It’s gameday once again on the Banks of the Hudson! And this year, a welcomed announcement has changed the well-known phrase “win or lose, we still booze” into “booze or booze, and booze, booze, booze!”
In all seriousness, alcohol sales within Michie Stadium became an inevitability with the projected opening of the new East Stand’s club level and boxes next year. But whether you’ll be enjoying a craft cocktail in the Supe’s Loge, a cold beer on the bleachers, or a “Kicking Mule” at home, its finally time to watch some good ol’ fashioned Army Football!
Army Fans,
— Tom Theodorakis (@TT_Army_AD) August 26, 2025
Prioritizing the fan experience is a core pillar of our Fruits of Victory strategic plan, and this initiative is one of several designed to improve the atmosphere and overall enjoyment for those who support the Black Knights at Michie Stadium.
At the same time, we… https://t.co/6V5rPwkGEk
Tarleton State Texans (1-0)
Head Coach Todd Whitten has led the Texans now for fifteen years! This is actually Whitten’s third stint with the program, having served in the role in 1996, 2000-2004, and most recently since 2016. Whitten brought the Texans to four Division II playoffs (2-4) before taking the team to its first-ever FCS playoff appearance last year.
Interestingly, Tarleton State traditionally doesn’t travel much during the regular season. Heading into this season, they’ve only had to travel further than West Point once. That was for a playoff game against Central Washington back in 2009. Now in consecutive weeks, the Texans are traveling over 1400 miles to Portland State and then to West Point.
Traditional look to start the season on Friday night.
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) August 28, 2025
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Offense
Tarleton State’s offense exploded in their 2025 season opener, putting up 42 points against Portland State. QB Victor Gabalis completed 14 of 24 passes for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns. RB Tre Page III rushed 15 times for 170 yards and 2 more touchdowns, including an 89-yarder. Wide receivers Cody Jackson and Peyton Kramer emerged as Gabalis’s primary targets, hauling in four receptions apiece.
Last season, Tarleton’s offense averaged 30.7 points per game, ranking 27th in the FCS. Gabalis led the charge. He threw for 2,883 yards and 23 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions. However, those numbers came with a different #1 receiver and a different running back. The crew of Page III, Jackson, and Kramer are all trying to fill voids left by those departures.
This is NOT your typical FCS offense. There is a good chance that several FBS opponents this year will score fewer points against Army than Tarleton State will. Coach Monken said that this team could compete in the American. That’s probably true. Still, five different offenses hung 42 or more points against Portland State last year.
Either way, the Black Knights’ defense can help its fans breathe a bit easier with a couple of turnovers. Gabalis had a propensity for interceptions last year, and Texans fumbled on their opening drive last week. So… will we see the Army ballhawks make a comeback?
Rapid postgame highlights from our 42-0 win, presented by @NutrishopUSA! pic.twitter.com/K2ZiraQWT9
— Tarleton State Football (@TarletonFB) August 24, 2025
Defense
The Texans gave up 24.6 points per game last year, close to the average in the FCS. Their run defense, however was a strength, allowing just 143 yards per game. They return 11 of their top 12 tacklers from last year, a statistic almost unheard of in the modern game.
Tarleton’s run defense was dominant in Week 0, but we shouldn’t read too much into that. Portland State is a bad FCS team with a worse offense, and their top rusher last year was their scrambling quarterback. And he left the team, leaving a true freshman to lead their rushing attack last week!
We’ll know more once we see how Army’s offensive line handles this experienced Texans’ defensive front in the early going. The Black Knights have a size advantage and plenty of experience themselves, but this is Week 1. So who knows? We shouldn’t panic if this game stays close through the first half.
Texans Are Here at West Point 🫡 pic.twitter.com/A8Zbhxrk2M
— Tarleton State Football (@TarletonFB) August 29, 2025
Special Teams
P Charlie Mullen was the backup last year and saw limited action. Over his two years, he’s averaging about 40 yards per punt.
PK Corbin Poston went 9/9 on field goals and 29/31 on point after tries last year. But his range is limited. Last year, he made just two kicks beyond 31 yards, a pair of 42 yarders. Worse, he started 0/2 this season, missing both a 42 and 46-yarder. With that, Tarleton will need to get all the way into the red zone if they want to score any points.
Takeaways
It’s Week 1. Anyone who claims they know exactly how any of these games will play out is lying. Instead of trying to tell you exactly what to look for, here’s a few thoughts going in:
1. The Texans have an FBS quality team. The line opened at Army (-16.5) and has since moved to Army (-14.5). Either way, that seems like a lot of points. Which isn’t to say that the Black Knights won’t cover. But by comparison, they were just 12.5-point favorites against Temple in 2024. This Texans team would’ve smoked those Owls.
2. Let’s hope for some clean play. We’d rather see a few drives stall out playing clean option football than see desperate, undisciplined play that results in turnovers. Let’s give this young offense some time to develop.
3. This will be an early test for Army’s pass defense. Looking to next week, Kansas State looks fairly pass happy already, and that was before their star RB went down. Let’s hope the secondary is up to the challenge!
Enjoy the game, friends. We should have a gorgeous night for some high-quality Army Football.
Coming to Michie Stadium on Friday?
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) August 28, 2025
Our Gameday Guide has all your parking and shuttle information as well as concessions updates.
Go Army! Beat Tarleton State!!!
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