August 22nd, 2026 5:00am
2026 Lone Star Conference Season Preview
Oh, how close it was…LSC runners-up Texas-Permian Basin had mighty Harding on the ropes, but Kanon Gibson and the Falcons couldn’t get over the top in the Super Region 4 Final, losing 34-28 in what would be Gibson’s, head coach Kris McCullough’s, and star linebacker Tristan Exline’s final game at UTPB. Unfortunately, moments like this, which in the past could be an indication of future success, now feel like distant memories of an all-too-brief brush with greatness. That is harsh reality of modern college football, where the only constant is change. Have a good season and other schools grab your best players (and sometimes) your coaches like at Permian and Central Washington, have a bad season and other schools still grab your best players and your coach might be fired. Either way, you’re pounding on that reset button far too much for anyone’s good.
OK, that was a bit of a downer to start this preview on…not only did we see UTPB push Harding to the limit, but Central Washington won a conference title for the first time since their days in the GNAC and Western Oregon had arguably their best season in Arne Ferguson’s long tenure as head coach and almost made the playoffs. This might not be something Texans want to hear, but in 2026 the Pacific Northwest is coming for the LSC’s playoff spots!
And now, it's time for the often-imitated, never-duplicated, and always long-winded, LSC season preview!
Part 1 – A look back at the 2025 LSC season
LSC Final 2025 Standings
School | 2025 Preseason Poll Place | 2025 LSC Record | 2025 Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
Central Washington | 2 | 9-0 | 10-2* |
Texas-Permian Basin | 1 | 7-2 | 11-3* |
Western Oregon | 4 | 7-2 | 8-3 |
West Texas A&M | 3 | 7-2 | 8-4* |
Angelo State | 8 | 4-5 | 6-5 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville | 6 | 4-5 | 5-6 |
Eastern New Mexico | 5 | 3-6 | 3-8 |
Midwestern State | 10 | 3-6 | 3-8 |
Western New Mexico | 7 | 1-8 | 2-9 |
Sul Ross State | 9 | 0-9 | 0-11 |
* Includes postseason games
Some of the big stories from the 2025 season were:
Part 2 – The LSC Off-Season
There were three coaching changes:
Part 3 – LSC Team-By-Team Preview
First, the LSC Preseason Awards and Players to Watch in 2025:
Go to the link below to see the LSC’s Preseason Awards and players to watch. Western Oregon quarterback Jordan McCarty is the LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Central Washington linebacker Brycen Indell is the LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
https://lonestarconference.org/news/2025/7/15/fuller-exline-receive-lsc-football-preseason-honors-players-to-watch-list-announced.aspx
Next, time to profile each team in the order of the LSC Preseason Poll, starting with tenth-place Sul Ross State:
Rank | School (first-place votes) | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
1 | Central Washington (16) | 276 |
2 | Western Oregon (9) | 247 |
3 | West Texas A&M (1) | 217 |
4 | Angelo State (1) | 215 |
5 | Texas-Permian Basin (2) | 203 |
6 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 162 |
7 | Eastern New Mexico (1) | 125 |
8 | Midwestern State | 112 |
9 | Western New Mexico | 58 |
10 | Sul Ross State | 35 |
https://lonestarconference.org/news/2026/7/16/lsc-football-preseason-poll-announced.aspx
A note before the team profiles (and yes, this is just about the same note from last year’s season preview) – These profiles are written with the best information that I could find at the time. However, there’s this thing called the transfer portal, which can, along with coaching changes, completely turn over rosters from season to season now and make writing preview articles like this one a headache-inducing ordeal. While I have tried my best to be as accurate as possible, much of what is written here is based on returning players, which sometimes can present a negative picture of a team if they were hit hard by the transfer portal or graduations. Those teams may actually be quite strong if they get the right transfers in the right places or did well in recruiting. Now that doesn’t help me that much since knowing who is likely to take the field might still be a mystery, even to the coaches!
10. Sul Ross State Lobos
2025 Record: 0-11 (0-9 LSC)
Coach: Lee Hays (second season, 0-11 record)
Notable Players: WR Ryan van Roekel, LB Emmanuel Osom
First Game in 2026: August 29 at home against Wayland Baptist (NAIA-Sooner Athletic Conference)
Outlook: We’re official now!
