Tarleton Football tabbed 21st in Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll

STEPHENVILLE, Texas - Tarleton State Football begins the 2024 campaign nationally ranked, being placed at No. 21 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Preseason Poll.

The Texans are just one of two teams in the state of Texas (Incarnate Word) to be ranked in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25. Tarleton State and Central Arkansas (No. 11) are the only United Athletic Conference schools named in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 poll.

This is the second nationally-ranked poll Tarleton State has been placed in, with the Texans being ranked No. 19 in Craig Haley's 2024 FCS Football Preseason Top 25 Rankings on Opta Analyst in May.

Winning its final four games of the 2023 season, Tarleton State finished with their best record in the NCAA Division I Era at 8-3. After defeating in-state rival Abilene Christian for the first time since 2013 in the season finale, Tarleton State finished with the third-best winning percentage among all reclassifying schools since 2004 at .610. The Texans were also just the fourth reclassifying team in NCAA Division I to post eight or more wins in a single season.

The Texans, who own the best winning percentage in the state among all Texas D1 and D2 programs since 2018, finished second in the United Athletic Conference in 2023. Head coach was named UAC Coach of the Year, his fifth career Coach of the Year accolade.

Tarleton State ranked first in the UAC in yards per play (6.4), rushing yards per game (201.7), rushing touchdowns (25) and was second in the conference in points per game (33.3), yards per game (430.5) and yards per rush (5.2). In addition to ranking in the top two in the UAC in five categories, the Texans finished in the top 25 nationally in all those categories.

Defensively, the Texans had the most defensive touchdowns in the conference (four, tied-fourth nationally) and led the UAC in fumbles recovered (11, tied-ninth nationally), yards per play (4.8, 17th nationally) to go with sacks (26, tied-28th nationally). Tarleton State also finished in the top four in the UAC in takeaways (18), tackles for loss (65), and scoring defense (24.5 points per game). Tarleton's special teams led the UAC in kickoff returns (24.3 yards per return, eighth nationally) and was second in the conference in punt returns (18.2 yards per return, fourth nationally).

Tarleton State was predicted to finish second in the UAC preseason poll behind Central Arkansas, collecting five preseason All-Conference honors in the process. Senior running back was named the UAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year en route to Preseason All-Conference Offensive Team honors with senior wide receiver and senior center . Defensive lineman was named to the Preseason All-Conference Defensive Team and return specialist received Preseason All-Conference Special Teams accolades.

Britten and Cooper were also named Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-Americans, with Britten also being listed to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List.

The Texans, who are set to compete in their first season as a full-fledged NCAA Division I program in 2024, open the season at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 2:30 p.m. against McNeese in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN2.

Season tickets start at just $150 and are on sale now by visiting TarletonSports.com/Tickets or by visiting the Tarleton Ticket Office in person located on the west side entrance of Memorial Stadium. Single-game tickets will be available for purchase the week of each home game on Mondays.

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