CARROLTON, Ga. – Tarleton State Football is 1-0 as the No. 1 nationally ranked team in FCS, defeating West Georgia 49-6 on Saturday at University Stadium.
Being a one-point game at the end of the first quarter, Tarleton State (8-0, 3-0 UAC) scored 42 unanswered points to get the win over West Georgia (1-7, 0-3 UAC). Defensively, the Texans came up with three takeaways and held the opposition to single-digit points for the first time in 2026.
The Texans are now 8-0 for the second time in the Division I era and for the second straight season. Tarleton State now has a combined record of 19-1 in regular-season games over the last two years.
Quarterback
Kaden Anderson scored five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) and threw for 296 yards off 14-of-24 passes. Anderson is the first Tarleton State quarterback in the Division I era and in the last decade to have five touchdowns in back-to-back games.
Wide receiver
Tanner Schmidt hauled in 129 yards receiving off five receptions and a touchdown. Freshman running back
Bryce Green led the Texans' running game by netting 71 yards to go with a touchdown.
Linebacker
Roddrick Roberts led Tarleton State in tackling with seven. Fellow linebacker
Kaleb Brown recorded a sack, forced fumble, two tackles for loss to go with six tackles on Saturday.
"I'm really pleased with our guys," head coach
Todd Whitten said. "We had a good week of practice and a lot of good leadership coming into the game. We got off to a slow start, but our defense got a lot of stops and turnovers. Our defense and offense really complemented each other today. I'm very proud of our guys' efforts."
The Texans started their first drive as the No. 1 team in the country with a touchdown. Anderson passed it to Schmidt for a 65-yard score that allowed Tarleton State to take the lead four minutes into the game.
After West Georgia responded with a 43-yard field goal, the Wolves held the Texans scoreless for the remainder of the opening period. The Wolves also converted a 26-yard field goal just before the quarter came to a close to make it a one-point game.
West Georgia prevented any offensive action from Tarleton State for the first 12 and a half minutes of the second quarter before a 3rd and 16 sparked the top-ranked Texans. Anderson found Schmidt for an 18-yard pass completion that gave the Texans a fresh set of downs. The Texans capped off the drive with another score, with Anderson passing it to Hodge for his first touchdown catch of 2026.
Tarleton State, however, was not done scoring before going into the locker room. After Anderson threw to wide receiver
Bryce Parker for a 57-yard completion, running back
James Paige was inserted in at quarterback on 1st and Goal. Paige, a former quarterback, took it himself for a 2-yard rushing touchdown that allowed the Texans to go up 21-6 into the locker room.
Just as the Texans had ended the first half, they would find themselves in familiar territory to begin the third quarter: the end zone. Following a forced fumble by Brown to put the Texans in great offensive field position, Anderson finished a three-play drive with a rushing touchdown. The defense once again came through, recovering a fumble when West Georgia decided to go for it on fourth down.
Anderson threw another touchdown pass, this time to tight end
Danny Joiner for a 40-yard completion to put the Texans on top 35-6. The Texans, however, weren't done scoring at the end of the third quarter.
An interception by
Amir Scarver allowed the Texans' momentum to continue in the fourth quarter. Anderson followed by throwing another touchdown pass, finding
Miequle Brock for a 23-yard score with 11 minutes to go.
The Texans played shutdown defense and helped set up the final score 10 minutes later. With just under two minutes to play, Green found the end zone and put his team up by 43. West Georgia was unable to overcome the deficit, allowing Tarleton State to remain undefeated on the season.
Tarleton State returns home next week for Military Appreciation on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Memorial Stadium, taking on Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m. Next Saturday's game will be sponsored by Smile Doctors and will be one of two regular-season home games remaining for the Texans in 2026. Tickets start at just $23 and can be purchased online
here or in person at the Memorial Stadium Box Office.
