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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 .
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
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
at Sacramento State [ edit ]
Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at No. 9 Sacramento State Hornets – Game summary
Quarter
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 Cowboys at Texas A&M–Commerce Lions
Quarter
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
Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Incarnate Word Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter
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
Texas A&M–Commerce Lions at Lamar Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter
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.
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 ]
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
^ "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 .
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