STEPHENVILLE — Stephen F. Austin hadn’t made the trip to Stephenville in 49 years. It might be another 49 years before they agree to visit Tarleton State again.
The Texans (7-3, 3-2 UAC) stomped the Lumberjacks (3-6, 0-4 UAC) 59-17 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Tarleton Football won their third straight game, finished 4-1 at Memorial Stadium this season, and set a new single-season record for wins in their NCAA Division I era. The Texans sent SFA to their fourth straight loss, their longest losing streak since 2019.
This was a season-high in points for Tarleton, their highest scoring game at the D1 level, their most since dropping 66 on Midwestern State on Nov. 2, 2019. It marked their third 50-plus point game of the season, their most such games in a season since 2019 (four).
Texan quarterback Victor Gabalis had five touchdowns on the night, completing 15-of-19 passes for a season-high 389 yards. He threw a season-high four touchdowns, plus ran a touchdown in from two yards out. Kayvon Britten added two more rushing touchdowns to his total, finishing with 63 yards. He’s scored six rushing touchdowns over the past three games, now at 13 on the year. Darius Cooper recorded five receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns, including an 85-yard TD grab. Trevon West and Dawson Hearne each had a touchdown reception, and Kristian Dalton sealed the night with a 70-yard rushing score.
The Texan defense forced five takeaways on Saturday, all fumbles. Qua’Shawn Washington had two of those recoveries, adding a team-high 10 tackles, to go with two pass breakups. Ty Rawls had a fumble recovery with seven tackles, Greg Eggleston Jr. had a recovery, and Bryson Collins forced a fumble at the 1-yard line that went out of the end zone for a touchback. Josh Griffis had a strip sack in the first quarter that Washington recovered.
It was both Military Appreciation and Senior Night at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. With several special military vehicles in attendance, veterans and active military members were honored all night. Also, the Texans held a special presentation to honor seniors Javian Bellamy, Jalen Carr, Tayvis Coleman, Bryson Collins, Ahmir Crowder, Ely Doyle, Cody Henderson, Patrick Jones, Dejuan Miller, Fernando Piedra and Washington. Plus Tarleton Athletics had fireworks throughout the game to help celebrate.
The Texans brought their own fireworks all night, starting with a 28-spot in the first quarter. To open the game, the Texans marched down 83 yards, Britten running in from 14 yards out to open the game 7-0. After SFA made it 7-3, Griffis answered on the Lumberjacks’ ensuing drive, and Washington recovered at the SFA 26-yard line. On the next play, Gabalis had a short pass to West, who took it 26 yards to the house.
SFA answered with their first touchdown of the game, but Tarleton answered right back, with Gabalis finding Cooper from 17 yards out to make it 21-10. Eggleston then pounced on a muffed kickoff, and Tarleton made it 28-10 before the quarter ended, as Gabalis faked the handoff and ran around the left side for a 2-yard score.
Tarleton State opened the second quarter with another touchdown, this time on two plays, with Gabalis finding a streaking Cooper at midfield who took it the rest of the way for an 85-yard touchdown.
On SFA’s ensuing drive, Collins forced a fumble at the 1-yard line that went out of the end zone to make it Tarleton’s ball. With about 90 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Hearne caught a 9-yard touchdown from Gabalis to send the Texans into the locker room 42-10 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Britten had a six-yard score to make it 49-10, and Adrian Guzman split the uprights from 44 yards out to make it 52-10 after three. With four minutes remaining in the game, Dalton burst through on Tarleton’s first play of the drive for a 70-yard touchdown run to put an exclamation point on the victory.
Tarleton had 389 passing yards to SFA’s 203, averaging 20.5 passing yards per attempt to SFA’s 4.1. The Texans outgained the Lumberjacks overall 577-411.
The all-time series between head coaches Todd Whitten and Colby Carthel is now split again, now at 4-4.
The Texans now have just one game remaining, as they’ll head to rival Abilene Christian next Saturday. Tarleton and ACU will play at Wildcat Stadium at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11.
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