No. 4 Seed Texans Host No. 12 Villanova in FCS Playoff Quarterfinals

ESPN slated to broadcast game

Tarleton State Athletic Communications

Football | 12/12/2025 7:34:38 PM

** Courtesy of Tarleton State Athletic Communications **

The Teams: 4-seed Tarleton State Texans (12-1, 7-1 UAC) vs. 12-seed Villanova Wildcats (11-2, 7-1 CAA)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN (Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray, Lauren Sisler, Adam Coppinger)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network on 90.5 FM (Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens, Ty Walker)
 
TEXAN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
It's quarterfinals action in Stephenville, as the 4-seed Tarleton State will host the 12-seed Villanova at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the playoffs.
 
The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray and Lauren Sisler on the call. The game can be heard on Tarleton Sports Network at 90.5 FM in Stephenville and surrounding areas, with Byron Anderson, Kyle Masters, Keltin Wiens and Ty Walker leading the broadcast.
 
GAME DAY FESTIVITIES
Promotions are aplenty once again for the playoff game, with the big ticket item serving as $1 beer and $1 hot dogs for all fans 21 years and older in attendance. All beers are $1 at the game, with last call at the end of the third quarter. Also at the game, the Tarleton Alumni Association will be awarding four $500 scholarships to students who have checked into the Corq App, and students must be present to win. Plus, Tarleton State will be giving away 20,000 rally towels, to further an electric atmosphere at Memorial Stadium.
 
Texan Alley Tailgate will open at 7 a.m. on Saturday. The Pointe-du-Hoc rally will be at 7:40 a.m. at Rudder Way Statue. Memorial Stadium gates will open at 9 a.m.
 
The Sound and the Fury will perform at 10:42 a.m., followed by the national anthem at 10:48 a.m. The Texan Rider will lead the Texans onto the field at 10:55 a.m. The coin toss will be conducted by Tarleton State alumna Shelby Slawson, and the game ball will be presented by Tarleton State alumnus and popular country music artist Koe Wetzel. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:02 a.m.
 
Single-game tickets can be purchased and claimed at TarletonSports.com/Tickets. Fans should add their tickets to their mobile wallet before arriving on campus. Texan students should now use the Corq app to attend Tarleton State Athletics' games and events for free.
 
Parking for this game will be free in all lots except for Lots A, B, C and F. So the lots around the EECU Center (P22, P23, P29), Lot D south of Traditions South, Lot E in front of Wisdom Gym and the parking garage are all free.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
  • This is the first all-time meeting, and Tarleton State's third game against a team from Pennsylvania, first since 1990 (Westminster).
  • Villanova has made the playoffs in three straight years and five of the last seven years. Villanova is 17-15 all-time in the FCS Playoffs.
  • Villanova has won 10 straight games, its longest winning streak since 1997, when the Wildcats started 12-0 before a playoffs defeat.
  • Villanova is a balanced team, 23rd in total defense (334.5 YPG allowed) and 35th in total offense (396.2 YPG).
  • Villanova (five) has the fewest amount of turnovers in the country (Tarleton State is tied-fourth at eight). Villanova (+11) is tied-ninth in turnover margin (Tarleton State is first at +30).
 
QUICK HITS
  • The Texans have reached the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in just their second year of D1 postseason eligibility. Tarleton State is the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). Tarleton State is one of four Texas programs to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first or second playoff appearance (Texas State in 2005, SFA in 1988, North Texas in 1983).
  • Tarleton State now owns a 6-6 NCAA playoff record in seven playoff appearances (not including bowl games). Including bowl games, Tarleton State has played in 23 postseason games; 11-12 overall, 9-10 playoffs, 2-2 bowl.
  • Tarleton State has hosted five playoff games in its NCAA era (4-1). The Texans just rolled North Dakota at home 31-13, outgaining them 437-248, with a 37-to-23 minute time of possession advantage.
  • Tarleton State has tied its most wins in a single-season at 12 (2018). That season, Tarleton State won its first two playoff games, reaching the NCAA Division II quarterfinals before falling at No. 1 Minnesota State-Mankato.
  • The Texans are undefeated at home this season at 7-0, with nine straight home wins. This is Tarleton State's longest home winning streak since rattling off 13 straight wins at Memorial Stadium from 2018-19.
 
