American college football season
The 2023 Texas A&M–Commerce Lions football team represented Texas A&M University–Commerce as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season . The Lions were led by first-year head coach Clint Dolezel and played home games at the Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium in Commerce, Texas .
Preseason [ edit ] Preseason poll [ edit ] The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 24, 2023. The Lions were picked to finish sixth in the conference.[1]
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place) 1 Southeastern Louisiana 93 (9) 2 Incarnate Word 91 (7) 3 McNeese 65 4 Nicholls 62 5 Northwestern State 52 6 Texas A&M–Commerce 33 7 Lamar 28 8 Houston Christian 24
Preseason All–Southland Teams [ edit ] The Southland Conference announced the 2023 preseason all-conference football team selections on July 21, 2023. TAMUC had a total of 4 players selected.[2]
Defense
2nd Team
Leon Young – defensive lineman, JR Max Epps – defensive back, JR Daryion Taylor – defensive back, SR Sean Krystoff-King – kick returner, SO
Schedule [ edit ] Texas A&M–Commerce and the Southland Conference announced the 2023 football schedule on December 14, 2022.[3] [4] [5] [6]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source 7:00 p.m. No. 16 UC Davis * ESPN+ L 10–484,227 September 9 9:00 p.m. at No. 9 Sacramento State * ESPN+ L 6–3412,316 September 23 2:30 p.m. at Old Dominion * ESPN+ L 9–1016,938 September 30 6:00 p.m. at Stephen F. Austin * ESPN+ L 27–567,029 October 7 7:00 p.m. McNeese Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium Commerce, TX ESPN+ W 41–104,817 October 14 4:00 p.m. at No. 7 Incarnate Word ESPN+ L 11–282,278 October 21 3:30 p.m. Nicholls Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium Commerce, TX ESPN+ L 7–278,248 October 28 2:00 p.m. at Houston Christian ESPN+ L 13–171,765 November 4 3:00 p.m. at Lamar ESPN+ L 21–416,123 November 11 3:30 p.m. Southeastern Louisiana Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium Commerce, TX ESPN+ L 14–524,387 November 18 2:00 p.m. at Northwestern State ESPN+ W 2–0 (forfeit)[7] *Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time
Game summaries [ edit ] at Sacramento State [ edit ] Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at No. 9 Sacramento State Hornets – Game summary
Period 1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 6 0 0 6 No. 9 Hornets 10 17 7 0 34
at Hornet Stadium , Sacramento, California
Date : September 9Game time : 9:00 p.m. CDT /7:00 p.m. PDT Game weather : Sunny, 85 °F (29 °C)Game attendance : 12,316Referee : Scott RootTV announcers (KMAX-TV /ESPN+) : Jason Ross and Darren ArbetSources:[8] [9]
Game information First Quarter (10:01) SAC – Kaiden Bennett 8-yard run (Zach Schreiner kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:45; Sacramento State 7–0 ) (4:13) SAC – Zach Schreiner 33-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 3:50; Sacramento State 10–0 ) Second Quarter (11:16) SAC – Chris Miller 16-yard pass from Kaiden Bennett (Zach Schreiner kick) (Drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 5:51; Sacramento State 17–0 ) (7:17) SAC – Kaiden Bennett 40-yard run (Zach Schreiner kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 83 yards, 1:53; Sacramento State 24–0 ) (0:41) TAMC – Peter Parrish 1-yard run (Drive: 3 plays, 14 yards, 0:25; Sacramento State 24–6 ) (0:00) SAC – Zach Schreiner 40-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 48 yards, 0:36; Sacramento State 27–6 ) Third Quarter (8:47) SAC – Marcus Fulcher 5-yard run (Zach Schreiner kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:59; Sacramento State 34–6 )
Statistics TAMC SAC First downs 13 28 Total yards 216 503 Rushing yards 144 311 Passing yards 72 192 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–27–1 17–26–1 Time of possession 29:08 30:52
Team Category Player Statistics Texas A&M–Commerce Passing Peter Parrish 12/25, 63 yards, INT Rushing Reggie Branch 14 carries, 65 yards Receiving Micaelous Elder 6 receptions, 33 yards Sacramento State Passing Kaiden Bennett 14/22, 176 yards, TD, INT Rushing Kaiden Bennett 10 carries, 101 yards, 2 TD Receiving Coleman Kuntz 4 receptions, 68 yards
McNeese [ edit ] McNeese Cowboys at Texas A&M–Commerce Lions
Period 1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 3 0 0 7 10 Lions 0 14 27 0 41
at Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium , Commerce, TX
Date : October 7Game time : 7:00 p.m.Game weather : • Wind: N4 mph • Weather: Clear Temp: 64Game attendance : 4,817Referee : James BrookhartTV : ESPN+
Game information First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter
Statistics McN TAMU–C First downs 16 18 Plays–yards 68–280 61–470 Rushes–yards 31–64 35–158 Passing yards 216 312 Passing: comp–att–int 22–37–1 15–26–1 Time of possession 28:35 31:25
Team Category Player Statistics McNeese Passing Nate Glantz 10/18, 111 yards, INT Rushing D'Angelo Durham 13 rushes, 67 yards Receiving Mahki Paris 4 receptions, 61 yards Texas A&M–Commerce Passing Josh Magana 12/21, 266 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Ra'veion Hargrove 13 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jabari Khepera 1 reception, 74 yards, TD
at Incarnate Word [ edit ] Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Incarnate Word Cardinals – Game summary
Period 1 2 3 4 Total Lions 3 0 0 8 11 No. 7 Cardinals 7 7 0 14 28
at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium , San Antonio, Texas
Date : October 14Game time : 4:05 p.m. CDTGame weather : Sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)Game attendance : 2,278Referee : Matt BeckTV : ESPN+Box Score
