KINGSVILLE – The No. 11 Tarleton Texan football team will face its first nationally-ranked team this season when it travels to Kingsville for a showdown with No. 9 Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.

The Texans are looking to start the season 6-0 for the first time since 2007.  Tarleton is 5-0 to begin the year for the third straight season.

Tarleton has only won one contest in 11 tries in Javelina Stadium, but a win against a solid Javelina squad this year, would put the Texans in a solid spot in the Lone Star Conference standings. The Texans won 31-21 on Oct. 6, 2007 to give the purple and white their only win in Javelina Stadium in 11 tries. 

Tarleton is 37-13 when playing as a ranked team by the AFCA and 20-9 on the road when playing as a ranked squad since joining NCAA Division II in 1995.  However, when playing an opponent that is ranked, the Texans are 11-27.  When both teams are ranked, as they are on Saturday, Tarleton is 7-12 overall and 4-7 on the road in the same situation.

When Tarleton is ranked against A&M-Kingsville, the Texans are 1-5, but 0-7 when the Javelinas are ranked.  When both teams are ranked, the Texans have lost all four games to the blue and gold.

The Texans set a new school record for margin-of-victory in the 66-3 win over SWOSU on Sept. 26.  The previous mark of 62 points was in a 62-0 decision over Southwestern Assemblies of God on Aug. 29, 2002.
The 66 points was the second largest total scored by the Texans since Tarleton became a four-year university.

The Texan defense held opponents scoreless in nine straight quarters from the Northeastern State and East Central game through the first quarter of the Central Oklahoma contest.  In fact, Tarleton's defense went 142 minutes and 35 seconds between allowing scores.  The Texan defense has held opponents scoreless in the each first quarter and in 13 of the 20 quarters played thus far this season.

The Texans are averaging 390.2 yards of total offense per game this season, including 204.4 yards on the ground and 185.8 yards through the air.

Roderick Smith leads the league with 105.8 yards per game rushing while Evan Robertson is fourth with 84.2 yards per game.  Smith is fourth in scoring and third in scoring via touchdowns (9.0 points per game in each).  Garrett Lindholm is eighth in scoring and second in scoring by kick with 7.4 points per game.  Robertson is tied for ninth in scoring with 7.2 points per outing.

Scott Grantham is 52-of-98 for 814 yards and seven touchdowns.  He has thrown just three interceptions and is averaging 162.8 yards per game this season.  Devin Guinn leads the receivers with 22 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 70.8 yards per game.  Jahmeel Hobson is second with 15 catches for 246 yards and two scores, an average of 49.2 yards per game.

The defense is allowing just 204.4 yards of total offense to opponents this season, including 69.2 yards rushing and 135.2 yards passing.  The defense has allowed just four red-zone scores in nine tries while allowing just 25 percent of the third-down conversions faced.  Opponents have scored just four touchdowns this season.

Marcus Phillips and Matt Knicky lead the Texan defense that is No. 2 in the country in scoring defense and No. 4 in total defense.  Phillips has 16 solo and 13 assisted tackles for 29 total stops, including three tackles for a loss of minus-nine yards.  He also has two interceptions and four pass breakups and defended.  Knicky has seven solo and 22 assisted tackles for the Texans for 29 total.  Ben Taifane leads the team with seven tackles for a loss of minus-22 yards as the Texans have stopped the opponent behind the line of scrimmage 53 times for minus-191 yards.  The Texans have recorded nine sacks for minus-74 yards.

The Texans are No. 1 in the Lone Star Conference in total defense (204.4), rushing offense (204.4), kickoff coverage (47.0), PAT kicking (tied at 1.000, 25-25), opponent third-down conversion (24.7 percent, 19-77), opponent fourth-down conversion (0-9, tied .000) and red-zone defense (40 percent, 4-10).

Tarleton is second in scoring offense (tied, 38.6), scoring defense (7.6 - just .4 behind Midwestern State), pass defense (135.2), pass defense efficiency (93.1), punting (38.5), sacks allowed (six for 42 yards), opponent first downs (13.2) and turnover margin (1.2, plus six).  The Texans are third in rushing defense (69.2). 

The Javelinas are 5-0 as well this season and are coming off a 23-17 overtime victory at West Texas A&M in Canyon last Saturday. 

TAMUK is averaging 471.0 yards of total offense per game this season, including 185.8 yards on the ground and 285.2 yards through the air.  The Javelina defense is holding opponents to 87.2 yards per game on the ground and 169.8 yards in passing for a total of 257.0 yards per game in total offense.

Connell Davis leads the team with 67.6 yards per game rushing after gaining 338 yards on 44 attempts with five touchdowns.  Fred Winborn is second with 48.8 yards per game after carrying the ball 43 times for 244 yards and four scores.

Billy Garza is 96-of-155 for 1,314 yards passing with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.  He is averaging 262.8 yards passing per outing while Ryan Lincoln leads the receiving corps with 77.8 yards per game after catching 26 balls for 389 yards and a touchdown.

Jeff Edwards is tops on the Javelina squad in defense with five solo and 25 assisted tackles for a total of 30 stops.  He has two and a half tackles for a loss of three yards with an interception and three pass breakups.  DeIra Glover is second with 29 total tackles, including 16 solo and 13 assisted stops.  The TAMUK defense has recorded 31 tackles for a loss of minus-92 yards, including six sacks for minus-26 yards.

Tarleton is the Javelinas' third ranked opponent to play this year.  TAMUK defeated then-No. 3 and now No. 25 Delta State in the season opener (28-17) before dropping then-No. 24 and now unranked Central Oklahoma (46-17).  Both games were in Kingsville as the Javelinas' only road trip in five games this season has been to WTAMU last Saturday. 

Other than the UCO comparison, where the Texans downed the Bronchos in Edmond, Okla. (37-17), both teams have defeated East Central at home (Tarleton, 41-2; TAMUK, 39-7) and Northeastern State (Tarleton on the road, 6-0; TAMUK at home, 31-14).

The two teams have met on 21 previous occasions, and the Javelinas hold the all-time series advantage, 17-4.  However, the Texans have won two of the last three, including Tarleton's only win in Kingsville.

The game will be broadcast on KSTV 93.1 FM and online at www.kstvfm.com.  Go to the Game Day site for more information on Saturday's contest.