Tarleton State Pounds Bears 56-10 in UAC Opener at Estes Stadium

CONWAY, Ark. — In their United Athletic Conference opener Saturday night at Estes Stadium, Tarleton State delivered a decisive 56-10 victory over Central Arkansas, asserting dominance early and maintaining control throughout.

The Texans (4-0, 1-0 UAC) struck fast, turning a Central Arkansas fumble by quarterback Luther Richesson into an immediate touchdown by AJ Owens just 10 seconds into the game. That set the tone.

By halftime, Tarleton State had put up 42 points and held a commanding 42-7 lead. UCA (1-2, 0-1 UAC) could not recover.

“Early mistakes haunt you against a team like this,” UCA coach Nathan Brown said after the game. Although he declined to assign blame, he stressed the importance of ball security in conference play.

Texans’ Balanced Attack Fuels Big Win

Victor Gabalis, Tarleton State’s quarterback, had a clean night, completing 10 of 16 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Dawson Hearne twice in the first half and Marquis Willis on another scoring pass. The scoring began after Owens’s fumble return, with another opening-quarter touchdown coming on a 16-yard run by Caleb Lewis.

Lewis continued to shine, scoring twice more in the second half — a 9-yard run before the break and a 14-yard burst early in the third quarter. He finished with 241 rushing yards on the night.

Tarleton’s offense totaled 418 yards, tearing apart UCA’s defense with a balanced mix of aerial and ground attacks. Compared to UCA’s 294 total yards, the gap was clear. (ucasports.com)

Bears Show Glimmers Amid Heavy Deficit

UCA tried to chip away. In the first half, Richesson engineered a scoring drive, hitting Tyrell Pollard for a 28-yard touchdown. Richesson ended the night 12 of 21 for 163 yards and one TD, with one interception.

Malachi Henry contributed 59 receiving yards, and Ty Durham caught a 23-yard pass that showed potential despite the deficit.

Defensively, Gary Lewis led the Bears with seven tackles and one sack. However, UCA’s unit struggled to contain Tarleton State’s momentum, especially after the rough start.

The Bears did manage a 33-yard Caleb Jones field goal early in the fourth quarter, offering a small measure of progress while the Texans eased off.

Context and Upcoming Matchups

Entering the game, the Texans were ranked No. 3 in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll, having posted an eye-catching 59-3 victory over Mississippi Valley State, and a dramatic double-overtime upset of Army.

Meanwhile, Central Arkansas had impressed in its home opener, rolling past UAPB 41-17 thanks to Richesson’s four-touchdown performance. But the Bears struggled to replicate that success against a stronger foe.

Up next, UCA travels to California to face Sacramento State on September 20, while Tarleton State awaits its next UAC challenger.

Key Takeaways

• Fast start sealed it — Tarleton State converted an early UCA turnover into a jockeying lead, scoring on its opening play.

• Balanced offense rules the night — Gabalis’s passing, Lewis’s rushing, and solid field position all contributed.

• Conference momentum shift — Tarleton State reinforced its national FCS status; UCA must regroup before its next matchup.