Saturday, October 17
College Station, Texas / Kyle Field
12:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET
The Citadel
at
Texas A&M
Photo by: Zabdiel Sweeney
The Citadel Concludes Non-Conference Slate at Texas A&M, Battles Aggies Saturday
10/16/2026 11:47:00 AM | Football
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Citadel (2-4, 0-3 SoCon) treks west for the program's final non-conference matchup of the 2026 campaign against Texas A&M (3-3, 1-3 SEC) on Saturday, Oct. 17, challenging the host Aggies in a 12 p.m. CT / 1 p.m. ET kickoff at Kyle Field. For full coverage, tune in live via the SECN+ or follow along via social media -- @CitadelFootball.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE CITADEL (2-4, 0-3 SoCon) at Texas A&M (3-3, 1-3 SEC)
Saturday, Oct. 17 | 12 p.m. CT / 1 p.m. ET
Kyle Field | College Station, Texas
Game Notes: The Citadel | Texas A&M | Southern Conference
Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets
WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC
SERIES INFO
Series Results: 1-0, Texas A&M
Last Time: L, 3-35 (9/2/2006)
Last at Kyle Field: L, 3-35 (9/2/2006)
Streak: L1
KEY GAME NOTES
HOMEGROWN TALENT
Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:
- LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.
- RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.
- DB Jammall Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.
- DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.
- P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
POUND THE ROCK
Fueled by seven 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past 10 games, including 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227), at Charlotte (268), vs. Charleston Southern (235) and at South Carolina State (235), the Bulldogs' ground game has evolved into one of the offense's most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 13th nationwide and second in the SoCon behind a 210.7 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 96.5 yards per game average, good for 14th nationally and second league-wide, with six touchdowns off 111 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 292 yards and one TD for the year, including a team-long 60-yard burst to set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the day at SC State.
THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)
The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football -- Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE
In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Six games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their displined approach, ranking second nationally and first in the SoCon with just 3.50 penalties per game as well as second in the FCS and second league-wide with 30.83 penalty yards per game.
SEPARATE PATHS, SHARED LINEAGE
The Citadel and Texas A&M share an uncommon recognition amongst the slew of higher education institutions within the United States -- distinction as Senior Military Colleges, just two of six nationally. Notably, the Bulldogs are slated to square off against all three fellow Division I Senior Military Colleges within the next calendar year, facing the Aggies on Oct. 17, 2026, Southern Conference rival VMI on Nov. 14, 2026 and Virginia Tech early next season on Aug. 28, 2027.
WORLD WAR Z
A lead-by-example centerpiece for The Citadel defense, Dartmouth transfer Zyion Brown has made his presence felt throughout the 2026 campaign, registering a team-best 51.0 total tackles thus far, good for 41st in the FCS and fourth in SoCon, with 6.0 logged as tackles-for-loss, slotted as 50th nationally and third league-wide. The Ohio native also serves as the team's top backfield disrupter behind 4.0 sacks on the season.
#DISRUPTORS
As a unit, the defensive front has proven difficult for opposing offenses to properly deal with in terms of penetration, racking up 2.33 sacks per game en route to the No. 23 position on the FCS leaderboard as well as third conference-wide. Individually, Zyion Brown (6.0 TFLs; 4.0 sacks), Jalen Wright (4.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Maurice Bonneau Jr. (3.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), David Alexander (3.0 TFLs) and Beau Shugarts (3.0 TFLs; 0.5 sacks) have served as the primary threats for The Citadel on the season, combing for 20.0 of the team's 33.0 TFLs thus far.
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
After dominating the time-of-possession in three of the opening four contests, The Citadel offense has managed to average a daunting 32:48 minutes of possession on the year, good for 13th nationally and first within the Southern Conference. Further, the Bulldogs have proven effective at retaining possession, surrendering just seven total giveaways -- five fumbles & two interceptions -- for the season, good for 37th overall in the FCS and third league-wide. A year ago, The Citadel set a new program record for fewest turnovers, giving up 11 en route to No. 17 in the national rankings and second amongst SoCon brethren.
