2023 Texas A&M–Commerce Lions football team

2023 Texas A&M–Commerce Lions football
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Record1–9 (2–5 Southland)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBobby Bounds (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorKyle Williams (2nd season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumErnest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium
2023 Southland Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Nicholls $^   7 – 0     6 – 5  
No. 22 Incarnate Word   6 – 1     8 – 2  
Lamar   5 – 2     6 – 5  
Houston Christian   4 – 3     5 – 5  
Southeastern Louisiana   3 – 4     3 – 8  
*   2 – 5     1 – 9  
McNeese   1 – 6     0 – 10  
Northwestern State **   0 – 2     0 – 6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Texas A&M–Commerce ineligible for FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II.
    ** – Northwestern State canceled its season on October 26.
Rankings from STATS Poll

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

Preseason poll

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

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]

Schedule

Texas A&M–Commerce and the Southland Conference announced the 2023 football schedule on December 14, 2022.[3][4][5][6]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 317:00 p.m.No. 16 UC Davis*
ESPN+L 10–484,227
September 99:00 p.m.at No. 9 Sacramento State*
ESPN+L 6–3412,316
September 232:30 p.m.at Old Dominion*
ESPN+L 9–1016,938
September 306:00 p.m.at Stephen F. Austin*
ESPN+L 27–567,029
October 77:00 p.m.McNeese
  • Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX
ESPN+W 41–104,817
October 144:00 p.m.at No. 7 Incarnate Word
ESPN+L 11–282,278
October 213:30 p.m.Nicholls
  • Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX
ESPN+L 7–278,248
October 282:00 p.m.at Houston Christian
ESPN+L 13–171,765
November 43:00 p.m.at Lamar
ESPN+L 21–416,123
November 113:30 p.m.Southeastern Louisiana
  • Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX
ESPN+L 14–524,387
November 182:00 p.m.at Northwestern State
ESPN+W 2–0 (forfeit)[7]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Game summaries

at Sacramento State

See also: 2023 Sacramento State Hornets football team
Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at No. 9 Sacramento State Hornets – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Lions 0 6 006
No. 9 Hornets 10 17 7034

at Hornet Stadium, Sacramento, California

  • Date: September 9
  • Game time: 9:00 p.m. CDT/7:00 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: Sunny, 85 °F (29 °C)
  • Game attendance: 12,316
  • Referee: Scott Root
  • TV announcers (KMAX-TV/ESPN+): Jason Ross and Darren Arbet
  • Sources:[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

See also: 2023 McNeese Cowboys football team
McNeese Cowboys at Texas A&M–Commerce Lions
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 3 0 0710
Lions 0 14 27041

at Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium, Commerce, TX

  • Date: October 7
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: • Wind: N4 mph • Weather: Clear Temp: 64
  • Game attendance: 4,817
  • Referee: James Brookhart
  • TV: 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

          See also: 2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team
          Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Incarnate Word Cardinals – Game summary
          Quarter 1 2 34Total
          Lions 3 0 0811
          No. 7 Cardinals 7 7 01428

          at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, Texas

          • Date: October 14
          • Game time: 4:05 p.m. CDT
          • Game weather: Sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)
          • Game attendance: 2,278
          • Referee: Matt Beck
          • TV: ESPN+
          • Box Score
          Game information
          First Quarter
          • TAMUC – 6:24 Emmanuel Adagvon 35 yard field goal
            TAMUC 3–0 Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:02
          • UIW – 0:08 Jarrell Wiley 13 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick
            UIW 7–3 Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:05
          Second Quarter
          • UIW – 1:57 CJ Hardy 31 yard pass from Zach Calzada, Mason Lawler kick
            UIW 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 pass
            UIW 14–11
          • UIW – 6:55 Ronald Wilson 71 yard interception, Mason Lawler kick
            UIW 21–11
          • UIW – 4:40 Jarrell Wiley 14 yard run, Mason Lawler kick
            UIW 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

          See also: 2023 Lamar Cardinals football team
          Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Lamar Cardinals – Game summary
          Quarter 1 2 34Total
          Lions 0 7 01421
          Cardinals 7 14 71341

          at Provost Umphrey Stadium, Beaumont, Texas

          • Date: November 4
          • Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
          • Game weather: Sunny, 82 °F (28 °C)
          • Game attendance: 6,123
          • Referee: Matt Beck
          • TV: 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

          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

          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]

          Dave Campbell's Texas Football post season All-Texas Non-FBS teams

          Levi Drake Rodriguez was named to the 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Defense team.[11]

          Conference awards and honors

          Weekly awards

          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

          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]

          References

          1. ^ "Southeastern Voted Top Spot in 2023 Southland Football Preseason Poll". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
          2. ^ "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Team". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
          3. ^ "TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE FOOTBALL: Lions announce 2023 Southland Conference Schedule". The Gilmer Mirror. December 15, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
          4. ^ Kelley, Kevin (February 1, 2023). "Southland Conference announces 2023 football schedule". FBSCHEDULES.com. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
          5. ^ "Texas A&M-Commerce Lions Schedule 2023". ESPN Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
          6. ^ "2023 Football Schedule". Texas A&M University - Commerce Athletics. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
          7. ^ Kasabian, Paul (October 26, 2023). "Northwestern State Cancels Football Season, HC Resigns After Ronnie Caldwell's Death". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
          8. ^ "Football vs Texas A&M - Commerce on 9/9/2023 - Box Score - Sacramento State". September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
          9. ^ "Football Rolls To 34–6 Win Over Texas A&M–Commerce". September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
          10. ^ James Hill (September 25, 2023). "Epps Named FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
          11. ^ Cory Hogue (December 6, 2023). "REVEALED: The 2023 All-Texas Non-FBS Team". Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
          12. ^ 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.
          13. ^ James Hill (November 24, 2023). "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Football Team and Superlatives". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
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