Note: This story is featured in the 2026 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Summer Magazine, which you can order here.

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Since 2018, the winningest Division I program in the state of Texas isn’t on the Forty Acres or Aggieland. That title goes to Tarleton, the not-so-hidden gem deep in the heart of Stephenville, Texas.  

Would you have gotten that trivia question wrong? You’re not alone. For decades, Tarleton wasn’t even the most famous football team in town. There’s a high school dynasty across the street. The Dallas Morning-News dubbed Tarleton the best-kept secret in college football. Maybe that’s because the program architect, Todd Whitten, is so stoic at the helm that it’s easy to overlook how he methodically elevated the Texans from NAIA to Division II to the FCS.  

But after the 2025 season, it’s impossible to ignore the elite program that he’s built. Tarleton began the year with the biggest win in school history - a walk-off field goal against defending conference champion Army. They ended it with a 12-2 record and their first share of a UAC conference championship.  

Sitting inside the multi-million dollar football fieldhouse, Whitten considers himself the luckiest coach in the state. He’s at the fastest-growing university in Texas. Enrollment has spiked by 48.58 percent since 2022. The new weight room and basketball arena followed. The craziest part: they let him come back for a third stint as the program’s head coach!  

“The commitment from the top is phenomenal, and expectations are high as well,” Whitten said. “But those two things work well together. When you get them out of whack - big expectations and nobody wants to give you any cash - it’s hard to manage that. A good coaching job is when expectations are really high, and the commitment matches that. That’s what we have here.” 

Those expectations won’t evaporate, even after Tarleton lost 47 seniors, including record-setting quarterback Victor Gabalis. The Texans signed 63 new faces in the FCS’s No.1-ranked recruiting class. Tarleton has the talent. Now, they must become a team.     

“Welcome to college football,” new offensive coordinator Chris Ross said. “I think the character, discipline, and direction of the program carry over, and the players don’t. You’re restarting and rebuilding every year.” 

Ross has some big shoes to fill, just like his players. The Texans were the FCS’s No.1-ranked offense last season, averaging 42.4 points per game. But the longtime Texas high school football coach has proven himself in Division I football. Last year, he was the offensive coordinator for Stephen F. Austin’s 11-3 team, which ranked seventh in the nation in scoring offense. Fans can expect more tempo in between plays. 

The offense will run through Tylan Hines, whom Whitten describes as “as good a running back as anybody.” Hines dislocated his elbow in the first quarter of the season opener, but finished strong in the UAC Conference Championship Game with 215 yards and a touchdown. Ross said he was impressed by Hines in spring football practice. The tailback “does everything right.” 

Outside of Hines, left tackle Aidan Moe, and wide receiver Marquis Willis (515 yards, four touchdowns), there are few returners on the 2026 offense. If you’re beginning to grasp a theme here, allow defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix to spell it out for you.  

“This is the first time in my life I’ve had a defense that’s depleted as much as this year’s unit was,” Nix said. “But I feel good about where we’re at.” 

Keep in mind, Nix got his first coordinator job in 2001. For that experience, along with multiple SEC stints, Whitten calls Nix “one of the best defensive coordinators in the country.” Nix looks to prove that in 2026 by navigating all the turnover. His optimism starts with the return of Omar Emmons. The rangy linebacker had 39 tackles, four pass breakups, and three interceptions last season. But leadership will be his biggest impact as a senior. 

“We signed a lot of good players,” Nix said. “But Omar is probably our biggest signee, getting him to return. He had options to go to multiple places. He chose to stay, and he’s the centerpiece of this foundation, defensively.” 

DCTF Take

Within the program, Tarleton’s elevation to FBS football is a matter of when, not if. The Texans certainly look the part. The recruiting class and facilities are among the best in the FCS. There’s arguably more talent on the practice field than ever, like former four-star quarterback Braedyn Locke and reigning Southern California Football Association Offensive Player of the Year Tanner West at wide receiver. 

But with 47 seniors graduating, Tarleton lost leadership that can’t be measured in dollar signs and rankings. Normally, that would scare off any FCS Playoff predictions. But Whitten and his staff have overcome far worse, such as building the program through a four-year transition from DII when it couldn’t even qualify for the playoffs. With that in mind, we predict Tarleton to win an FCS Playoff game for the third year in a row.