PLAYOFF MATCHUP
The 4-seed Tarleton State will host the 12-seed Villanova on Saturday, the first meeting between the two. Like most teams in the playoffs, both teams are well balanced, and turnovers may be the key in Saturday's game. The Wildcats have the fewest turnovers across all of the FCS, with just five coughed up all season, spanning four of their 13 games played. Meanwhile, the Texans are No. 1 in takeaways, with 38 on the year (next closest is at 28). That's the most takeaways by an FCS program since James Madison had 44 in 2017.
 
The Texans have a Walter Payton Award finalist at quarterback who ranks No. 2 in pass yards per completion (15.4), No. 7 in pass touchdowns (28), No. 7 in passing efficiency (164.9), and No. 14 in pass yards per game (244.2). As a team, the Texans are No. 12 in pass offense (267.8 YPG), and Villanova allows 201.4 pass yards per game, No. 40 in the FCS. Of course, the Texans' rushing offense is as elite as their pass offense, averaging the 12th most rush yards per game at 204.5. Villanova has a solid rush defense to counter, allowing just 133.1 yards per game, No. 29 in the country.
 
On the flip side, Villanova has a better rushing offense (No. 32, 177.8 YPG) than passing offense (No. 51, 218.4 YPG). The same can be said about Tarleton State's rush defense and pass defense, with the Texans No. 6 in pass defense (160.5 YPG) and No. 69 in rush defense (163.6 YPG). Tarleton State has allowed more 200-yard rushing performances (five) than 200-yard passing performances (three).
 
In a college football world that is typically familiar, Saturday's matchup is not. The Texans have never played Villanova and have played just a single team from Pennsylvania. The Texans hosted Westminster twice, the games played in 1989 and 1990. This is the second straight year Villanova will play an FCS Playoffs game in the state of Texas, as the Wildcats faced Incarnate Word in San Antonio in the second round last year, falling 13-6.
 
HISTORIC SEASON
It's been a historic season for the Texans. The team is the 4-seed in the FCS Playoffs and has advanced to the quarterfinals, conference co-champs and 12-1 overall, including a spotless 7-0 mark at home. They have won a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), have set record crowds at Memorial Stadium, and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls.
 
Offensively, the Texans are one of the best teams in the nation, ranked No. 1 in scoring (44.1 points per game), No. 4 in total offense (472.3 YPG), No. 4 in team passing efficiency (170.5), No. 12 in rushing offense (204.5 YPG), and No. 12 in passing offense (267.8 YPG).
 
Turnovers and takeaways have been a major reason for Tarleton State's historic campaign. On offense, the Texans have turned the ball over just eight times, the tied-fourth fewest amount of turnovers lost across the FCS. On the flip side, Tarleton State has earned 38 takeaways, by far 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 with 44). Tarleton State averages a turnover margin of +2.31, well above the margin that the No. 2 team averages (North Dakota State at +1.38). Tarleton State currently has the third highest average turnover margin in FCS history.
 
Furthermore defensively, Tarleton State has been elite, No. 6 in pass defense (160.5 YPG allowed), tied-10th in scoring defense (18.0 PPG allowed) and No. 16 in total defense (324.2 YPG allowed). The Texan defense has scored four touchdowns themselves, tied-fifth most in the nation (Jadan Aubert, Omar Emmons, AJ Owens, Ty Rawls). It's been a full effort by the Texans on defense, with 13 players recording a fumble recovery, 13 players with an interception, nine with a forced fumble, eight with a sack, six players at 5.0+ TFL, and four with a defensive touchdown. Kasyus Kurns has the tied-most interceptions in the nation at six, and has the highest interception rate per game at 0.55. Angelo Anderson is second in the nation in forced fumbles per game (0.45) and is tied-10th in the nation in sacks per game at 0.86.
 
QUARTERFINALS RARITY
As elite as Tarleton State has been, it's important to not take the run for granted. Tarleton State is just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first team since 1985 that is currently in the FCS to accomplish that feat.