The Teams: No. 3 Tarleton State Texans (3-0, 0-0 UAC) at Central Arkansas Bears (1-1, 0-0 UAC)
Where: Conway, Arkansas
Stadium: Estes Stadium
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (Dylan McLemore, Wess Moore, Kendra Sheehan)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Ty Walker)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
The Texans and Bears match up again following their UAC regular season finale in 2024 for the UAC opener in 2025.
 
Tarleton State's game, set for 6 p.m. CT, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Dylan McLemore, Wess Moore and Kendra Sheehan 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 fourth all-time meeting. Tarleton State has won all three since 2021, including the lone matchup at No. 18 UCA in 2023 25-23.
• UCA just won its home opener 41-17 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. UCA had 614 yards of total offense, including 318 rushing yards.
• QB Luther Richesson is the reigning UAC Offensive Player of the Week. He combined for four touchdowns, completing 18-of-25 for 283 yards and three TD, adding 83 yards and a TD on the ground.
• UCA is ranked No. 8 nationally in rushing offense (236.0 YPG) with a No. 19 ranked total offense (420.5 YPG).
• This is both teams' UAC opener. They met in the UAC finale in 2024.

 
QUICK HITS

• The Texans are ranked No. 3 in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll and AFCA Coaches Poll.
• The Texans have started 3-0 for the first time in their NCAA Division I era. They last started 3-0 in 2019, a season they started 11-0 and finished 11-1, their loss coming in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
• Tarleton State is the only FCS program 3-0, one of three D1 programs 3-0 (Iowa State, UNLV).
• QB Victor Gabalis just completed 20-of-27 (.741) passes for 295 yards, five touchdowns and zero turnovers in Tarleton State's 59-3 win in its home opener against Mississippi Valley State. His five passing TD are the most in a game by a Texan QB in 10 years, since Zed Woerner had five against Oklahoma Panhandle on Oct. 24, 2015.
• On Aug. 29, Tarleton State earned one of its best victories in program history, beating Army in West Point 30-27 in 2OT. It marked Tarleton State's first road victory against an FBS program, and second win against an FBS program overall. This past Saturday, Army followed it up with a 24-21 win at Big 12 member Kansas State.
• The Texans have the most takeaways in the nation with 12 through three games. With just one turnover themselves, the Texans are No. 1 in both total turnover margin (+11) and average turnover margin (+3.67).
• The Texans have the second most points scored in the nation, across FBS and FCS, with 131 (USC has 132).

 
A PERFECT START
Tarleton State has had an extremely successful start to its NCAA Division I era, but there is one mark that had defied the Texans; 3-0. Tarleton State Football has now started its season 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Of course, an unblemished record at the start for an FCS program is unlikely, with many FCS programs facing FBS opponents early in the season, like the Texans. Tarleton State's lone loss in the first three games in each of the past three years was on the road at an FBS program, and now that the Texans have earned their first true road win against an FBS opponent, their best chance to start 3-0 came this year.
 
The Texans have now started 3-0 six times under head coach Todd Whitten (2025, 2019, 2018, 2004, 2002, 1996). Between 2018-19, the previous two times Tarleton State started 3-0, the Texans finished a combined 23-2 (.920), plus went 9-2 in 2004, 6-5 in 2000 and 5-5 in 1996.
 
Tarleton State is the lone FCS program in the nation to start 3-0 thus far this season. Currently, the Texans are one of three D1 programs with that mark, along with Iowa State and UNLV. In the race to start 4-0, the Texans can become either the first or second team across the nation to start the season with that mark. Iowa State will play at Arkansas State on Saturday at 3 p.m. UNLV has an open week, not playing again until Sept. 20.
 
HIGHLY RESPECTED
At the tail-end of its NCAA Division II era, Tarleton State had the respect and reputation for being an elite program amongst its peers. It hasn't taken long in the Texans' D1 era to reach that same level. Last year, the Texans were No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season. They were ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason, one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls, joined by Idaho, Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, UC Davis, UIW and Villanova.
 
This season, Tarleton State is now ranked No. 3 in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll and the AFCA Coaches Poll. These are the highest rankings in Tarleton State Football's NCAA Division I era.
 
Amongst its conference peers, Tarleton State is the heavy favorite to win the UAC, picked by eight of the nine teams to finish No. 1. This is the first time the Texans have been picked in the preseason to win the conference since Tarleton State joined the D1 ranks. Since 2021, the first year Tarleton State Football was in a conference at the D1 level, the Texans have quickly elevated their positioning in the conference standings, going from fourth in 2021 and fifth in 2022 in the standings, to tied-second in each 2023 and 2024.
 
