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Tarleton State University Athletics

Tarleton State Football Was Ranked Top-Five in Both Polls after Beating McNeese (Sept. 14, 2026)

Football

Tarleton State maintains rankings in polls after walk-off win at McNeese

STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State Football improved to 3-0 on Saturday, and the Texans' positioning in the major polls stayed the same.
 
Tarleton State maintained its No. 4 ranking in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll and its No. 5 ranking in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
 
In the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, the Texans earned 1,253 points, trailing only No. 1 Montana State (1,425 points), No. 2 South Dakota State (1,324 points) and No. 3 Montana (1,277 points). The Texans are one of three UAC teams in the poll now with Abilene Christian dropping out after beginning the 2026 season 0-3. Austin Peay is tied at the No. 14 spot and West Florida is No. 17.
 
In the AFCA Coaches Poll, Tarleton State earned 552 points, with No. 1 Montana State at 650 points, No. 2 Montana at 601 points, No. 3 South Dakota State at 595 points and No. 4 Illinois State at 578 points. The Texans are one of three UAC teams in this poll, with Austin Peay at No. 14 and West Florida at No. 17. The AFCA FCS Coaches Poll is voted on by the panel chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the AFCA their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top-25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second-place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
 
The Texans have been ranked in 30 straight iterations of the polls, dating back to the preseason polls in 2024. Tarleton State is one of seven teams to have been ranked in each poll over the past three seasons, along with Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, South Dakota State, UC Davis and Villanova.
 
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll
  1. Montana State
  2. South Dakota State
  3. Montana
  4. Tarleton State
  5. Illinois State          
  6. North Dakota
  7. Lehigh
  8. Rhode Island
  9. Youngstown State
  10. South Dakota
  11. UC Davis
  12. Stephen F. Austin
  13. Tennessee Tech
  14. Austin Peay
  15. Lamar
  16. Idaho State
  17. West Florida
  18. South Carolina State
  19. Yale
  20. Northern Arizona
  21. William & Mary
  22. Villanova
  23. Mercer
  24. Southern Illinois
  25. Harvard
 
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll
  1. Montana State
  2. Montana
  3. South Dakota State
  4. Illinois State
  5. Tarleton State      
  6. North Dakota
  7. Lehigh
  8. Stephen F. Austin
  9. Youngstown State
  10. Tennessee Tech
  11. UC Davis
  12. South Dakota
  13. Rhode Island
  14. Austin Peay
  15. Lamar
  16. South Carolina State
  17. West Florida
  18. Idaho State
  19. Northern Arizona
  20. Yale
  21. William & Mary
  22. Mercer
  23. Villanova
  24. Furman
  25. Southern Illinois
 
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