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Tarleton State University Athletics

ChicagoStateRecap
21
Chicago St. CSU 1-5 , 0-0
56
Winner Tarleton St. TAR 5-0 , 0-0
Chicago St. CSU
1-5 , 0-0
21
Final
56
Tarleton St. TAR
5-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CSU Chicago St. 7 0 0 14 21
TAR Tarleton St. 0 21 14 21 56

Game Recap: Football | | Grant Cohen

Tarleton State Football moves to 5-0 with win over Chicago State

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – It may have been cold and rainy at Memorial Stadium, but Tarleton State Football stayed hot in its 2026 season by getting its fifth win of the year with a 56-21 victory over Chicago State on Saturday night. 

Tarleton State (5-0, 0-0 UAC) is now 5-0 for the second time in its D1 era, starting consecutive seasons with five straight wins. Coming off a bye week, the No. 3/4 nationally-ranked Texans are now 8-0 at the Division I level in games after a week off. 

Quarterback Kaden Anderson threw four touchdown passes for 145 yards, accumulating 12 touchdown passes in 2026 without an interception. Anderson threw to four different receivers for scores on Saturday. 

Running back Miequle Brock led the rushing attack with a season-high 149 yards while freshman running back Bryce Green reached the end zone three times and netted 90 yards. Green is the first freshman running back in the D1 era to tally three touchdowns in one game. 

Defensively, Morsello Hooker and Gerard Culotta both collected interceptions while Cayden Cutler and Kenyon Rivera both forced a fumble. Linebacker Omar Emmons and defensive back Avian Rice led the Texans in total tackles with seven. 

"It's good to get another win," head coach Todd Whitten said. "There was some good and some bad from today. We had too many penalties and we'll lose any close game with that amount. We once again finished without a turnover and I'm very pleased with that. We will have to play better than we did tonight to win some of these tough conference games coming up."

Chicago State struck first, capitalizing on its first drive of the game after forcing a turnover on downs on the Texans' opening offensive possession. The Cougars tallied six first downs en route to scoring from the one-yard line to take a 7-0 lead with just over three minutes in the first quarter. Tarleton State was forced to punt on its next offensive possession, allowing Chicago State to take a one-touchdown advantage at the end of the first quarter. 

Tarleton State's response was immediate in the second quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points. Starting the second frame on Chicago State's 34-yard line, the Texans took advantage and scored off Anderson's pass to tight end Kyle Thompson. Hooker's interception allowed the Texans to get the ball back, with Anderson finding wide receiver BJ Fleming for a 15-yard touchdown that gave Tarleton State its first lead of the game. 

After forcing Chicago State into a three and out, Tarleton State scored again. Brock opened the drive with a 23-yard run up the middle to put the Texans in the red zone. Brock got another first down with a nine-yard gain before Anderson passed to tight end Danny Joiner for an eight-yard touchdown. The Texans maintained their 21-7 lead for the last two minutes of the first half to go into the locker room up by two touchdowns. 

Brock opened the second half with a 22-yard gain and later rushed for eight yards, setting up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to wide receiver Bryce Parker. Chicago State looked to answer on the next drive, but Culotta's interception ended a 10-play drive to give the ball back to the Texans. 

It took 11 plays for Tarleton State to stretch the lead, with Green's first touchdown of the game putting Tarleton State ahead 35-7 going into the final 15 minutes. Quarterback Braedyn Locke completed a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Cydd Ford to open the fourth quarter. Locke's 16-yard pass to Joiner set up Green's second score of the game to put the Texans ahead 42-7. 

Green got the hat trick on the Texans' next offensive drive, rushing up the middle for a 23-yard score. After Chicago State scored its second touchdown of the game, another Texan running back joined the party in the end zone. Junior running back Markellus Bass, a former JUCO All-American, scored his first touchdown at the Division I level to make it a 42-point game. 

Chicago State answered with another touchdown late in the fourth quarter. The deficit, however, was too much for the Cougars to overcome and allowed the Texans to go into United Athletic Conference play undefeated. 

Tarleton State begins UAC play on the road next week at Austin Peay. The Governors, who is currently ranked No. 11 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, will be the Texans' first nationally ranked opponent of 2026. 
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