STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- As season 2.0 for United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football gets set to kickoff, we will preview each of the nine league members as we countdown to the opening of the 2024 campaign and the "Chase for the Crown". Finally with full FCS eligibility, Tarleton State has plans to capture a conference title and make a postseason appearance.

NOTEWORTHY
* Having fulfilled their 4-year reclassification requirements, the Texans are looking to build on their strong UAC debut where they boasted an 8-3 overall record and a 4-2 mark in league play to share runner-up honors... Tarleton State enters 2024 ranked in the Top 25 of both preseason polls garnering No. 21 spot on AFCA and Stats Perform FCS listings

* Head Coach TODD WHITTEN, the reigning UAC Coach of the Year, enters his 15th season as the mentor of the TSU program having amassed a 104-53 mark... Whitten is the program's winningest all-time head coach 

* Tarleton State was one of the most explosive offenses in the UAC with a 33.3 PPG average and six games scoring over 30 points... TSU returns its starting quarterback, top three rushers and top three receivers from last season and collected five preseason All-UAC choices

* TSU's two conference losses last year were by a combined seven points and their only other loss came on the road at FBS foe Texas Tech... The Texans posted the third highest win percentage ever by a reclassifying team at 25-16 (.610) and own the state of Texas' highest winning percentage (D1 or D2 programs) since 2018 with a mark of 48-18 (.727)

TARLETON STATE QUICK FACTS
2023 Record: 8-3 (4-2 UAC / T2nd)
Program Best FCS Record: 8-3 (2023) 
NCAA FCS Playoff Appearances: n/a
Head Coach: Todd Whitten
Career Record: 129-81 (20th Season); 104-53 (15th Season at TSU)

KEY RETURNERS
- KAYVON BRITTEN (RB, SR) - Tabbed UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after finishing last season with 1,150 yards on 183 carries (6.3 ypr) and 16 rushing touchdowns... Ranked second in the league  with 104.55 rushing yards per game... Consensus preseason All-American and Walter Payton Award Watchlist honoree
- ADRIAN GUZMAN (K/P, SR) - One of the UAC's top specialist earning a pair of weekly awards in 2023... Went 13-for-18 on his field goal attempts and a perfect 45-of-45 on extra points while averaging 40.4 yards per punt with 15 kicks inside the 20-yard line along with 20 touchbacks on kickoffs

2024 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24 | McNeese State
Aug. 31 | @Baylor
Sept. 7 | @Houston Christian
Sept. 21 | @North Alabama*
Sept. 28 | Southeastern Louisiana
Oct. 5 | @Southern Utah*
Oct. 12 | Utah Tech*
Oct. 26 | @Austin Peay*
Nov. 2 | EKU*
Nov. 9 | @West Georgia*
Nov. 16 | Abilene Christian*
Nov. 23 | Central Arkansas*

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