On Saturday, the No.12 ranked Tarleton State University football team traveled to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the Lone Star Conference Football Festival to take on the Florida Institute of Technology Panthers. Despite the Texans’ best efforts and tying the game late in the fourth quarter, the Texans fell to the Panthers, 37-31.

The Texans, coming off their first win in Canyon, TX against West Texas A&M University in 10 years, were riding high and ready for their next challenge. The Texans, however, knew that this wouldn’t be an easy one, with the Florida Tech Panthers having defeated Delta State University and North Alabama University, two teams the Texans have struggled to beat in the past two years.

The beginning of the game began in favor of the Texans, with a four yard touchdown run by junior running back Zack Henshaw in the first quarter. The Panthers, answered with their own four yard touchdown shortly after.

A 77 yard pass from junior quarterback Colin Strahan to sophomore Bubba Tandy put the Texans up 14-7 to end the first quarter.

The second quarter proved to be an offensive one for both teams, with Florida Tech scoring back to back runs to put themselves atop the Texans 21-14. The Texans were able to recover with a 32 yard field goal by junior kicker Blake Barnes and a 21 yard pass from Colin Strahan to junior Wide Receiver Le’Nard Meyers in the closing seconds of the first half to put the Texans up 24-21 at halftime.

The third quarter showed to be a defensive one for both teams, with the Texans unable to score. However, a touchdown from Florida Tech had the Texans trailing 28-24 going into the fourth quarter.

In the opening minute of the fourth quarter, the Panthers were able to kick a 36 yard field goal, increasing their lead to 31-24. A seven yard run from Colin Strahan had the Texans tied with the Panthers 31-31 with 8:56 left in the game. The Texans were unable to hold off the Panthers from scoring, but were able to block the point after attempt. The Texans were unable to score on their final possession, with an interception thrown by Strahan in the final seconds of the game. The Texans fell to the Panthers, 37-31.

The Texans struggled on penalties, having seven penalties for a total of 70 yards, with Head Coach Cary Fowler blaming, “a lack of concentration and a lack of focus.”

The Texans look to regroup and focus on next week’s game against Lone Star Conference rival, Midwestern State University, where the Texans will host the Mustangs at Memorial Stadium on Saturday Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.