The 10 FCS programs in Texas are already 33 percent through the regular season. Three of those teams – Tarleton State, SFA, and Lamar – are currently ranked in the Top 15 in the latest FCS Poll and all three believe they can go multiple rounds deep in the playoffs. 

As contenders and pretenders continue to be sorted, here is our updated Power Poll as of Sept. 21. 

1. Tarleton State (4-0)

The Texans have started the season 4-0 for the second straight year after outscoring Merrimack 28-6 in the second half of last week’s game.  They look like the clear favorites to win the UAC and are ranked No. 3 in the FCS. Quarterback Kaden Anderson threw for 407 yards and three touchdowns in the latest win, becoming the first Tarleton QB to top 400 yards passing in a game since 2022. 

2. SFA (4-0)

Colby Carthel’s squad is 4-0 with an average margin of victory of 22 points. The latest win was a 31-10 thumping of Prairie View A&M. The Jacks are also 2-0 early in Southland Conference play with wins over McNeese State and East Texas A&M. They’re averaging 34.75 points per game with QB Gavin Rutherford leading the charge with 898 yards and eight touchdown passes already. SFA is up to No. 6 in the FCS Poll. 

3. Lamar (2-1)

The Cardinals were idle last weekend but are 2-1 and are ranked No. 15 in the FCS. Both wins were by one possession and the lone loss was to an FBS squad. Lamar starts Southland Conference play this weekend on the road against Nicholls. A showdown with SFA looms on Nov. 7. Those two are the current favorites to win the SLC. 

4. Abilene Christian (1-3)

The 1-3 record doesn’t do the Wildcats justice. Those three losses were against two teams ranked inside the Top 15 of the FCS – Lamar and SFA – and to Texas Tech, considered by many to be the favorite in the Big 12. ACU went on the road and took home a hard-fought victory over Idaho this past weekend, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter to escape with a 41-39 victory. The schedule doesn’t get any easier with Mercer and West Florida up next. 

5. Prairie View A&M (1-3) 

Credit to the Panthers for a brutal non-conference schedule that should make them battle-tested heading into the meat of the SWAC schedule. PVAMU has three losses, but two of them are to Tarleton and SFA – top six teams in the FCS right now – and to Baylor. There is no shame in that. Up next is the State Fair Classic against Grambling State. 

6. UIW (2-1) 

Clint Killough’s program started Southland Conference play with an overtime win over Houston Christian last Saturday. A 10-yard TD run by Emmett Brown gave the Cardinals the overtime win over the Huskies. The only loss of the season was a 10-point defeat to No. 17 Northern Arizona University. The upcoming trip to Texas State is a reunion for Killough with former UIW head coach G.J. Kinne. 

7. Houston Christian (2-2) 

The surprise team in the FCS through four weeks is Houston Christian. The Huskies started the season with a road win over SLC contender Southeastern Louisiana and came up just short in overtime against UIW or they’d be 2-0 in conference play already. HCU has North Texas and Nicholls before an idle week. They’re clearly the most improved squad in Texas right now. 

8. UTRGV (2-2) 

The Vaqueros picked up their first win against an FCS opponent over the weekend with the 27-10 victory over McNeese. Their only other win came in Week 0 against Division II UTPB. UTRGV is now 1-1 in conference play thanks to a three-point loss to Nicholls on Sept. 12. The offense hasn’t been as explosive as it was last year, averaging just 29 points a game in two SLC contests so far. 

9. East Texas A&M (1-3) 

The Lions have lost to a pair of Top 25 FCS teams – SFA and Mercer – and to a Tulsa squad that began the season with a win over Oklahoma State. We’ll learn more about East Texas A&M when SLC play resumes this weekend with a trip to McNeese. The squad is 1-1 in conference play with a loss to SFA and a win over Northwestern State. 

10. Texas Southern (1-2)

Texas Southern enjoyed an early idle week and head coach Cris Dishman hopes it can propel the Tigers to some SWAC success. That starts with a trip to Alcorn State on Saturday.