Congratulations to Sul Ross State on becoming a fully official member of Division 2.Now it’s time to do something about being outscored by an average score of 61-12 for the 2025 season.I’m not going to try to sugarcoat it here, but Sul Ross was just about the worst team in the entire nation last year, so I guess the only way to go is up for Lee Hays’ squad.I guess the main thing for Sul Ross is to make the university and team an attractive place to play for Division 2 players, and since they’re official now, we can consider this as the first year they can sell that to potential recruits.But the university sits in a county in Texas (Brewster County) that has less than 10,000 full-time residents while being larger than the entire state of Connecticut (my old home, by the way), so I imagine it’s quite an uphill battle to establish and maintain the program.The reality here is that the Lobos need a little bit of everything – size, talent, depth…you name it, they need it.I hope for their sake that the move to Division 2 wasn’t a mistake, since they were only slightly more successful at the Division 3 level.
Schedule Highlights:
August 29 at home against Wayland Baptist (NAIA – Sooner Athletic Conference) – The last time these teams played, Sul Ross won a 52-51 overtime thriller for the Lobos’ first win as a Division 2 program.Four former Sul Ross players, including end-of-season quarterback Kye Callicoatte, transferred to Wayland Baptist before the 2026 season.
November 1 at home against Western New Mexico – The Lobos’ closest game of 2025 was a 45-42 loss to WNMU, and if the LSC preseason poll is correct, this may be the Lobos’ best chance at an LSC conference win in 2025.
9. Western New Mexico Mustangs
2025 Record: 2-9 (1-8 LSC)
Coach: Billy Hickman (fourth season, 6-26 overall record)
Notable Players: DB Clayton Zentner, OL Daniel Gonzalez
First Game in 2026: August 27 at Adams State (RMAC)
Outlook: Defense, defense, defense…and some offense too
When you’re a team having a very rough season, it’s very difficult to keep your best players around and out of the transfer portal.For Billy Hickman and WNMU, that’s what happened.Star quarterback Connor Ackerley – off to Furman.Star wide receiver Deuce Zimmerman – off to Northern Arizona.And this was from a team that went 2-9 and was outscored by an average of 58-29 per game.Coming into the 2026 season, the Mustangs are in a slightly better place than Sul Ross, and I’m not so sure that’s a good place to be if you’re WNMU.Any WNMU improvement must start with the defense, where the 36 points per game given up in 2024 has been the best points per game given up in Hickman’s tenure as WNMU head coach.They’ve seen the numbers and know what went wrong last season, now they need to try to do something about it.They can’t get any worse (well, they actually can, but then they would be Sul Ross).Hickman’s teams throw the ball a ton and score some points, and it was no accident that the best WNMU defense (the 2022 season) coincided with a 6-5 record.It also coincided with the head coach leaving for CSU-Pueblo, but that’s not important right now.Bottom line is that WNMU needs players and they need to convince them to stay.It’s the same problem every team mired in a stretch of rough seasons has.
Schedule Highlights:
August 27 at Adams State – Along with the games against the other New Mexico schools and Sul Ross, this could be a rare chance for WNMU to be competitive and possibly get in the win column.Adams State was picked last in the 2026 RMAC preseason poll.
The New Mexico Three-Way Dance of Doom – WNMU will host La Batalla Bowl against New Mexico Highlands on September 3 and the Chile Bowl against ENMU on October 10.The Mustangs went 0-2 in 2025, losing a shootout to Highlands and fading in the second half against ENMU.
8. Midwestern State Mustangs
2025 Record: 3-8 (3-6 LSC)
Coach: Rich Renner (third season, 7-15 overall record)
(Note: 2026 roster not available at this time.)
Notable Players: QB Sean Jastrab, OL Paul Ledet, DL Charles McKnight
First Game in 2026: August 29 at home against Missouri Southern (MIAA)
Outlook: Rome wasn’t built in a day
Over the past few years, the only thing that has been consistent for Midwestern State has been inconsistency.Seasons with multiple starters are positions like quarterback and running back have become much too common for MSU, so a dose of stability is definitely needed for this program.Some of that stability could be supplied by the return of quarterback Sean Jastrab, who did put some solid passing numbers when he did start last season.Also, the defense really struggled, giving up 39 points and 482 yards per game, which must be a tough thing for MSU’s defensive-minded head coach.It’s going to take a lot to build the team back to the days when they were challenging for the top of the LSC and the playoffs.
