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FCS program Tarleton State stuns Bowling Green in Week 1 shocker
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- FCS program Tarleton State stuns Bowling Green in Week 1 shocker
It didn't take long for the first FCS upset to happen in the 2026 college football season.
FCS heavyweight Tarleton State beat Bowling Green 20-13 in Week 1, and while the score indicates it was a close one, there was no fluke in the Texans ' win.
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Tarleton State pounced on the Falcons off the jump, going right into the endzone on its opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. The offense was consistent, and after a 99-yard touchdown drive late in the second quarter, Tarleton State was up a commanding 17-0.
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Bowling Green was able to find the endzone before halftime and made it a one-score game in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie, but the Falcons were stopped on fourth down with two minutes to go. On the ensuing play, running back Tylan Hines broke off an 82-yard run as he amassed a 250-yard day.
The Falcons were able to get the ball back, but unable to get the game-tying score with Tarleton State getting a wire-to-wire win.
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What to know about Tarleton State
Even though it's an FCS team, Tarelton State is one of the best teams at the level under 17th-year coach Todd Whitten. It is located in Stephenville, Texas, about 90 miles southwest of Dallas.
It is coming off 12-2 season, where it was the the United Athletic Conference co-champion and made the FCS playoff quarterfinals. It is the ranked No. 5 in the FCS rankings, and opened the season with a win over Prairie View A&M.
The Texans are no strangers to upsets, as this is the second straight season it has beaten an FCS team after it took down Army in a double overtime thriller last season, becoming the 16th FCS team since 2006 to win back-to-back games against FBS opponents.
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It also further strengthens the case for Tarleton State to continue its climb in college football.
Even though Tarleton State moved up to FCS in 2020, it's already generating support to move up to the FBS level. Athletic director Steve Uryasz confirmed the plans to Front Office Sports in August, as the university has spent tens of millions of dollars on athletics, including renovating its stadium, increasing its budget to over $40 million and participating in revenue-sharing.
While the future is not decided, Tarleton State is becoming one of the top teams in FCS.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FCS program Tarleton State stuns Bowling Green in Week 1 shocker