Game information First Quarter TAMUC – 6:24 Emmanuel Adagvon 35 yard field goalTAMUC 3–0 Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:02 UIW – 0:08 Jarrell Wiley 13 yard pass from Zach Calzada , Mason Lawler kickUIW 7–3 Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:05 Second Quarter UIW – 1:57 CJ Hardy 31 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kickUIW 14–3 Drive 5 plays, 68 yards, 1:50 Third Quarter No scoring
Fourth Quarter TAMCU – 14:51 Javotrick Dotrey 40 yard interception, Keith Miller III passUIW 14–11 UIW – 6:55 Ronald Wilson 71 yard interception, Mason Lawler kickUIW 21–11 UIW – 4:40 Jarrell Wiley 14 yard run, Mason Lawler kickUIW 28–11 Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:48
Statistics TAMUC UIW First downs 13 24 Plays–yards 66–213 79–458 Rushes–yards 33–50 37–158 Passing yards 163 300 Passing: comp–att–int 15–33–2 27–42–3 Time of possession 30:06 28:22
Team Category Player Statistics Texas A&M–Commerce Passing Josh Magana 15/33, 163 yards, 2 INT Rushing Ra'veion Hargrove 10 carries, 37 yards Receiving Jerome Buckner 2 receptions, 48 yards Incarnate Word Passing Zach Calzada 27/42, 300 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Jarrell Wiley 18 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jaelin Campbell 7 receptions, 89 yards
at Lamar [ edit ] Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Lamar Cardinals – Game summary
Period 1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 7 0 14 21 Cardinals 7 14 7 13 41
at Provost Umphrey Stadium , Beaumont, Texas
Date : November 4Game time : 3:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : Sunny, 82 °F (28 °C)Game attendance : 6,123Referee : Matt BeckTV : ESPN+Box Score
Statistics TAMC LAM First downs 19 16 Total yards 300 342 Rushing yards 102 246 Passing yards 198 96 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 27:37 32:23
Team Category Player Statistics Texas A&M–Commerce Passing Mirko Martos 9/16, 102 yards, TD Rushing Shamenski Rucker 12 rushes, 36 yards Receiving Austin Samaha 4 receptions, 65 yards Lamar Passing Robert Coleman 8/14, 96 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Khalan Griffin 19 rushes, 113 yards, TD Receiving Andre Dennis 5 receptions, 43 yards
National and state recognition [ edit ] Three Southland Conference players and one team were nationally recognized during the season. Texas A&M–Commerce's Max Epps was recognized on September 25 as National defensive player of the week.
Weekly awards [ edit ] One Southland Conference team and conference players received national recognition over the course of the season. One of the players, Texas A&M–Commerce's Max Epps, was recognized on September 25 as National defensive player of the week.
Weekly honors Honors Player Position Date Awarded Ref. FedEx Ground National Defensive Player of the Week Max Epps DB September 25, 2023 [10]
Levi Drake Rodriguez was named to the 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Defense team.[11]
Conference awards and honors [ edit ] Weekly awards [ edit ] One Lion received conference player of the week recognition.
Weekly honors Honors Player Position Date Awarded Ref. SLC Defensive Player of the Week Max Epps DB September 25, 2023 [12]
Postseason All–Southland Teams [ edit ] The Southland Conference announced the 2023 all-conference football team selections on November 22, 2023. Three Texas A&M–Commerce players were selected to the All–Conference defensive team.[13]
Defense
1st Team
Levi Drake Rodriguez – defensive lineman, SR Max Epps – defensive back, JR Daryion Taylor – defensive back, SR
References [ edit ] ^ "Southeastern Voted Top Spot in 2023 Southland Football Preseason Poll" . www.southland.org . Retrieved July 24, 2023 . ^ "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Team" . www.southland.org . Retrieved July 24, 2023 . ^ "TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE FOOTBALL: Lions announce 2023 Southland Conference Schedule" . The Gilmer Mirror. December 15, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2023 . ^ Kelley, Kevin (February 1, 2023). "Southland Conference announces 2023 football schedule" . FBSCHEDULES.com. Retrieved December 14, 2022 . ^ "Texas A&M-Commerce Lions Schedule 2023" . ESPN Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved June 19, 2023 . ^ "2023 Football Schedule" . Texas A&M University - Commerce Athletics. Retrieved July 19, 2023 . ^ Kasabian, Paul (October 26, 2023). "Northwestern State Cancels Football Season, HC Resigns After Ronnie Caldwell's Death" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved October 26, 2023 . ^ "Football vs Texas A&M - Commerce on 9/9/2023 - Box Score - Sacramento State" . September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023 . ^ "Football Rolls To 34–6 Win Over Texas A&M–Commerce" . September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023 . ^ James Hill (September 25, 2023). "Epps Named FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week" . Southland Conference. Retrieved November 24, 2023 . ^ Cory Hogue (December 6, 2023). "REVEALED: The 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Team" . Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Retrieved December 7, 2023 . ^ James Hill (September 25, 2023). "HCU's Suits, A&M-Commerce's Epps, Southeastern's Dunlap Earn Southland Football Players of the Week" . Southland Conference. Retrieved November 24, 2023 . ^ James Hill (November 24, 2023). "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Football Team and Superlatives" . Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023 .
Venues Bowls & rivalries People Seasons National championship seasons in bold