Date: Saturday October 18, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM (ET)
The Quick Hits
As the second half of the 2025 FCS season gets underway, #3 Tarleton State (7-0) is sitting as pretty as anyone in the country right now. The Texans just keep on winning and are one of the few undefeated teams and the injuries that have been starting to pile up don’t seem to affect things. Playing without their starting QB, TSU went in and took down lowly Utah Tech last week to jump out to its best start of its Division I era with its seventh straight victory. This weekend they put that streak on the line once again against a team that, a mere month and a half ago, didn’t seem like they’d be able to challenge them at all. Now, though, that might no longer be the case.
West Georgia (5-2), like their UAC counterparts, are new the FCS scene but they just came in last year. The Wolves had an okay first season, going 4-7 but now in Year Two they’ve already surpassed that win mark. UWG has taken down some notables this year like a then-#22 Nichols, Eastern Kentucky and ETSU. The hot start has faded a little as they’ve lost two straight. While the Wolves cannot qualify for the playoffs just yet, that doesn’t mean they can’t make some real postseason waves this weekend if they can get back on track and upset Tarleton.
The Coaches
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: Todd Whitten of the Tarleton State Texans stands on the field during the second half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: Todd Whitten of the Tarleton State Texans stands on the field during the second half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
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Todd Whitten has established himself as arguably the most impactful coach in Tarleton State’s football history as he’s ridden it out with the program through its Division I transition; not at all an easy thing to do. Whitten has done it well too as TSU made the playoffs with him last year in the first season they were able to do it. They are on the fast track to a second straight postseason berth and one that looks like it will end in a top eight seed as well. Whitten, who also has FCS experience with Sam Houston where he coached from 2005 to 2009, is 121-57 overall with the TSU. During those Division II days, he was also a four-time recipient of the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year accolade. This year he’s on pace to get it in the UAC.
West Georgia’s Joel Taylor, meanwhile, is in his second year running the show; the exact same amount of time his team has been an FCS program. Taylor has shown stark improvement from last season to this one as UWG has more wins now than it did all of last season. Before joining the Wolves, Taylor served as the defensive coordinator at Mercer and helped the Bears reach the playoffs back in 2023. Since being named West Georgia’s head man, he’s gone 9-9 overall.
Tarleton State Offense vs. West Georgia Defense
The injury bug has not been kind to Tarleton State as of late and right now the Texans are playing without a bunch of their normal starters, specifically on offense. Quarterback Victor Gabalis has been sidelined with a foot injury for several weeks now but, fortunately for TSU, backup Daniel Greek has been up to the task. Greek was held relatively in check last week against Utah Tech, but overall has thrown for 677 yards and six touchdowns in his six games played.
Also injured right now for the Texans is standout running back Tre Page III. Page had a terrific start to his season, rushing for 673 yards over his first six games. He was out last week as well, though, and it at fell on James Paige who proved to be more than capable in his absence. Paige was on another level against the the Trailblazers, accounting for five total scores and rushing for 114 yards. Tarleton State’s offense is in good hands with both Paige and Greek and that comes as a sigh of relief for a team and fanbase who has its sights set on lofty goals come December.
West Georgia will field a secondary on the other side that has, for the most part, made passing the ball a challenge for its opposition this year. Safety Chancellor Bryant has made a name for himself thus far for his team-leading five defended passes and 25 stops. He isn’t just a threat on the back end, though, as he’s also made 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and three QB hits. Bryant can flat out fly and can be a game changer at every level of the defense. Greek and company will need to know where he is on every snap.
Bryant and his fellow DBs will have to contend with an explosive TSU receiving corps led by Peyton Kramer and Trevon West. Kramer leads the Texans offense with 515 receiving yards and four touchdowns (all of which have come in the last three weeks). West, meanwhile, is averaging 18.7 yards per snag and has two scores of his own. Perhaps the most notable pass-catcher that UWG will have to worry about, however, is tight end Dawson Hearne. Hearne has more TD receptions (five) than anyone on the team and that’s on just nine catches overall.
Wolves linebacker Jay Carter will need to have a big game as will defensive lineman David Hoage. Hoage, a transfer from Northern Colorado, has been magnificent up front, registering 13.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (third in FCS) and four sacks. Carter has 45 stops in the middle of the defense as well as a forced fumble. These two will be key in slowing down the guys coming out of Tarleton’s backfield; a task that not many have been able to really do thus far in 2025.
West Georgia Offense vs. Tarleton State Defense
Photo Credit: West Georgia Athletics
Photo Credit: West Georgia Athletics
West Georgia will look to junior quarterback Davin Wynder to lead the way. Wynder is a big reason the Wolves have seen the success they have so far this year as he’s thrown for 904 yards and nine touchdowns. He did, however, have some issues with balls security early on as he threw seven picks over the first three games. Since then, though, he has not thrown any. That’s a streak that will surely be put to the test against a Texans defense that has 11 picks and three different players with multiple interceptions.
Senior defensive back Kasyus Kurns was having an excellent year for the secondary but he, too, suffered an injury and has not played since Week 4. In his place guys like Jadan Aubert have had to step up. Aubert, a redshirt sophomore, has 23 stops as well as a pick and a fumble recovery. Ja’Voni Melidor will also be patrolling the back end as he enters this game with an interception, a PBU and 11 tackles.
It’s the middle of the TSU defense that is really scary. Linebackers Ty Rawls and Omar Emmons are the enforcers but are also ball hawks. Rawls and Emmons have combined for 41 tackles and five interceptions this season. Those two seem to be in on practically every play meaning that Wynder and his weapons will need to have eyes on the pair or it could get ugly.
They are far from the only big names that Wynder will need to watch for, though. Yasir Holmes and Angelo Anderson are going to be barreling through in the trenches and that’s bad news for West Georgia’s O line. Anderson already has six sacks this year while Holmes has 7.5 tackles for loss. Simply put, if the line doesn’t keep those two at bay, it’s going to be a long night for Wynder.
Running backs Latrelle Murrell and T.J. Lester will need to relieve some pressure from Wynder. Murrell has 594 rushing yards this year but has been slowed down quite a bit in recent weeks. His three 100-yard games were the first three of the season. Since then his highest rushing output was 79 against Southern Utah. Lester, meanwhile, has six scores and averages 4.3 yards per touch. Both will need to navigate a Tarleton State defense that is allowing 183.6 yards per contest.
Prediction
West Georgia is more than a feel-good story; they’re a good football team. They aren’t, however, one that will probably be able to keep up with Tarleton State for 60 minutes. The Texans bring too much to the table on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they should be able to get after Wynder enough to fluster him and stymie UWG’s running backs as well. Holmes and Anderson seem poised for a big night against the Wolves offensive front and, as good as Wynder has been at protecting the ball as of late, this group in the trenches for the Texans has what it takes to undo it. West Georgia will make its way down the field throughout this game but TSU will do it more and end more drives in touchdowns. Tarleton gets to 8-0 in front of its home crowd.
Score Prediction: West Georgia: 20 - Tarleton State: 35