NASHVILLE — This is a historic era for Tarleton State Football, and other teams in the United Athletic Conference agree that special things will continue for the Texans this upcoming season.
To open the United Athletic Conference Media Day in Nashville on Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena, the UAC announced the results of its preseason polls. The preseason coaches poll and preseason all-conference players poll were voted on by head coaches across the United Athletic Conference. All nine UAC head coaches submitted votes on who they think the top players are entering the 2025 campaign, and they were not allowed to vote for their own players. They also ranked the teams in their opinion on how they’d finish this upcoming season. They were allowed to rank for their own teams.
Tarleton State was voted to win the United Athletic Conference, receiving eight of the possible nine first-place votes and a total 80 points. Abilene Christian was voted to finish second with 68 points, receiving the other first-place vote. The rest of the UAC in order; Eastern Kentucky (59 points) in third, Southern Utah (50 points) in fourth, Central Arkansas (45 points) in fifth, Austin Peay (41 points) in sixth, North Alabama (26 points) and West Georgia (26 points) tied for seventh, and Utah Tech (10 points) in ninth. Last year, the Texans went 10-4 overall and 6-2 in United Athletic Conference play, winning their FCS Playoffs debut against Drake before dropping a tight contest at No. 4 South Dakota in Vermillion in the second round. The Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs (Division I-AA Playoffs), which goes back 46 years, to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. 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 named No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season.
Tarleton State Football quarterback Victor Gabalis was voted as the unanimous pick for Preseason UAC Offensive Player of the Year. He was also the unanimous selection for the QB spot on the Preseason UAC All-Conference team, one of five Texans to earn a preseason honor. Joining him as Preseason UAC All-Conference selections are offensive lineman Hunter Smith, defensive lineman Brandon Tolvert, linebacker Ty Rawls and defensive back Kasyus Kurns. This makes back-to-back seasons that Tarleton State Football has had a player named the unanimous Preseason UAC Offensive Player of the Year, as running back Kayvon Britten earned the honor last year. Britten proved the voters right, recording the best season on the ground in program history and earning several First Team All-American honors.
Gabalis, who enters his third season at Tarleton State, was UAC Second Team All-Conference last season after leading the Texans to a 9-3 overall record as the starting quarterback, 6-2 in UAC play. He completed 193-of-309 (.625) for 2,883 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games, averaging 240.3 passing yards per game, while also scoring a rushing touchdown and adding 53 yards on the ground. He set career-bests in pass yards, pass touchdowns, and increased his completion percentage by eight percent. Gabalis threw a season-high four touchdowns twice, including in the second round of the playoffs at No. 4 ranked South Dakota, where he also had a season-high 379 passing yards. He had six multi-TD games on the year, including four games with three or more touchdowns. Conference-wise, he was second in pass yards per game, second in pass TD and second in total pass yards.
Smith, a senior, enters 2025 with 25 straight starts and 36 straight games played on the Texan offensive line. Last season he was Phil Steele FCS 2024 UAC Second Team All-Conference, helping the Tarleton State offense to national marks of sixth in red zone offense (.930), eighth in pass yards per completion (14.3), 17th in rushing offense (198.2 rush yards per game), 22nd in sacks allowed (1.23 per), 25th in turnovers lost (13), 27th in total offense (411.1 YPG) and 28th in scoring offense (30.7 PPG). Conference-wise, Tarleton State’s offense ranked third in scoring offense, third in total offense, and third in rushing offense.
Tolvert, a senior, was UAC First Team All-Conference last year after also being named UAC Preseason All-Conference last season, as well. He played in all 14 games, posting career-highs across the board with 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, 63 total tackles (24 solo) and a pass breakup, along with four quarterback hurries. Tolvert led the team in TFL and was second in sacks. Conference-wise, he was tied-third in tackles for loss and tied-10th in sacks. Tolvert posted multiple tackles for loss in four different games, including a 1.5 sack night against Utah Tech. He had a career-best performance at North Alabama on Sept. 21, earning a career-high 2.5 TFL and a career-best 10 tackles (six solo). Plus he had 5+ tackles in eight games, and at least a 0.5 TFL in six games.
Rawls, a senior, was named UAC Second Team All-Conference last year. He started all 14 games, recording three forced fumbles (tied-team-high), two interceptions (tied-third), a fumble recovery (tied-third), six pass breakups (third), a sack (tied-fourth), three tackles for loss, and 41 total tackles. Conference-wise, he was one of four players with three or more forced fumbles, and was tied-ninth in interceptions. In Week 5 last year, he was named the UAC Defensive Player of the Week after recording a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and six total tackles in Tarleton State’s 36-33 home win vs. Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 28.
Kurns, a senior, was UAC Second Team All-Conference last year. He started all 14 games, recording three fumble recoveries (led team), three forced fumbles (tied-team-high), two interceptions (tied-third), nine pass breakups (led team), a sack (tied-fourth), six tackles for loss (third), 64 tackles (fifth, 46 solo), and a quarterback hurry. He was one of 14 players nationally with three fumble recoveries and led the UAC in the category. Kurns was one of four players in the conference with three or more forced fumbles, and finished second in the conference in passes defended (11). He opened last season on national television with two fumble recoveries, adding a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and six total tackles against McNeese on Aug. 24, to take UAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Tarleton State’s five total honorees match the most they’ve had the D1 level (2024 in the UAC, 2022 in the WAC). There were 27 players honored across all preseason awards. Tarleton State had the tied-second most honorees with five behind Eastern Kentucky (six), tied with Central Arkansas.
The full results of the preseason UAC polls can be found below:
2025 UAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll
- Tarleton State (8), 80 points
- Abilene Christian (1), 68 points
- Eastern Kentucky, 59 points
- Southern Utah, 50 points
- Central Arkansas, 45 points
- Austin Peay, 41 points
- North Alabama, 26 points || West Georgia, 26 points
- Utah Tech, 10 points
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
*Victor Gabalis (Tarleton State)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
*Will Shaffer (Abilene Christian)
Preseason All-Conference Offensive Team
QB *Victor Gabalis (Tarleton State)
RB *Brayden Latham (EKU)
RB Jayvian Allen (North Alabama)
WR Henry Malachi (Central Arkansas)
WR Marcus Calwise Jr. (EKU)
TE Jed Castles (Abilene Christian)
OL Will Diggins (Central Arkansas)
OL Jamal Mull (Central Arkansas)
OL *Ryan Walker (North Alabama)
OL Hunter Smith (Tarleton State)
C Chandler Kirton (Austin Peay)
Preseason All-Conference Defensive Team
DL Chris Wright (Abilene Christian)
DL Bradley Clark (Central Arkansas)
DL Lando Brown (Southern Utah)
DL Brandon Tolvert (Tarleton State)
LB *Will Shaffer (Abilene Christian)
LB Braden Sullivan (EKU)
LB Ty Rawls (Tarleton State)
DB Dorian Plumley (Abilene Christian)
DB Ellis Ellis Jr. (Austin Peay)
DB Dillon Williams (Central Arkansas)
DB Jaheim Ward (EKU)
DB Kasyus Kurns (Tarleton State)
Preseason All-Conference Specialist Team
K Carson Smith (Austin Peay)
P Jacob Baker (EKU)
RS Jalen Montgomery (EKU)
LS Gavin Lipkin (Southern Utah)
*-Denotes unanimous selection
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