STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Football will host its annual Purple and White Spring Game, presented by Focused Care Partners, to help begin Tarleton State University's John T's Week. This game is free for all students and fans to attend.
 
For those unable to attend, there will be a live radio broadcast on Tarleton Sports Network found here. There will not be a stream or live stats.
 
For the fourth straight year, the Texans will roll out the same scoring system featuring "Purple vs. White, Offense vs. Defense."
 
Tarleton State will treat the Saturday like a traditional gameday, with tailgating, concessions and entertainment.
 
Texan Alley will open at 8 a.m. Pointe du Hoc will commence at 10:40 a.m. on Rudder Way. Memorial Stadium gates will open at 1 p.m., and the game will begin at 2 p.m.
 
This will be a sneak-peak at the 2026 Texan Football team. Tarleton State's roster can be found in the game notes here.
 
After the game, fans will be encouraged to meet the full team for a postgame autograph session in the southwest corner of the field. Free 2026 Texan Football schedule posters will be available to be signed.
 
NOTES

• This is the fourth straight year Tarleton State has hosted a Spring Game. Last year, Purple defeated White 56-46 in a high-scoring affair. In 2024, the game was canceled at halftime due to lightning in the area. In 2023, the game ended in a 39-39 tie, with the defense getting a point on the last play.
• Tarleton State is treating Saturday like a traditional gameday, with Texan Alley lots open at 8 a.m., Pointe du Hoc on Rudder Way at 10:40 a.m., plus concessions, including beer and wine, available. Postgame there will be a poster team autograph session. The Spring Game will start John T's Week, formerly Founder's Week, for Tarleton State University.
• Tarleton State is utilizing the same format as the last three years. Offense scores a point when achieving a first down, crossing the 50-yard line, producing a 15-yard run, completing a 25-yard pass, and making PAT's. The other traditional scores are the same, with six points for a TD, three points for a field goal, two points for a two-point conversion. There are 10 ways for the defense to score. A forced punt, tackle for loss, and pass breakup are each worth one point. A three-and-out forced punt, missed field goal, fourth down stop, sack and two-point conversion stop are each worth two points. Takeaways by interception or fumble recovery and blocked kicks are each worth four points. There will be four 15-minute quarters on a running clock. The clock will stop on changes of possession and at the 2:00 mark in the second and fourth quarters, and follow normal timing rules from there.
• Tarleton State has hired a new offensive coordinator entering the 2026 campaign, tabbing longtime Texas football coach Chris Ross to lead the Texan offense. Ross arrives in Stephenville after spending the last two seasons at Stephen F. Austin, both years as Offensive Coordinator, plus Assistant Head Coach duties this past season. With Ross leading the offense from 2024-25, the Lumberjacks ranked No. 7 in the FCS in scoring (35.5 points per game), No. 15 in pass offense (252.3 pass yards per game), and No. 21 in total offense (411.0 yards per game).
• The Texans just posted a historic campaign in 2025. The Texans finished 12-2 overall and 7-1 in UAC play, winning a shared UAC championship, and advanced to the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in just their second year of D1 postseason eligibility. Tarleton State became the first FCS team since 1993 to make the quarterfinals in one of its first two seasons of playoff eligibility. The Texans were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls. Offensively, the Texans ranked No. 1 in scoring (42.4 points per game), No. 8 in total offense (457.6 YPG), No. 16 in passing offense (263.6 YPG), and No. 18 in rushing offense (193.9 YPG). The Texans turned the ball over just nine times, the tied-fifth fewest amount of turnovers lost across the FCS. Tarleton State earned 39 takeaways, 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, 44). Tarleton State averaged a turnover margin of +2.14, the third highest average turnover margin in FCS history. Tarleton State was No. 8 in pass defense (163.9 YPG), 10th in scoring defense (18.6 PPG allowed) and No. 21 in total defense (331.4 YPG).
• Tarleton State is the only NCAA Division I program in Texas with eight straight winning seasons.
• Among all Texas D1 and D2 programs since 2018, the Texans own the best winning percentage in the state at .745 (70-24). They also have posted the 11th highest winning percentage nationwide in that span across active D1 teams.
• The Texans announced a record 63-man National Signing Day class in February. This is the largest NSD class in Tarleton State Football history, and likely the best. Of the 63, 37 are on defense, 23 on offense, and three specifically for special teams. Of the 63, 54 are transfers and nine are high school signings. Of the transfers, 17 are joining Tarleton State from the FBS level, 10 are staying in the FCS, nine are from NCAA Division II and 16 are from the JUCO ranks. The largest class by position is the defensive line with 14, followed by 13 in the secondary, 10 linebackers, seven offensive linemen, six wide receivers, four quarterbacks, four running backs, two tight ends, a long snapper, a kicker and a punter.