In the Trenches: A&M–Texarkana’s HC search, RRCU Stadium, Division II jump

Candidate lanes: builder’s blueprint, D-II leadership, recruiting energy

Three start-up rules: borrow success, dominate local recruiting, timeline discipline

Guest: ACU HC Keith Patterson on sustaining standards, Tarleton scouting, and why a sellout matters

War Map (24-hour clock): ETBU–UMHB; Navarro–Tyler; NEO–Trinity Valley; Alabama State–PVAMU; Lamar–UIW; Tarleton–ACU; UTRGV–SFA; Texas Lutheran–McMurry; Angelo State–Central Washington

In The Trenches: Top 5 Texas Non-FBS Stadiums + Bucket List

Gridiron Briefing Room: Playoff Contenders Across Every Level

Weekend War Map: Key Matchups and Kickoff Times (Week 9)

Subscribe at CoryHogueSports.Substack.com for full coverage of Texas Non-FBS football.

Host: Cory Hogue (@CoryHogueSports)

Guest: Michael Landers, Navarro College Executive Director of Student Services and Athletics, and 2024-25 NJCAA Athletic Director of the Year

Topics Covered:

How SWJCFC realignment unfolded behind the scenes

Why NEO left and Snow College joined

Out-of-state player limits and the transfer portal’s effect on JUCO football

The reality of limited resources at the JUCO level

A personal look at the Landers family’s success in athletics

This week’s Weekend War Map — from Cisco to Cedar City

🎧 Presented by: CoryHogueSports.substack.com

🎧 Episode Notes

(00:00) Intro + Midseason Mailbag

(06:15) UAC Expansion Talk

(08:33) Interview with UTRGV HC Travis Bush

(14:02) The Valley’s Game Day Energy

(21:24) “Win the Day” & Team Culture

(31:14) Weekend War Map: Texas Non-FBS Schedule

Subscribe to CoryHogueSports.substack.com for full coverage and bonus features.

The NCAA’s FCS playoff model is broken. Hosting a postseason game often costs schools money instead of rewarding them. This week on The Cut Block Podcast, I dig into the proposal from private equity firm Sequence Equity, which is pitching commissioners on a playoff model outside NCAA control. Could this be the future of the FCS postseason — or a risk that changes the game forever?

To break it down, I’m joined in the Gridiron Briefing Room by Sam Herder, Senior FCS Analyst for HERO Sports, Top 25 voter, and writer for BetMGM. Sam explains what private equity’s pitch looks like, what schools and commissioners are saying, and whether a move like this is realistic in the near future. We also dive into the national picture — from North Dakota State and Montana to rising programs in Texas like Tarleton, UIW, ACU, and UTRGV.

I close things out with the Weekend War Map — your zero-hour guide to the matchups that matter across Texas Non-FBS football.

🎙 In The Trenches

After Tarleton’s 52–24 win over Chattanooga, UTC head coach Rusty Wright sparked headlines. He called Tarleton the best FCS team they’ve faced since James Madison in 2019 — but also claimed the Texans had “$700,000” in NIL compared to his $35,000, saying that was the only way to keep good players.

This week, I break down why money isn’t the whole story. Tarleton has built continuity and culture in the transfer portal era — a roster that has stayed together while others fall apart. Money matters, but it doesn’t buy buy-in.

🏈 Gridiron Briefing Room: Todd Whitten, Tarleton State

Tarleton head coach Todd Whitten joins me to discuss:

How NIL actually factors into his program

Why roster stability has been Tarleton’s real edge

The importance of culture and trust in retaining players

Quarterback Victor Gabalis’ growth and leadership

Why even his backup QB has stayed when he could start elsewhere

The dominance of Tarleton’s defense

🗺 Weekend War Map

My 24-hour, military-style watchlist of the best Texas Non-FBS matchups:

East Texas Baptist at Texas Lutheran (DIII)

Howard Payne at McMurry (DIII)

Blinn at Navarro (JUCO)

Kilgore at Cisco (JUCO)

Abilene Christian at UIW (FCS)

UTRGV at Southeastern Louisiana (FCS)

Grambling vs. Prairie View A&M – State Fair Classic (SWAC)

Stephen F. Austin at McNeese (FCS)

🔗 Listen & Support

Catch the full episode on Podbean, Apple, Spotify, and more — or listen right here: coryhoguesports.substack.com

The Cut Block Podcast is listener-supported. Paid subscribers receive every story in their inbox, and founding members get early access to posts plus my gratitude for fueling independent coverage of Texas Non-FBS football.

Streaming is supposed to connect fans, families, and alumni to the teams they love — but in Division III, paywalls and poor production are turning people away.

In this episode of The Cut Block Podcast, Cory Hogue is joined by Bob Quillman, host of the Q-Cast, to talk about the state of DIII streaming and what’s at stake for small-college athletics.

🔑 Topics Covered:

Why streaming is the lifeline of Division III athletics

How paywalls are cutting fan engagement by up to 90%

The $30,000 FloSports rights fee — is it worth the trade-off?

The hidden burden on Sports Information Directors (SIDs)

Why alumni, recruits, and casual fans matter in the streaming debate

What schools and conferences can do to improve production quality

👤 Guest:

Bob Quillman — Host of the Q-Cast, covering Division III athletics and beyond. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BQuillmanQCast.

📌 Links & Resources:

Full podcast archive: thecutblock.podbean.com

Subscribe for weekly Non-FBS football coverage on Substack: CoryHogueSports

Title: Polls Under Fire: UTPB’s Kris McCullough Speaks Out + The War Map

What’s Inside:

Why preseason and early-season polls distort reality at the Non-FBS level

My solution: no polls until October — let results speak louder than reputation

UTPB head coach Kris McCullough on:

The grind of long DII road trips

How the Falcons are building a winning culture

Why the Lone Star Conference is stronger than ever

The gauntlet of Super Region Four and what it takes to survive

This week’s War Map: the Non-FBS games across Texas you need to watch, with kick times and key storylines

Why It Matters:Polls don’t just reflect college football — they shape the conversation. At the Non-FBS level, that means programs like UTPB and Lamar get overlooked despite proving it on the field. Coach McCullough offers an inside look at what it takes to build respect, while the War Map sets you up for another action-packed weekend.

Listen & Subscribe:🎧 Find The Cut Block Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more.👉 Support independent coverage of Texas Non-FBS football at CoryHogueSports.Substack.com.