West Texas A&M Buffaloes football

For information on all West Texas A&M University sports, see West Texas A&M Buffaloes.
West Texas A&M Buffaloes football
First season1910; 114 years ago (1910)
Head coachJosh Lynn
2nd season, 8–13 (.381)
StadiumBain–Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium
(capacity: 8,500–12,000)
LocationCanyon, Texas
NCAA divisionDivision II
ConferenceLone Star Conference
Bowl record6–0 (1.000)
Conference titles11 (5 Lone Star Conference 3 Missouri Valley Conference, 2 Alamo Conference, 1 Border)
Division titles4
ColorsMaroon and white[1]
   
Websitegobuffsgo.com

The West Texas A&M Buffaloes football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the West Texas A&M University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in Division II and are members of the Lone Star Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1910. Since 2019, the Buffaloes have played their home games at the 8,500 seat on-campus Bain–Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium. The team formerly played at the 20,000 seat Kimbrough Memorial Stadium. They are coached by Josh Lynn.

Notable former players

See also: List of West Texas A&M Buffaloes in the NFL draft

Notable alumni include:

Conference championships

Season Coach Conference Record
1939 Alfred Baggett Alamo Conference (co-champions) 5–3–1
1940 Jack Curtice Alamo Conference 7–3
1950 Frank Kimbrough Border Conference 10–1
1977 Bill Yung Missouri Valley Conference 6–4–1
1979 5–5–1
1986 Bill Kelly Lone Star Conference 7–4
2005 Don Carthel 10–2
2006 11–2
2007 12–1
2012 12–3

Classification history

  • 1910–1955 – NCAA
  • 1956–1972 – NCAA University Division (Major College)
  • 1973–1977 – NCAA Division I
  • 1978–1981 – NCAA Division I-A
  • 1982–1985 – NCAA Division I-AA
  • 1986–1990 – NCAA Division II
  • 1991 – No team
  • 1992–present – NCAA Division II

Conference history

Postseason

Bowl appearances

West Texas A&M participated in four bowl games, all while during known as West Texas State. They went 4–0.

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1950 Frank Kimbrough Sun Bowl Cincinnati W 14–13
1956 Frank Kimbrough Tangerine Bowl Mississippi Southern W 20–13
1962 Joe Kerbel Sun Bowl Ohio W 15–14
1967 Joe Kerbel Pasadena Bowl Valley State W 35–13

They have also competed in the Kanza Bowl, a Division II bowl between the Lone Star Conference and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association from 2009–2012, going 2–0.

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
2009 Don Carthel Kanza Bowl Omaha W 31–25
2011 Don Carthel Kanza Bowl Central Missouri W 26–7

NCAA Division II playoffs

Semifinals
2012
Quarterfinals
2012, 2013
Second Round
2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013
First Round
2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013

Rivalries

Eastern New Mexico: Wagon Wheel

The Wagon Wheel is a traveling trophy that is given to the winner of the Eastern New Mexico–West Texas A&M football game.[2][3] The trophy was introduced in 1986 by Dallan Sanders, the Housing Director at ENMU. The wheel is placed on the stadium hill of the host team with the winning team running up the hill to take possession of the wheel.[4] Following the 2023 meeting, ENMU leads the overall series 23–19 and the trophy series 18–17.[5]

Texas A&M–Commerce: East Texas vs. West Texas

East Texas vs. West Texas is the name given to the Texas A&M–Commerce–West Texas A&M football rivalry game. The intensity of the rivalry grew during 2013 through 2018 as the head coach for TAMUC at the time was Colby Carthel, who previously served as the defensive coordinator at WT under head coach Don Carthel, Colby's father.[6] A&M–Commerce leads the all-time series 21–14.[7] The rivalry has become largely defunct as A&M–Commerce moved to the Southland Conference, which competes at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level, beginning with the 2022 season.[8][9]

Head coaches

Don Carthel has the most all-time wins for the Buffaloes, who have gone 541–536–21 through the 2023 season. [10]

Coach Record Tenure
Josh Lynn 8–13 2023–present
Hunter Hughes 32–28 2017–2022
Mike Nesbitt 25–17 2013–2016
Don Carthel 79–22 2005–2012
Ronnie Jones 5–27 2002–2004
Stan McGarvey 25–30 1997–2001
Morris Stone 15–17 1994–1996
Ron Steele 4–15 1992–1993
Football Not Fielded N/A 1991
Steve Graf 6–26 1988–1990
Bill Kelly 18–13–1 1985–1987
Don Davis 6–26–1 1982–1984
Bill Yung 26–27–2 1977–1981
Gene Mayfield 24–39–2 1971–1976
Joe Kerbel 68–42–1 1960–1970
Clark Jarnagin 2–18 1958–1959
Frank Kimbrough 54–52–2 1947–1957
Windy Nicklaus 2–1 1946
Gus Miller 9–13 1944–1946
World War II N/A 1943
Gus Miller 7–2 1942
Jack Curtice 15–5 1940–1941
Alfred Baggett 36–28–4 1933–1939
Samuel D. Burton 10–5–2 1931–1932
Claude Reeds 12–6–1 1929–1930
W. Mitchell Jones 3–6 1928
Ox Eckhardt 12–13–1 1925–1927
Samuel D. Burton 13–21–2 1921–1924
Wayne McCorkle 1–5–1 1920
Walter Willy 4–2 1919
Lt. Alonzo P. George 3–0 1918
Douglas A. Shirley 14–16–1 1913–1917
Jim G. Miller 8–6 1910–1911

References

  1. ^ "West Texas A&M University Graphic Standards". Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  2. ^ Robinson, Rylee (November 4, 2023). "Greyhounds keep the wagon wheel in Portales after 35-27 win over West Texas A&M". Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Steed, Kale (October 1, 2016). "Hounds stun Buffs to reclaim Wagon Wheel". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  4. ^ "Wagon Wheel History - West Texas A&M University". August 10, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "Football History vs West Texas A&M University". Eastern New Mexico University Athletics. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  6. ^ "Colby Carthel Named A&M-Commerce's 19th Head Football Coach". Texas A&M-Commerce. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  7. ^ "Football History vs West Texas A&M University".
  8. ^ "Texas A&M-Commerce taking leap to Southland Conference, NCAA Division I". Houston Chronicle. September 28, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  9. ^ Brady Renard (September 28, 2021). "Southland Conference adds Texas A&M-Commerce to membership". KPLC. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "2019 West Texas A&M Football Media Guide by West Texas A&M Athletics – Issuu".