Schedule Highlights:
August 30 at Missouri Southern – Missouri Southern was picked last in the MIAA preseason poll and evened up the series with a win on their field last season.Definitely a winnable game for the Mustangs.
September 26 at West Texas A&M – At this point of the season, this will be an early test for MSU to see if the Mustangs are showing signs of competing against an LSC opponent picked near the top of the preseason standings.
7. Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds
2025 Record: 3-8 (3-6 LSC)
Coach: Art Briles (first season at ENMU, 99-65 overall record from 2003-2015 at U. of Houston and Baylor)
Notable Players: WR Robert Nora, LB Matthew Quartieri, LB Dylan Quartieri
First Game in 2026: August 27 at New Mexico Highlands (RMAC)
Outlook: Enter Art Briles
My first thought when I heard the news that ENMU hired Art Briles was “So when are they pulling the hire and getting another coach?” since that’s what happened at nearly every other place he was offered a position with the exception of Mount Vernon High School and that team in Italy.I really didn’t think he would be coaching ENMU this season.But here we are, and he will be coaching his first college game since the scandal at Baylor kept him out of college football for a decade.For his sake (and for the sake of the community), I hope the ENMU program and its players have a positive impact for the university and the area.Between Houston and Baylor, Briles had 3 10-win and 2 11-win seasons.He coached a Heisman Trophy winner in Robert Griffin III.The man can coach football.The question is whether the years away have hampered his ability to recruit, strategize, and win college football games.This is why I think ENMU is the wild card of the LSC.With the change in offense away from the triple option, it remains to be seen who will get playing time, although leading passer Chad Ragle is returning this season (although it looks like he might be converting to wide receiver as the ENMU web site has him wearing number 81). Also, the Quartieri Twins are both back as ENMU’s top returning tacklers.
Schedule Highlights:
October 17 at home against West Texas A&M – The Wagon Wheel has spent the last two seasons in Canyon and the Greyhounds desperately want it back.The game will also double as ENMU’s Homecoming game.
The New Mexico Three-Way Dance of Doom – ENMU will go to New Mexico Highlands on August 27 and to WNMU on October 10 for the Chile Bowl.The Greyhounds lost to Highlands and beat WNMU last season.
6. Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas
2025 Record: 5-6 (4-5 LSC)
Coach: Scott Parr (second season, 5-6 overall record)
Notable Players: DB Jeremiah Conaway, WR Christian Kretz, LB Julian Payne, RB Edward Chumley
First Game in 2026: August 29 at home against Northwest Missouri State (MIAA)
Outlook: An upset or two would be nice
The Javelinas dropped to 5-6 under first-year coach Soctt Parr after three straight 7-win seasons under Michael Salinas.Seven wins would be nice, and maybe an upset or two too.The offense put up big numbers in the passing game, but Jack Turner ran out of eligibility (I think, you never know these days) and TAMUK will be breaking in a new quarterback in 2026.The Hogs bring back several contributors from last year’s team, including leading rusher Edward Chumley, second-leading receiver Christian Kretz, interception leader Darrius Pamplin, and second-leading tackler Julian Payne.We will see who will replace Jack Trunerto run the TAMUK offense, but there are two Division 1 transfers (Mills Dawson and Teddy Booras) among the Javelinas’ quarterbacks.
Schedule Highlights:
September 13 at home against Northwest Missouri State – NWMSU went 9-3 and returned to the playoffs in 2025 in head coach John McMenamin’s first season.This is a rematch of a TAMUK loss at NWMSU where the Javelinas ran out of gas in the second half and NWMSU won going away with a 21-3 fourth quarter.The Bearcats are picked to finish at the top of the MIAA in 2026.
November 14 at Texas-Permian Basin – Could be a pivotal game for both teams if the preseason polls are correct and these teams are in the middle of the LSC.
