Army Opens 2025 Season Against Tarleton State in Historic Matchup
The 2025 college football season has officially arrived, and one of the most intriguing openers is set to take place at Michie Stadium in West Point, New York. The Army Black Knights, fresh off a record-setting 12-win season in 2024, will kick off their new campaign against the Tarleton State Texans. What makes this matchup unique is that it marks the first-ever meeting between these two programs, and it brings plenty of storylines into focus.
Army comes into this opener with high expectations. Last season, the Black Knights not only captured their conference title with an 8-0 run in the American but also established a nine-game home winning streak that dates back to 2023. That kind of momentum is hard to ignore, and fans in West Point are eager to see if the team can continue its dominance. However, it will not be a simple repeat of last year’s script. Quarterback Bryson Daily, who accounted for over 1,600 rushing yards, has moved on, and leading rusher Kayne Udoh is also gone. With those departures, Army will be tasked with finding new leaders to carry its famously powerful ground attack.
Also Read:On the other side, Tarleton State arrives with confidence of its own. The Texans started their season with a dominant 42-0 victory over Portland State in Week 0, immediately showing that their offense and defense are both capable of overwhelming opponents. In 2024, Tarleton State finished second in the United Athletic Conference with a 6-2 record and capped the year at 10-4 overall. While this will be just their fifth time facing an FBS opponent, the Texans have proven they are not intimidated by the spotlight.
Oddsmakers have made Army the clear favorite, setting the Black Knights at -14.5 on the spread and listing them as heavy moneyline favorites at -630. Meanwhile, Tarleton State is listed as a +450 underdog. The total points line has been placed at 47.5, with many experts leaning toward the under. SportsLine’s college football analyst Eric Cohen, who built a reputation by going 78-58 on picks last season, has already weighed in with his breakdown. While his complete analysis is reserved for subscribers, it is clear that he sees one critical X-factor that makes one side of the spread particularly attractive.
For Army, this matchup is more than just a season opener—it’s a tune-up before heading into a major Week 2 test against Kansas State. For Tarleton State, this is an opportunity to pull off the kind of upset that would be remembered for years, especially if they could become one of the few FCS programs to knock off an FBS power on the road.
Kickoff is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. Fans across the country will be watching closely, eager to see if Army can pick up right where it left off last year, or if Tarleton State can shock the college football world by toppling a nationally respected opponent. Either way, it promises to be a memorable start to Week 1.
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