CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M begins their 2026 campaign on Thursday night as they welcome the #11 Mountaineers of Western Colorado to Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. in Canyon at First United Field.
GAME PROMOTIONS
Thursday night's home opener is presented by
Northwest Texas Healthcare System and fans are encouraged to wear maroon for "Maroon Madness" at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium. WT Athletics has implemented a
Clear Bag Policy for the 2026 season.
The first 1,000 fans will receive a maroon t-shirt courtesy of Northwest Texas Healthcare System. West Texas A&M students receive free admission to all home regular season athletic events by presenting their Buffalo Gold Card at the gate.
WEEK 0 MATCHUPS
Nine of the 10 members of the LSC open their 2026 season during Week 0. Thursday's slate of games features three contests between the LSC and the RMAC as Western Colorado travels to Canyon with Eastern New Mexico battling New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas while Western New Mexico makes their way to Alamosa to take on Adams State. Angelo State starts off the season at home against Fort Hays State.
Saturday sees five more Week 0 contests as UT Permian Basin travels to Edinburg to take on Division I foe UT Rio Grande Valley. Colorado School of Mines hosts Western Oregon with Missouri Southern making their way to Wichita Falls to battle Midwestern State. Sul Ross State welcomes Wayland Baptist to Alpine while Northwest Missouri State travels to South Texas to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville. Defending LSC Champion Central Washington will not play during Week 0 as they prepare for a September 5th battle at Cal Poly.
WCU HEAD COACH JAS BAINS
Jas Bains enters his 16th season at the helm of the Western Colorado football team in 2026, the second-longest consecutive tenure in the program's history. He is 75-86 during his time in Gunnison with four appearances in the NCAA Playoffs (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025) including a run to the second round in each of the last two seasons.
A LOOK AT THE MOUNTAINEERS
Western Colorado enters the 2026 campaign ranked 11th in the AFCA Division II Preseason Poll as the Mountaineers are coming off a 10-3 record a year ago including a 7-2 mark in the RMAC. WCU topped LSC Champion Central Washington, 27-20, in the opening round of the NCAA Playoffs before falling to UT Permian Basin in Gunnison, 21-15 in overtime.
Including its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title in 2021, Western Colorado has posted double-digit wins in four of the past five seasons, making it to the NCAA tournament in each of those four seasons, and takes a five-year record of 48-13 into the 2026 campaign.
The Mountaineers will feature a new signal-caller for the 2026 campaign as AP Second Team All-American Drew Nash makes the move to the sideline as an assistant coach working with the WCU tight ends. Senior Josiah Ray looks to take over the WCU offense after playing in 10 games last season, completing 21-of-31 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown.
The RMAC coaches have selected the Mountaineers second in the league's preseason poll. Wide receiver Caden Measner, a 2025 Second Team All-RMAC performer, was joined on the preseason offense by linemen Taylor Nichols and Joseph Shepardson.
Defensive end Drew Johnson and inside linebacker Ian Loomis, both of whom were first-team all-conference selections in 2025, were joined on the 2026 preseason defense by defensive tackle Mikey Smith, a second-team All-RMAC player last season. Defensive back Easton Peterson was named the preseason all-conference punt returner, after finishing 2025 as the second team returner.
Loomis was selected to the D2Football Elie 100 Watch List following 108 total tackles and five sacks a year ago, ranking second in the RMAC in tackles and sixth in the league in sacks. Johnson was also named to the Elite 100 Watch List as he led the RMAC with 6.5 sacks to go along with 14.5 tackles for loss, ranking second.
THE SERIES
The Buffaloes and Mountaineers meet for the 11th time in school history on the gridiron on Thursday night. WT is 7-3 all-time in the series that dates back to 1938. WCU has claimed the last three meetings in the series.
Thursday is the seventh meeting between the two teams in Canyon as the Buffs hold the 5-1 advantage in the Texas Panhandle. WCU's last trip to Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium came on September 14, 2024 as the Mountaineers claimed a 26-17 victory.
HEAD COACH JOSH LYNN
Josh Lynn is now in his fourth season at the helm of the West Texas A&M Football program after being named the 29th head coach in WT history. Lynn, widely regarded as one of the nation's up-and-coming head coaches, came to Canyon following six seasons at the University of Nebraska-Kearney where he led the Lopers to an overall record of 35-25 including a run to the Second Round of the 2021 NCAA Playoffs.
NEW FACES ON THE SIDELINE
WT Football welcomes five new faces to the coaching staff. Kevin Bleil was named the new Offensive Coordinator for the Buffs in February while Kendrick Marshall will work with the linebackers and serve as Special Teams Coordinator.
Vic Wharton III (cornerbacks), Blake Crandall (wide receivers) and Ben James (offensive line) also joined the staff.
Garrett Meyer has been added to the full-time staff and will work with the tight ends while
Koby Schroeder (defensive line) returns for his second season as a graduate assistant.
LSC PRESEASON POLL
The Buffaloes have been tabbed third in the 2026 LSC Preseason Poll announced during the league's annual Media Day in McKinney, Texas.