TEXANS OVER BEARS
Tarleton State has had Central Arkansas' number since the two programs matched up for the first time in 2021. The Texans are 3-0 against the Bears, with two blowouts in Stephenville and a close win against the then-No. 18 ranked UCA squad on a rainy day during their homecoming in 2023. Across the three games, Tarleton State has a total point differential of +48, winning by an average of 16.0 points. The Texans have forced five takeaways in those games, owning a 5-2 takeaway advantage.
 
In the regular season finale last year, Tarleton State held a 14-7 lead with five minutes to play in the third quarter before taking over. The Texans forced a safety, then scored a touchdown 15 seconds later. Up 22-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, Tarleton scored another touchdown, then recovered the kickoff, then made a field goal, then recovered a fumble on the next kickoff, capping off the sequence with a touchdown less than a minute later to lead 39-14. Victor Gabalis threw for four touchdowns and 245 yards on 15-of-21 passing. Cody Jackson had a touchdown and 28 yards on three catches. Kasyus Kurns recorded an interception, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and five total tackles. AJ Owens forced the safety with his tackle for loss, finishing with five total tackles. Steve Albert Jr. had an interception, and Blake Smith had a team-high six tackles.
 
GABALLER
Texans quarterback Victor Gabalis is proving why he was selected as the unanimous UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Through three games, Gabalis has completed 50-of-81 (.617) passes for 599 yards, eight touchdowns, and has yet to turn the ball over. He is No. 2 in the FCS in passing touchdowns and No. 3 in total passing yards. In Tarleton State's last game, Gabalis completed 20-of-27 (.741) passes for 295 yards, five touchdowns and zero turnovers in Tarleton State's 59-3 win in its home opener against Mississippi Valley State. His five passing touchdowns are the most in a game by a Tarleton State quarterback in 10 years, since Zed Woerner had five against Oklahoma Panhandle on Oct. 24, 2015. The five touchdowns mark Gabalis' most in his three seasons at Tarleton State, surpassing three four-touchdown performances, one in 2024 (against Central Arkansas) and two in 2023. His five touchdown passes are his most since throwing five against Southern Utah while with Utah Tech on Oct. 29, 2022.
 
This is Gabalis' sixth season at the collegiate level, having played 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 40 career collegiate games, sitting at 8,121 passing yards and 68 passing touchdowns. In games Gabalis has started in his career, his teams have gone 23-8 (.742). At Tarleton State, Gabalis is 20-6 (.769) as a starter with 5,974 passing yards on 407-of-691 (.589) passing, 49 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. Gabalis has just surpassed Chad Cole (45) on Tarleton's State's career passing touchdown list at No. 5, and he's two short of tying Steve Kelly at 51 (1999-2001) at No. 4. Gabalis needs just 23 passing yards to tie Ben Holmes at No. 5 on Tarleton State's all-time career passing yards leaderboard (5,997, 2018-19).
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.
 
Last season, Gabalis was named UAC Second Team All-Conference after leading the Texans to a 9-3 overall record as the starting quarterback, 6-2 in UAC play. He completed 193-of-309 (.625) for 2,883 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games, averaging 240.3 passing yards per game, while also scoring a rushing touchdown and adding 53 yards on the ground. He set career-bests in pass yards, pass touchdowns, and increased his completion percentage by eight percent. Gabalis threw a season-high four touchdowns twice, including in the second round of the playoffs at No. 4 ranked South Dakota, where he also had a season-high 379 passing yards. He had six multi-TD games on the year, including four games with three or more touchdowns. Conference-wise, he was second in pass yards per, second in pass TD and second in total pass yards.
 
EVERYBODY EATS
Tarleton State Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Tyrone Nix preaches that if everyone does their job, then everybody eats at the end of the day, meaning everyone will get their recognition and the stats they desire. That has proven true in each of Tarleton State's three games this season.
 
In the first game, Tarleton State pitched a 42-0 shutout, with four takeaways (three interceptions, one fumble recovery), a defensive touchdown, less than 300 yards of offense allowed and six negative plays forced. Among the four turnovers, three different players were involved, and of the six negative plays, eight had at least half a tackle for loss. Ty Rawls had a pair of interceptions, becoming the first Texan with multiple picks since Donovan Banks had two vs. Abilene Christian on Nov. 5, 2022. Omar Emmons had a forced fumble and interception return touchdown, his first touchdown for the Purple and White, his first forced fumble and his third interception. Jadan Aubert, a Texan newcomer from Jones College, had the fumble recovery which led to a Tarleton State touchdown.
 
