Texans rise in AFCA FCS Coaches Poll after Family Weekend win over Merrimack

STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton State Football rose two spots in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, and maintained its same spot in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, after its Family Weekend win over Merrimack this past weekend.

The Texans elevated from No. 5 to No. 3 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, surpassing Illinois State and Montana. The Texans picked up another point in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, but kept its No. 4 ranking.

In the AFCA Coaches Poll, Tarleton State earned 566 points, with No. 1 Montana State at 649 points, No. 2 South Dakota State at 598 points, plus both Illinois State and Montana are tied-fourth at 561 points. The Texans are one of three UAC teams in this poll, with Austin Peay at No. 12 and West Florida at No. 20. The AFCA FCS Coaches Poll is voted on by the panel chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the AFCA their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top-25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second-place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.

In the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, the Texans earned 1,254 points, trailing only No. 1 Montana State (1,414 points), No. 2 South Dakota State (1,363 points) and No. 3 Illinois State (1,261 points). Tarleton State surpassed Montana in the rankings, but Illinois State surpassed the Texans to keep the Purple and White at No. 4. The Texans are one of three UAC teams in the poll with Austin Peay at No. 13 and West Florida at No. 20.  

The Texans have been ranked in 31 straight iterations of the polls, dating back to the preseason polls in 2024. Tarleton State is one of seven teams to have been ranked in each poll over the past three seasons, along with Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, South Dakota State, UC Davis and Villanova.

AFCA FCS Coaches Poll

1. Montana State
2. South Dakota State
3. Tarleton State
4. Illinois State (tied-fourth)
5. Montana (tied-fourth)
6. Stephen F. Austin
7. Lehigh
8. North Dakota
9. UC Davis
10. Tennessee Tech
11. Austin Peay
12. South Dakota
13. Youngstown State
14. South Carolina State
15. Lamar
16. Idaho State
17. Northern Arizona
18. Yale
19. Richmond
20. West Florida
21. Rhode Island
22. Villanova
23. Colgate (tied-23rd)
24. Mercer (tied-23rd)
25. Harvard

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll

1. Montana State
2. South Dakota State
3. Illinois State
4. Tarleton State
5. Montana  
6. Lehigh
7. North Dakota
8. South Dakota
9. Stephen F. Austin
10. UC Davis
11. Youngstown State
12. Tennessee Tech
13. Austin Peay
14. Idaho State
15. Lamar
16. South Carolina State
17. Yale
18. Northern Arizona
19. Rhode Island
20. West Florida
21. Harvard
22. Campbell
23. Villanova
24. Southern Illinois
25. Mercer