Tarleton State Extends Streak to 6-0 With Win Over Austin Peay

Tarleton State defeated Austin Peay 40-32 on October 10, 2026, extending its perfect start to the season to 6-0. The Associated Press and Tarleton State Athletics confirmed the final score, which saw quarterback Kaden Anderson throw three touchdown passes to secure the road victory in United Athletic Conference play.

Who is affected?

The win impacts the national FCS landscape, as Tarleton State was elevated to the No. 2 position in both major FCS polls prior to the matchup, matching the highest ranking in program history. Austin Peay entered the contest ranked No. 11 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, according to Tarleton State Athletics. In the 2025 season meeting between the two teams, Tarleton State narrowly defeated Austin Peay 45-44 in overtime following a failed two-point try, as reported by the Associated Press.

How did Tarleton State reach this point?

Tarleton State built its 6-0 record through a series of victories earlier in the 2026 fall schedule:

• Aug. 29, 2026: vs. Prairie View A&M (W, 49-30)
• Sep. 5, 2026: at Bowling Green (W, 20-13)
• Sep. 12, 2026: at McNeese (W, 27-24)
• Sep. 19, 2026: vs. Merrimack (W, 45-20)
• Oct. 3, 2026: vs. Chicago State (W, 56-21)
• Oct. 10, 2026: at Austin Peay (W, 40-32)

During the October 3 victory over Chicago State at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas, coach Todd Whitten's squad put up dominant numbers. Kaden Anderson threw four touchdown passes for 145 yards, bringing his season total to 12 touchdown passes without an interception. Running back Miequle Brock rushed for 149 yards, while freshman running back Bryce Green became the first freshman running back in the D1 era to tally three touchdowns in a single game, finishing with 90 rushing yards. Defensively, Morsello Hooker and Gerard Culotta recorded interceptions, while Cayden Cutler and Kenyon Rivera forced fumbles. Avian Rice led the team with 8 tackles and Omar Emmons added 7.

Following the Chicago State win, coach Todd Whitten noted the team's penalty issues. "It's good to get another win... There was some good and some bad from today. We had too many penalties and we'll lose any close game with that amount. We once again finished without a turnover and I'm very pleased with that. We will have to play better than we did tonight to win some of these tough conference games coming up," Whitten said.

What is the upcoming schedule?

Tarleton State continues its UAC schedule through November with six remaining games:

• Oct. 17: vs. Central Arkansas (Homecoming) at Memorial Stadium
• Oct. 24: at West Georgia
• Oct. 31: vs. Eastern Kentucky (Military Appreciation) at Memorial Stadium
• Nov. 7: vs. Abilene Christian (Senior Day) at Memorial Stadium
• Nov. 14: at West Florida
• Nov. 21: at North Alabama