At Army, Kasyus Kurns was the star, ending three straight Black Knights' drives himself with a takeaway. Kurns recorded two interceptions, a fumble recovery and four total tackles in Tarleton State's 30-27 double overtime win. Kurns' three takeaways were all in the second half to help Tarleton State to one of its best victories in program history. Kurns intercepted Army QB Dewayne Coleman at the Tarleton State 28-yard line with 1:41 left in the third quarter, then intercepted Coleman at the Tarleton State 1-yard line with 11:48 left in the fourth quarter, then recovered a fumble by Hayden Reed at the Army 16-yard line with 10:03 left in the fourth quarter. Kurns has the tied-most interceptions across all of NCAA Division I football at two.
 
Against Mississippi Valley State, Tarleton State had more takeaways than points allowed, forcing five turnovers and allowing just three points. Aubert had a 68-yard interception return for a touchdown, Kurns added another interception for his third of year, tied-most in the FCS, and Jeremiah Postell had an interception as well. Devin Sterling and James Turrentine each recorded a fumble recovery, with Omar Emmons and Angelo Anderson credited with the forced fumbles. The Texans also forced nine negative plays by the Delta Devils with four sacks. Anderson had a pair of sacks with his FF, in his Tarleton State debut. That marked the first multi-sack game by a Texan since Caimyn Layne had a pair of sacks in the Texans' season opener in 2023 at McNeese. Anderson became the second Texan in their NCAA Division I era to record 2+ sacks and a forced fumble in a game (Ronnell Wilson in spring of 2021). He also became the sixth Texan in their NCAA Division I era to record 2+ sacks in a game (Layne, Segun Ijiyera in 2022, Sean Walton in 2021, D.J. Harris and Ronnell Wilson in spring of 2021).  .
 
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 .735 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 61 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	.735
2.	Angelo State	LSC	.731
3.	Incarnate Word	SLC	.687
4.	Texas	SEC	.681
5.	SMU	American	.667
6.	Texas A&M	SEC	.636
7.	Sam Houston	C-USA	.634
8.	TCU	Big 12	.580
9.	UTSA	C-USA	.576
10.	Baylor	Big 12	.556

 

#	School	Conf.	Wins
1.	Texas	SEC	64
2.	Tarleton State	UAC	61
3.	SMU	American	60
4.	Incarnate Word	SLC	57
	Angelo State	LSC	57
6.	Texas A&M	SEC	56
7.	UTSA	American	53
8.	Sam Houston	C-USA	52
9.	TCU	Big 12	51
10.	Baylor	Big 12	50

 
NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Tarleton State Football is one of the best stories in the nation to start the 2025 campaign, and that was further proven recently, as the Texans were named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week following wins at Portland State and Army. On Aug. 29, Tarleton State won its first road game against an FBS program in its fourth try, and second win against an FBS program in five total matchups, having also defeated New Mexico State in El Paso in 2021. Army, meanwhile, won the American Conference championship last year and finished 12-2 overall. This was the Black Knights' first loss to an FCS program since 2015.
 
On Week 0 on Aug. 23, Tarleton State shut out Portland State 42-0 on the road at Hillsboro Stadium in Hillsboro, Oregon. It marked Tarleton State's largest season-opening win since 2002 (62-0), and the Texans forced the Vikings' first FCS shutout loss in nearly 20 years (2006) and first shutout loss at their home field since 2003.
 
A DEBUT FOR THE AGES
Kicker Brad Larson handled kickoff duties in the season opener, but made his place-kicking debut at Army, and instantly became a Texan legend with his 2-for-2 record 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.
 
Larson joined the Texans from Angelo State this past offseason. He played four years with the Rams from 2021-24, the team's leading scorer in both 2024 and 2023. He played in 22 games, all across his last two seasons there, and led Angelo State in scoring in 2024. Angelo State was the Lone Star Conference champions with an undefeated 9-0 conference mark, 9-3 overall with an NCAA Division II Football Playoffs loss to No. 6 Bemidji State.
 
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.
 
RUNNING BACK U
Tarleton State has had its fair share of elite running backs make their way through Stephenville, and it seems that will continue once again this season. Led by former elite running back himself, assistant coach Pepe Pearson, the RB's room consists of four capable tailbacks who could break out at any moment; Tre Page III, Braelon Bridges, Tylan Hines and Caleb Lewis. Page shined in Week 0, flashing the speed on an 89-yard rushing touchdown, finishing with 170 yards and a pair of scores on just 15 carries (11.3 YPC). He also raced for a 28-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and had 160 rushing yards in the first half alone. Page finished with the most rushing yards in a season opener in Tarleton State Football NCAA Division I history, the most since Daniel McCants had 190 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 20. Page followed that up with another rushing touchdown to go with 89 yards on 14 carries (6.4 YPC) at Army. Page has the third most rush yards across the FCS at 283 and the tied-seventh most rushing touchdowns in the FCS at three. In rushing yards, he's only behind Youngstown State's Beau Brengard (409) and North Carolina Central's Chris Mosley (352).
 
