STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- Excitement is building for the third season of gridiron action in the United Athletic Conference (UAC) and as a lead into the kickoff of the 2025 campaign, we will preview each of the nine league members with a daily countdown in the "Chase for the Crown". Looking to build on its first FCS Playoff appearance, UAC preseason favorite Tarleton State sets out to take a step further with a league crown and a deeper run in the postseason.

TARLETON STATE QUICK FACTS
2025 Preseason Selection: 1st
2024 Record: 10-4 (6-2 UAC / T2nd)
Program Best FCS Record: 10-4 (2024) 
NCAA FCS Playoff Appearances: 1 (Last: 2024)
Head Coach: Todd Whitten
Career Record: 139-85 (21st Season); 114-57 (16th Season at TSU) | 10-4 UAC (3rd Season)

KEY RETURNERS
- VICTOR GABALIS (QB, SR) - Tabbed UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after finishing last season with 2,883 yards going 193-for-309 and 23 passing touchdowns... Averaged 240.25 YPG thru the air and also tallied 78 yards on the ground with one rushing score
- BRANDON TOLVERT (DL, SR) - Preseason All-UAC and returning first-team All-UAC honoree... One of Texans' top returning tacklers following 63 total stops capped by a team-best 11.5 TFLs along with 4.0 sacks (ranked 2nd on team)

NOTEWORTHY
1. Last year, the Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. The Texans finished 10-4 overall, reaching double-digit wins for the sixth time in program history. They ended the season ranked No. 12 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and No. 13 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll

2. For the second straight season, Tarleton State will be one of the few teams featured in the Week 0 slate, as the Texans will head west to face Portland State in Oregon, on Aug. 23... That will be the earliest game played in a calendar year by the program since at least 1975 (not including the Spring 2021 pandemic season)... Tarleton played its Week 0 contest on Aug. 24 last year, beating McNeese 26-23 at Memorial Stadium, seen on ESPN2

3. The Texans earned the No. 13 seed in the FCS Playoffs among the 24-team field across 129 FCS programs in just their first year of championship eligibility... They had become just the first team fresh off of reclassification to make the playoffs since 2009 (South Dakota State)... Tarleton State was ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason and were just one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls

4. TSU is returning four UAC All-Conference players – DL Brandon Tolvert, QB Victor Gabalis, LB Ty Rawls and DB Kasyus Kurns... In addition, Tarleton State Football had a 100 percent graduation rate last season, with all 26 seniors crossing the stage and receiving their degree

5. Head coach Todd Whitten is back for his 16th season at the helm of Tarleton State. He’s also retained nine out of 10 assistant coaches from last season, highlighted by Assistant Head Football Coach / Defensive Coordinator Tyrone Nix, who is entering his fourth season as DC at TSU and Offensive Coordinator Adam Austin, who enters his fifth season on the Texan staff

2025 SCHEDULE
Aug. 23 | @Portland State
Aug. 30 | @Army
Sept. 6 | Mississippi Valley State
Sept. 13 | @Central Arkansas*
Sept. 20 | Chattanooga
Oct. 4 | Southern Utah*
Oct. 11 | @Utah Tech*
Oct. 18 | West Georgia*
Oct. 25 | @EKU*
Nov. 1 | @Abilene Christian*
Nov. 15 | North Alabama*
Nov. 22 | Austin Peay*

Bold = Home | * = UAC