KANSAS CITY - After clinching a share of the Sooner Athletic Conference title and earning the No. 20 seed in the NAIA Football Championship Series, Texas Wesleyan returned to the Netting Professionals NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll at No. 25 with 84 votes.

"Securing a playoff berth for the second consecutive year and finishing as the Sooner Athletic Conference Champions showcases the growth, maturity, and confidence our players have in this program," head coach Brad Sherrod said. "Our success is a result of the hard work from our players, coaches, families, and the entire Texas Wesleyan community. We are grateful to everyone who is helping us build something special here in Fort Worth. We are excited to represent Texas Wesleyan, our alumni, and the city of Fort Worth."

The Rams closed the regular season with a 24-13 victory over Wayland Baptist on Nov. 15. Quarterback Francis completed 14 of 19 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, while linebacker Agu recorded 10 tackles, a tackle for loss.

Texas Wesleyan opens the postseason Saturday, Nov. 22, at No. 13 seed William Penn (10-1) in Oskaloosa, Iowa, with kickoff set for noon CT. The Statesmen, Heart of America Athletic Conference champions, are led by quarterback Kaleb Skinner and running back Jalen Phillips.
The top four teams in the final poll — Grand View (Iowa), Keiser (Fla.), Montana Tech and Benedictine (Kan.) — held their positions, while Dakota State (S.D.) joined Texas Wesleyan in the top 25 at No. 24.

The winner of Saturday's game advances to the second round Nov. 29 against a top-12 seed that received a first-round bye. The 2025 NAIA national championship is scheduled for Dec. 20 at Crowley ISD Multipurpose Stadium in Fort Worth — a homecoming finale for the Rams if they can navigate the bracket.

First-round games will stream on the Urban Edge Network for participating campuses, with the title game airing on both the NAIA Network and the Urban Edge Network.