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH | THE REPRISE
Since the 1978 decision to reclassify DI football into I-A (FBS) and I-AA (FCS), The Citadel leads the SoCon in victories over FBS opponents behind 10 wins, notably knocking off Georgia Tech (2019), South Carolina (2015 & 1990) and Arkansas (1992). The Bulldogs' latest FBS triumph over Charlotte also extended a unique historical quirk against the 49ers, as The Citadel owns a perfect 2-0 all-time mark against UNCC with both victories coming beyond regulation -- a 63-56 double-overtime victory in 2014 and this year's 43-41 triple-overtime barn burner.
RED (HOT) ZONE
Through six games, The Citadel offense has risen to the challenge within the red zone, garnering points on 17-of-19 visits (.895), good for the 20th-best conversion rate in the FCS and third within the league. When within striking distance, the Bulldogs have set their sights on the end zone as well, punching in TDs on 13 of their 17 successful attempts inside the 20-yard line.
SECONDARY SWAGGER
Defensively, the Bulldogs have proven a difficult unit for opposing offenses to crack thus far into the season, notably ranking 22nd nationally in passing yards allowed, good for third in the Southern Conference, via a 179.7 yards per game average. Further, four of the team's seven takeaways were generated off INTs, including a pair each in the opening two games.
DEGREES OF DISTINCTION
Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).
(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE
The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 20 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:
- South Carolina: 49
- Georgia: 16
- Florida: 8
- North Carolina: 7
- Alabama: 4
-California: 3
- Ohio: 3
- Tennessee: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Connecticut: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 1
- Maryland: 1
- Massachusetts: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nebraska: 1
- New Jersey: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- Quebec: 1
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE CITADEL (2-4, 0-3 SoCon) at Texas A&M (3-3, 1-3 SEC)
Saturday, Oct. 17 | 12 p.m. CT / 1 p.m. ET
Kyle Field | College Station, Texas
Game Notes: The Citadel | Texas A&M | Southern Conference
Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets
WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC
𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗗 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 🤝 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗗 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 ‼️ Xavier Hill to Isaiah Johnson for the score! 🤘 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/h0CkZ0XNBw
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 12, 2026
The Citadel HC @KoachDrayton met w/ the local CHS media to recap Saturday's ETSU matchup and preview the Bulldogs' non-conference trek to Texas A&M 🫡 Full presser ⤵️ 🎥: https://t.co/5kw5QLPQ8T #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/7Mhm2wsLz8
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 12, 2026
Today marks the 35th Anniversary of The Citadel knocking off Army via a 20-14 mark on the road in West Point, N.Y. 🫡 Standout Jack Douglas led all rushers w/ 98 yards and a touchdown while Everette Sands contributed 97 yards plus a score of his own 🏈 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/NNIHIjKE9n
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 12, 2026
ICYMI: The full episode from last night's edition of Beyond the Barracks is now available on all our usual podcast channels 🎧 🎙️: https://t.co/gjSipdDRqH #FireThoseCannons
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 13, 2026
🎥 We caught up with sophomore QB Xavier Hill following his first career series and TD pass vs. ETSU 🗣️⬇️ #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/o0JW97Fmh5
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 13, 2026
𝐈𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ❄️🥋 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/ybDUh5njXN
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 14, 2026
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Andre Roberts' first-ever collegiate 100-yard receiving performance -- a nine-catch, 133-yard showing in a narrow loss at rival Furman 🏈 All-time, the Hall-of-Famer surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark on 17 occasions 🤩🤩 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/JQS1jf8TCa
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 14, 2026
SERIES INFO
Series Results: 1-0, Texas A&M
Last Time: L, 3-35 (9/2/2006)
Last at Kyle Field: L, 3-35 (9/2/2006)
Streak: L1
KEY GAME NOTES
HOMEGROWN TALENT
Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:
- LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.
- RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.
- DB Jammall Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.
- DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.
- P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
POUND THE ROCK
Fueled by seven 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past 10 games, including 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227), at Charlotte (268), vs. Charleston Southern (235) and at South Carolina State (235), the Bulldogs' ground game has evolved into one of the offense's most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 13th nationwide and second in the SoCon behind a 210.7 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 96.5 yards per game average, good for 14th nationally and second league-wide, with six touchdowns off 111 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 292 yards and one TD for the year, including a team-long 60-yard burst to set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the day at SC State.
THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)
The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football -- Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE
In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Six games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their displined approach, ranking second nationally and first in the SoCon with just 3.50 penalties per game as well as second in the FCS and second league-wide with 30.83 penalty yards per game.
SEPARATE PATHS, SHARED LINEAGE
The Citadel and Texas A&M share an uncommon recognition amongst the slew of higher education institutions within the United States -- distinction as Senior Military Colleges, just two of six nationally. Notably, the Bulldogs are slated to square off against all three fellow Division I Senior Military Colleges within the next calendar year, facing the Aggies on Oct. 17, 2026, Southern Conference rival VMI on Nov. 14, 2026 and Virginia Tech early next season on Aug. 28, 2027.
WORLD WAR Z
A lead-by-example centerpiece for The Citadel defense, Dartmouth transfer Zyion Brown has made his presence felt throughout the 2026 campaign, registering a team-best 51.0 total tackles thus far, good for 41st in the FCS and fourth in SoCon, with 6.0 logged as tackles-for-loss, slotted as 50th nationally and third league-wide. The Ohio native also serves as the team's top backfield disrupter behind 4.0 sacks on the season.
#DISRUPTORS
As a unit, the defensive front has proven difficult for opposing offenses to properly deal with in terms of penetration, racking up 2.33 sacks per game en route to the No. 23 position on the FCS leaderboard as well as third conference-wide. Individually, Zyion Brown (6.0 TFLs; 4.0 sacks), Jalen Wright (4.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Maurice Bonneau Jr. (3.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), David Alexander (3.0 TFLs) and Beau Shugarts (3.0 TFLs; 0.5 sacks) have served as the primary threats for The Citadel on the season, combing for 20.0 of the team's 33.0 TFLs thus far.
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
After dominating the time-of-possession in three of the opening four contests, The Citadel offense has managed to average a daunting 32:48 minutes of possession on the year, good for 13th nationally and first within the Southern Conference. Further, the Bulldogs have proven effective at retaining possession, surrendering just seven total giveaways -- five fumbles & two interceptions -- for the season, good for 37th overall in the FCS and third league-wide. A year ago, The Citadel set a new program record for fewest turnovers, giving up 11 en route to No. 17 in the national rankings and second amongst SoCon brethren.
DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH | THE REPRISE
Since the 1978 decision to reclassify DI football into I-A (FBS) and I-AA (FCS), The Citadel leads the SoCon in victories over FBS opponents behind 10 wins, notably knocking off Georgia Tech (2019), South Carolina (2015 & 1990) and Arkansas (1992). The Bulldogs' latest FBS triumph over Charlotte also extended a unique historical quirk against the 49ers, as The Citadel owns a perfect 2-0 all-time mark against UNCC with both victories coming beyond regulation -- a 63-56 double-overtime victory in 2014 and this year's 43-41 triple-overtime barn burner.
RED (HOT) ZONE
Through six games, The Citadel offense has risen to the challenge within the red zone, garnering points on 17-of-19 visits (.895), good for the 20th-best conversion rate in the FCS and third within the league. When within striking distance, the Bulldogs have set their sights on the end zone as well, punching in TDs on 13 of their 17 successful attempts inside the 20-yard line.
SECONDARY SWAGGER
Defensively, the Bulldogs have proven a difficult unit for opposing offenses to crack thus far into the season, notably ranking 22nd nationally in passing yards allowed, good for third in the Southern Conference, via a 179.7 yards per game average. Further, four of the team's seven takeaways were generated off INTs, including a pair each in the opening two games.
DEGREES OF DISTINCTION
Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).
(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE
The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 20 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:
- South Carolina: 49
- Georgia: 16
- Florida: 8
- North Carolina: 7
- Alabama: 4
-California: 3
- Ohio: 3
- Tennessee: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Connecticut: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 1
- Maryland: 1
- Massachusetts: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nebraska: 1
- New Jersey: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- Quebec: 1
-- #FireThoseCannons --
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