STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE (3-5; 0-3) VS. (RV) TARLETON STATE (6-3; 2-2)
WHEN: Nov. 4, 2023 (Sat.) 6:00 P.M.
WHERE: Stephenville, Texas (Memorial Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Military Appreciation and Senior Day
SERIES (SFA leads the series 11-4-0; 7-3 in the last 10 matchups)
Recent Games
2022: W 41-24 HOME
2021: W 20-10 HOME
2019: L 26-37 HOME
The Texans of Tarleton State winner's of two straight games, and 3-1 at home, welcome the Lumberjacks to Stepheville for the first time since 1974. (SFA is 3-1-0 at Memorial Stadium.)
Tarleton State 2023 Games
W: 52-34 @McNeese State
W: 52-31 North Alabama
L: 3-41 @Texas Tech
W: 27-14 Southwest Baptist
W: 14-13 @Southeastern Louisiana
L: 26-27 Southern Utah
L: 35-41 (2OT) @ Eastern Kentucky
W: 42-0 Morehead State
W: 25-23 @#18 Central Arkansas
The offense is lead by Utah Tech transfer QB #11 Victor Gabalis 6-3; 210. While as a Trailblazer, Gabalis had himslef a career day the last time he met the Lumberjacks in 2022, where he passed for 377 yards on 22 completions with 5 TD's in a 47-44 victory.
In Gabalis' last game, on a rainy day in Conway, he passed for 168 yards on 12 completions, no TD's or INT's. For the season the sophomore QB has passed for 1,845 yards on 134 completions with 14 TD's (2nd in the UAC) and 11 INT's.
Coming off his 3rd straight 100+ rushing game, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2022; 1st Team All-SWAC) transfer RB #4 Kayvon Britten 5-7; 195 has averaged 162 rushing yards a game (9.0 YPC) in his last three games with 5 TD's (911 yards total rushing yards; 6.5 YPC and 11 TD's for the season) Also, look for a steady dose of Junior RB #9 Derrel Kelley III 5-10; 170 (534 yards rushing; 5.1 YPC with 4 TD's)
The offense is 1st in the conference in total offensive TD's (15) as well as points scored kicking (113) and the running game (200 yards rushing a game, 5.2 YPC; 17 TD's ) benefits greatly from a massive offensive line that does a good job controling the line of scrimmage.
On defense the Texans give up 24 points a game, 142 yards on the ground and 219 through the air. Players to watch are sophomore LB #12 Devin Sterling 6-2; 235 (TKL:44;TFL:7.5;SCK:1.0) and senior DB #4 Jalen Carr 5-9; 180 (TKL:25;TFL:1.0;BU:8;FF:2)
These are two teams that are similar in talent and playing style, but at the same time are going in opposition directions as the Texans are riding high off of their big road win against a Top 20 team (a team that SFA also had on the ropes) and the Jacks are desperately trying to win a conference game and avoid their 4th straight loss.
These are the moments or times when teams that are down come together and dig deep down inside and play with that determination to finally get you over the top and can secure that elusive conference game victory.
Axe'Em