5. #18 Texas-Permian Basin Falcons
2025 Record: 11-3 (7-2 LSC, NCAA Division 2 Playoffs Super Region 4 Runner-Up)
Coach: Chris Softley (first season as a college head coach)
Notable Players: WR Traylen Suel, DL Godgive Ugochukwu, RB Camden Tyler, LB McKyle So’oto
First Game in 2026: August 29 at Texas-Rio Grande Valley (Division 1 – Southland Conference)
Outlook: Hitting the reset button could be rough
At this time last year, the UTPB football program had yet to take the field for what would be the most successful season in program history.Today, we see that after that season, quite a bit happened:
UTPB does have a few familiar names coming into 2026, including running back Camden Tyler, wide receiver Traylen Suel, and linebacker McKyle So’oto, but this is a young team whose upperclassmen are mostly transfer students, so it might take a few weeks together to get things working right.A quick start and the Falcons could make a run to the top of the LSC.New head coach Chris Softley has had a long run of success at the high school level, now we get to see if that translates to the college level.
https://www.yourbasin.com/video/former-wink-star-and-record-breaking-utpb-qb-kanon-gibson-leaves-acu/12045646/
Schedule Highlights:
October 3 at Northeastern State (Ind.) – The barnstorming River Hawks, the nation’s only independent football team, had a breakthrough season in 2025, going 9-3 and a close loss to a West Florida team that made the playoffs in their last season as a Division 2 member.NSU expects to be in the playoff conversation this season despite three Division 1 teams on their schedule.
October 24 at Central Washington – This game has seen both teams in the playoff conversation in recent years, and with both teams having new coaching staffs and heavy roster changes, it will be interesting to see where each program is heading at this point in the season.
4. Angelo State Rams
2025 Record: 6-5 (4-5 LSC)
Coach: Jeff Girsch (seventh season, 61-26 overall record)
Notable Players: DB Tre Liger, RB Cameron Dischler, RB Jayden Jones, WR Donny Bishop
First Game in 2026: August 27 at home against Fort Hays State (MIAA)
Outlook: Getting back to what they’re used to
ASU went through a tough 6-5 season, having to deal with injuries, particularly at the quarterback position, where ASU started three different players including now-Arkansaas quarterback Braeden Fuller.Angelo State does have some key returning players, particularly on offense.Both ASU top rushers, Cameron Dischler and Jayden Jones, are back, along with wide receiver Donny Bishop.Ayden Arp is the top returning quarterback, and he played quite well in the game against WTAMU last season, but we will see who start game 1.Health will be a major factor to ASU’s success in 2026, especially since factors like the transfer portal significantly test teams’ depth.At fourth in the preseason poll, ASU could easily be a dark horse in the LSC race in 2026. Don't sleep on the Rams in 2026.
Schedule Highlights:
September 3 at Western Colorado – Western Colorado’s entire non-conference schedule since the 2022 season has been against LSC teams, and this will be the teams’ first meeting since the 2015 season.The Rams hold an 8-0 record all-time against the Mountaineers.
September 26 at Western Oregon and October 3 at home against Central Washington – Like WTAMU, Angelo State gets the Pacific Northwest teams on consecutive weeks.Go 2-0 in these games and the Rams might be primed to make a run to the playoffs.
3. West Texas A&M Buffaloes
2025 Record: 8-4 (7-2 LSC)
Coach: Josh Lynn (fourth season, 81-67 overall record)
Notable Players: RB Contae Cason, DB Miles Hill
First Game in 2026: August 27 at home against Western Colorado (RMAC)
Outlook: We’re good…maybe?
Last year’s 8-4 record is WTAMU’s best record in coach Josh Lynn’s tenure.His reward?Offensive coordinator Justin Bane, whose offense helped quarterback RJ Martinez lead the nation in passing yards, took his talents to Division 1 Incarnate Word.The passing game will see a new quarterback and an entirely new receiving crew, with the most experienced receiver being Idaho State (via Sul Ross) transfer Yamil Oaxaca and the 20 passes of Know Porter as the most experienced remaining quarterback.The big question for the Buffaloes will be how they respond with one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country.A home game against Western Colorado to start the season followed by a trip to Grand Valley State will be a tall order for WTAMU – start 1-1 and maybe they have something.0-2 and we’ll see about the conference schedule.WTAMU ends the season with Western Oregon and Central Washington, the teams picked ahead of them in the LSC.If the Buffaloes are in striking distance at that point in the season, you could be looking at the LSC champions.
Schedule Highlights:
August 27 at home against Western Colorado – The Buffaloes would love to get the season off to a good start against a Western Colorado team that now expects to finish at the top of the RMAC and get in the playoffs every year.WTAMU has played WCU every year since 2022, which is also the last time they beat WCU.