Defending LSC Champion Central Washington claimed 16 of the possible 30 first place votes for a total of 276 points to sit atop of the poll followed by Western Oregon (nine first place, 247), West Texas A&M (one first place, 217), Angelo State (one first place, 215), UT Permian Basin (two first place, 203), Texas A&M-Kingsville (162), Eastern New Mexico (one first place, 125), Midwestern State (112), Western New Mexico (58) and Sul Ross State (35).
LIVE COVERAGE
Thursday night's contest will be broadcasted on FloCollege. The LSC and FloSports reached a historic agreement in August of 2024 for the largest streaming rights deal in NCAA Division II history. Fans have three different subscription options: $24.99 per month, $119.88 per year ($9.99/month) or a family plan for $12.99/month. Additionally, those who use an .edu email address from an LSC member institution will be able to sign up at a discounted subscription price.
BACK ON THE AIRWAVES
West Texas A&M Athletics announces the return of radio broadcasts for the 2026-27 campaign.
Members of Buff Nation will now be able to listen to
Kent Johnson, Lucas Kinsey and Brice Sheets in partnership with Alpha Media. Football pregame begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Thursday night's broadcast is available online (GoBuffsGo.com / KGNCNewsNow.com) as well as locally in the Texas Panhandle on 710 AM and 97.5 FM.
2025 REWIND
The Buffs made an appearance in the program's seventh bowl game in 2025 as they defeated Arkansas Tech in the Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot. WT finished the season riding a four-game win streak with an 8-4 overall record.
Josh Lynn guided the Buffs to the most victories in a season since 2021 as well as the most LSC wins since 2012.
AFCA DIVISION II PRESEASON TOP-25 POLL
West Texas A&M find their way into the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll as WT is receiving votes prior to the start of the 2026 campaign. Reigning National Champion Ferris State picked up all 31 first place votes for a unanimous total of 775 points atop of the poll followed by Harding, Kutztown, Pittsburg State, CSU Pueblo, Central Washington, Northwest Missouri State, Grand Valley State and UIndy to round out the top ten.
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Week 0 features 38 Division II contests across the country being played on Thursday night highlighted by three matchups against teams featured inside the AFCA Preseason Top-25 Poll.
#25 Indiana (Pa.) at #13 Ashland
#16 Findlay at #9 UIndy
#1 Ferris State at #4 Pittsburg State
OPENING THE SEASON
The Buffaloes open the 115th season in program history on Thursday night in Canyon. West Texas A&M is 51-63 in season openers dating back to the start of the program in 1910. The Buffs did not play in 1943 (World War II) and 1991 (Program Disbanded).
Thursday night will be the first time since 2022 that West Texas A&M open the season inside of Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium, the Buffs have won each of their last four contests when opening the season in Canyon.
vs. Azusa Pacific, 35-16 (September 7, 2019)
vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State, 58-7 (September 19, 2020)
vs. Texas College, 73-0 (September 2, 2021)
vs. Western Colorado, 44-6 (September 3, 2022)
WT AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
West Texas A&M's 2026 schedule features five opponents represented in the AFCA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Thursday night sees #11 Western Colorado comes to Canyon followed by matchups against #9 Grand Valley State (Sept. 3), #18 UT Permian Basin (Oct. 10), #22 Western Oregon (Nov. 7) and #7 Central Washington (Nov. 14).
The Buffs are looking for their first Top-25 victory under head coach
Josh Lynn and the first since knocking off #17 Western Colorado (44-6) back on September 3, 2022.
THIS IS LONE STAR CONFERENCE FOOTBALL
The LSC regular season will begin as early as Thursday, Aug. 27 with ASU, ENMU, WT and WNMU kicking off that day. MSU, SRSU, TAMUK, UTPB and WOU will start Saturday, Aug. 29, while CWU gets going Saturday, Sept. 5.
The first season of LSC football was in 1931. TAMUK boasts a conference-best 27 championships, with its first coming in 1959 and last in 2009. ASU (also 1978, 1984, 1987) and WT (1986, 2005-2007, 2012) have won five LSC crowns each. MSU (2011-2012, 2017, 2021) was won four times, while ENMU (1991, 2013) and SRSU (1950, 1965) have prevailed twice.
DRAWING A CROWD
West Texas A&M is fortunate to boast one of the top football facilities in all of NCAA Division II Football as Buffalo Stadium opened on September 7, 2019 with a record crowd of 10,145 in a 35-16 victory over Azusa Pacific. Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium has welcomed 234,357 fans over 38 contests as the Buffs are 25-13 (.658) in the facility highlighted by five victories during both the 2021 and 2025 campaign.
THE LONE STAR STATE
The 2026 Buffalo football roster features 131 student-athletes with 97 playing their high school football in the state of Texas.
SIZE UP FRONT
The West Texas A&M offensive line features 17 student-athletes that boast a total of 4,945 pounds of blocking power for an average size of 290.1 pounds per lineman.
GOING STREAKING
The Buffaloes enter the 2026 campaign tied for the fourth longest active win streak in Division II Football.
30 Games - Ferris State
7 Games - Northeastern State
7 Games - Shepherd
4 Games - West Texas A&M
4 Games - Charleston (W.V.)
4 Games - Edinboro
4 Games - Wayne State (Mich.)
4 Games - Allen