Caleb Lewis has also had a strong start to the year, rushing for a touchdown in each of the first three games, now with 165 yards on 35 carries (4.7 YPC) and three TD's.
 
Since the beginning of last season, covering 17 games, Tarleton State has had an individual rush for 150+ yards eight times, with the Texans 7-1 in such games. Last year, Kayvon Britten led the entire FCS in rushing yards with 1,982, second in D1 football, only behind Boise State's Ashton Jeanty (2,601). In 2023, Tarleton State had a 1,000-yard back (Britten), and in 2022, the Texans had a different 1,000-yard back (Derrel Kelley III). Over the past seven seasons, Tarleton State has produced six 1,000-yard seasons by its running backs (Daniel McCants in 2019, McCants and Xavier Turner in 2018).
 
CULTURE IS KING
In the modern collegiate days of collective conference, roster and staff fluidity, Tarleton State does not fit the norm. The Texans have been able to retain their elite staff and players year-over-year, credit to the culture that head coach Todd Whitten solidifies at the helm.
 
Looking at the staff alone, the Texans' coaching staff tenures at Tarleton State are thus; 16 years (Todd Whitten), eight years (Scott Carey), eight years (Tate Whitten), six years (Michael Walton), five years (Adam Austin), four years (Tyrone Nix), four years (Fred Tate), three years (Jake Stone), three years (Pepe Pearson), two years (Devante Sims) and Beau Blair (entering first season). The Texans have not had to replace more than two assistant coaches on a staff in a given year  in their D1 era. Player-wise, the portal has not seen a lot of Texans go through. Since 2022, Tarleton State has seen just 1-2 contributors depart via transfer max per year.
 
COOPER'S MOMENT
Former Tarleton State Football wide receiver made waves in the NFL through the preseason, and officially made the Philadelphia Eagles 53-man roster on Aug. 26. Upon signing with the Eagles immediately following the 2025 NFL Draft, he became the 21st player in Tarleton State Football history to sign into the NFL. Cooper shined in his in debut for the Eagles against the Cincinnati Bengals, going for six catches, 82 yards, and a touchdown. Last year for the Texans, he was First Team Associated Press FCS All-America, First Team Stats Perform FCS All-America, Dave Campbell All-Texas Non-FBS Team as best receiver, First Team Phil Steele FCS All-American, First Team Football Central All-American, First Team UAC All-Conference, Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American, UAC Preseason All-Conference,  Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators, Academic All-WAC, and CSC Academic All-District.
 
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, Clemson, South Dakota State, Oregon, James Madison 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	.882
2.	Georgia	SEC	.878
3.	North Dakota State	MVFC	.875
4.	Alabama	SEC	.857
5.	Notre Dame	Ind.	.819
6.	Clemson	ACC	.816
	South Dakota State	MVFC	.816
8.	Oregon	Big 10	.791
9.	James Madison	SBC	.789
10.	Montana State	MVFC	.759
11.	Tarleton State	UAC	.735
12.	Dartmouth	Ivy	.733
13.	Oklahoma	SEC	.731
14.	Penn State	Big 10	.728
15.	Boise State	MWC	.722
	Florida A&M	SWAC	.722

 
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.
 
56: Tarleton State just defeated Mississippi Valley State 59-3. The 56-point win by the Texans is their largest win in their NCAA Division I era, their largest margin of victory since Nov. 2, 2019 (a 66-7 win vs. Midwestern State).
 
7: Over his last eight games, QB Victor Gabalis has gone turnover-free in seven of those games. Over his past eight, Gabalis has completed 149-of-217 (.687) for 2,105 yards, 23 touchdowns and three interceptions. Over his last seven games, Gabalis has completed 129-of-189 (.683) for 1,864 yards, 21 touchdowns and three interceptions
 
20: The Texans are now 20-6 (.769) when Victor Gabalis starts at quarterback.
 
1: Whitten is the only coach at any NCAA level actively coaching in his third stint at his current school. He is one of 37 coaches at any NCAA level to have three non-consecutive tenures at one school and the second coach with three stints at Tarleton State (W.J. Wisdom, 1920-22, 1924-28, 1930-35).
 
UP NEXT
The Texans will be back in Stephenville for Family Weekend, as Tarleton State hosts Chattanooga at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 6 p.m. There will be 1,000 free shirts available for early arriving fans, courtesy of Triple Crown Ford.