ALL-CONFERENCE
On Tuesday, 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.
 
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 surpassed Chad Cole for No. 4 on the career pass yards list. He is just six pass touchdowns short of the program's all-time career pass touchdown mark, and 90 pass yards short of the No. 3 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 66 (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. Scott Grantham 7,860 (2007-09)
4. Victor Gabalis 7,770 (2023-25)
5. Chad Cole 7,267 (1995-98)
 
Through his 10 games played, Texan quarterback Victor Gabalis has completed 160-of-268 (.597) passes for 2,395 yards, 25 touchdowns, and four 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 47 career collegiate games, sitting at 9,917 passing yards and 85 passing touchdowns. In games Gabalis has started in his career, his teams have gone 29-9 (.763). At Tarleton State, Gabalis is 26-7 (.788) as a starter with 7,770 passing yards on 517-of-878 (.589) passing and 66 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 half of his games played (five), 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. During the preseason, Gabalis was named the unanimous UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-UAC Team.
 
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 .750 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 69 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	.750
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	.576

 

#	School	Conf.	Wins
1.	Texas	SEC	72
2.	Tarleton State	UAC	69
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	54
	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 125-58 (.683) at Tarleton State across his 16 seasons, and he just won his 150th game as a collegiate head coach in Tarleton State's last outing.
 
Now at 11 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 head coaches, Whitten is No. 38 in career wins with 150.
 
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.
 
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 with 215 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries (11.3 yards per rush) against Austin Peay on Nov. 22. It marked Hines' third game played of the season, as he suffered an injury in the season opener that kept him out the next nine games. Now Hines is No. 1 on the depth chart, already with 295 rush yards and three touchdowns in his two games back from injury.
 
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 443 yards on 118 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 in the Texans' last game. 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 now made four 40+ yard field goals on the season.
 
Earlier this year, Brad 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.
 
UAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tarleton State won seven weekly UAC awards in 2025.
 
After Weeks 0-1, Tarleton State had Kasyus Kurns named the UAC Defensive Player of the Week, kicker Brad Larson the UAC Special Teams Player of the Week, and running back Tre Page III the UAC Freshman of the Week. Kurns recorded two interceptions, a fumble recovery and four total tackles in Tarleton State's 30-27 double overtime win at Army. Kurns' three takeaways were all in the second half to help Tarleton State to one of its best victories in program history. Larson's heroics were just mentioned. Page stole the show in the first half against Portland State on Aug. 23, racing for a 28-yard touchdown, then an 89-yard scamper for a score. Page had 160 rushing yards in the first half alone, finishing with 170, and his two scores on 15 carries (11.3 yards per rush).
 
After Week 3, LB Yasir Holmes was named the UAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording a team-high three TFL, a sack and a team-high seven total tackles in Tarleton State's 56-10 win at Central Arkansas. Holmes became the first Texan with three tackles for loss in a game since Blaine Hoover had 3.0 TFL on Nov. 19, 2022, against Houston Christian. 
 
After Week 4, kicker Corbin Poston was named the Special Teams Player of the Week, his first career honor. Poston nailed a pair of long field goals, drilling one from 50 yards and the other from 49 yards, in Tarleton State's win.
 
After Week 6, Page was named the UAC Freshman of the Week, along with the Stats Perform FCS National Freshman Player of the Week. He recorded 198 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries (10.4 YPC) in Tarleton State's win over Southern Utah.
 
After Week 8, Courtland Stephens earned Special Teams Player of the Week after earning a blocked punt and a muffed kickoff fumble recovery in Tarleton State's home win against No. 23 ranked West Georgia. His punt block led to a touchdown to boost Tarleton State ahead 21-0, and his fumble recovery opened the second half, putting the Texans in great field position.
 
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, North Dakota State, Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame, James Madison, Oregon, South Dakota State, Clemson, 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	.893
2.	North Dakota State	MVFC	.886
3.	Georgia	SEC	.880
4.	Alabama	SEC	.861
5.	Notre Dame	Ind.	.829
6.	James Madison	SBC	.810
7.	Oregon	Big 10	.802
8.	South Dakota State	MVFC	.798
9.	Clemson	ACC	.796
10.	Montana State	MVFC	.784
11.	Tarleton State	UAC	.750
12.	Montana	Big Sky	.742
13.	Oklahoma	SEC	.738
14.	Dartmouth	Ivy	.729
15.	Boise State	MWC	.720

 
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.
 
43: Tarleton State has the second most points scored in a season in program history (542). If the Texans score 43 points on Saturday, they will match their most points in a single-season in program history (585 in 2018).
 
10: At 9.5 sacks, Angelo Anderson already has the most sacks by a Texan in 13 years (Rufus Johnson with 10 in 2012).
 
5: Angelo Anderson has a team-high five forced fumbles this season, the second most in the country, only behind Charleston Southern's Justin Waters (eight). His five FF are the most in a single-season by a Texan since EJ Speed had five in 2016. That year, Speed became the highest NFL draft pick in program history.
 
2: No FCS team has averaged a +2.00 average turnover margin since 2012 (Richmond). The Texans are at +2.42. 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 the second round game between 4-seed Tarleton State and North Dakota will face the winner of 5-seed Lehigh and 12-seed Villanova. If the Texans win, they will host the winner of that game on either Dec. 12 or Dec. 13.