November 7 at Western Oregon and November 14 at home against Central Washington – The last two games of WTAMU’s season are against the two teams picked above WTAMU in the LSC preseason poll.A great chance for the Buffaloes to send a message to the LSC at the end of the season.
2. #14 Western Oregon Wolves
2025 Record: 8-3 (7-2 LSC)
Coach: Arne Ferguson (twenty-second season, 117-99 overall record)
Notable Players: QB Jordan McCarty, DL Nijawn Sterling, RB Jermaine Land, WR Jaylen Fite
First Game in 2026: August 29 at Colorado Mines (RMAC)
Outlook: Expectations…You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Arne Ferguson is the definition of “football lifer”. Since he started his college playing career in 1985, he’s only ever called Western Oregon home. Many of those seasons were noted by hard-working, tough-minded defenses that would keep games really close, but at the end of the season it was usually 5 or 6 wins. Last season was a breakthrough for Ferguson and the Wolves – 8 wins and a last-second loss to Central Washington leaving them just short of their first-ever NCAA playoff appearance. Now they are picked near the top of the LSC and now face something the program rarely ever faces – expectations. Quarterback Jordan McCarty is the LSC preseason offensive player of the year and defensive lineman Nijawn Sterling anchors the hard-nosed WOU defense. They will be tested immediately with a trip to Colorado Mines in a game that could be the difference for both teams between getting in the playoffs and staying home.
Schedule Highlights:
August 29 at Colorado Mines – The Orediggers were picked third in the RMAC preseason poll and are coming off a 7-4 season where three of their losses were by one score.This game couldbe the difference between one of these teams getting the playoffs and the other staying home.
September 19 at Central Washington – The arch rivals will be nearly guaranteed to come down to the wire, and if the LSC preseason poll is to be believed, this could decide the LSC championship.
1. #9 Central Washington Wildcats
2025 Record: 10-2 (9-0 LSC, NCAA Division 2 Playoffs Super Region 4 First Round)
Coach: Scott Power (first season as a college head coach)
(Note: 2026 roster not available at this time.)
Notable Players: LB Brycen Indell, OL Tyler Luzan
First Game in 2026: September 5 at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (Division 1 FCS-Big Sky Conference)
Outlook: See UTPB above
After three straight playoff appearances, Chris Fisk took his ball to Portland State and a handful of CWU players followed him.Head coach Scott Power returns to CWU after a decade away coaching elsewhere, most notably as defensive coordinator at Western Michigan, Louisiana Tech, and Stephen F. Austin.Power’s time at CWU as defensive coordinator (2016 and 2017) resulted in a top-20 defense and a 28-4 overall record.The CWU has a strong core, with LSC preseason defensive player of the year in linebacker Brycen Indell returning after only playing in three games in 2025.The Wildcats start their defense of their LSC championship with an absolutely brutal non-conference schedule – at Division 1 Cal Poly and home for two-time defending national champions Ferris State.They may honestly have a better shot at beating Cal Poly despite being a Division 1 team, that’s how good Ferris State has been.It should also be noted that with the lack of a CWU roster, I couldn’t tell you who is returning outside of Indell and Luzan, and especially who is going to replace the departed Kennedy McGill at quarterback.
Schedule Highlights:
September 12 at home against Ferris State – Welcome to the big time, coach Power.Your first home game is against a team that is rarely ever seriously challenged anymore.The two-time defending national champions have a 30-game winning streak entering the 2026 season, and that streak could be 32 when they travel to CWU (but Pittsburg State will have a lot to say about that).
September 19 at home against Western Oregon – I try to not list the same game multiple times, but this matchup of arch rivals could decide the LSC championship or determine a playoff spot if the LSC preseason poll is to be believed.
What’s my take on the LSC in 2026?
First off, just want to say that preseason polls…I hate them so, so much. I think the only reason they exist at all is to get people talking, and guess what, I’m talking about them. In particular, the preseason favorite, CWU, has an entirely new coaching staff, is still ranked number 9 in the country. UTPB is ranked number 18 even though they are picked fifth in the LSC preseason poll, although the point difference between third and fifth place is just 14 points. So…it’s great that it’s just about time to take this to the field!
Now, when it comes to how I think the season will go, some things I will be looking at are:
And with that, it’s time for kickoff!