Hardin-Simmons University
9-2 2025 final D3 TOP 25 #19Hardin-Simmons is the West Texas Baptist football power that has won three consecutive ASC titles (2023–2025) and rebuilt into a championship contender.
The Cowboys hold the line.
Hardin-Simmons is the West Texas Baptist football power that has won three consecutive ASC titles (2023–2025) and rebuilt into a championship contender.
Hardin-Simmons went 9-1 (5-1 ASC) in 2025 under head coach Jesse Burleson (15th year), winning their third consecutive American Southwest Conference championship. The Cowboys have established themselves as the team to beat in the…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
Hardin-Simmons University sits 1st in the American Southwest Conference and 23rd of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — in the projected field with a seedable rating.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardin-Simmons | 5-1 | 9-2 | 65.2 |
| 2 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 5-1 | 7-3 | 61.5 |
| 3 | Howard Payne | 2-4 | 4-6 | 50.7 |
| 4 | East Texas Baptist University | 0-6 | 4-6 | 45.6 |
Win the American Southwest Conference for the automatic berth into the 40-team NCAA Division III bracket. Miss it and the path is an at-large bid, selected by NPI — the metric the CFB Index mirrors. Six wins survive the bracket to the Stagg Bowl.
Signature win 69-14 over Howard Payne; toughest day 24-34 against Trinity University TX.
The Pulse on Hardin-Simmons University
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Hardin-Simmons University
The baseline for a successful season.
The primary goal and national bracket path.
One of 32 national tournament entries.
The Division III national championship game.
Hardin-Simmons University · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Home-Field Advantage · Hardin-Simmons University · 2018-present
Above-Average
90% home win rate vs 77% on the road. margin runs +4.7 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Mixed
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Schedule Strength · Hardin-Simmons University · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 46% across 8 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
Moment of the Year · Hardin-Simmons University · 2025
Postseason · Lost 24-34 at Trinity University TX
Week 14 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Postseason History
Recent postseason (2023-2025): 0-2
Most recent: 2025 — loss 34-24 (away). Last 5 postseason: 0-2.
From the Archive — Hardin-Simmons University
2022: Lost 20-50 vs Mary Hardin-Baylor
In 2022, the program lost 20-50 vs Mary Hardin-Baylor — a stinging home result, 30 points either way.
Go Cowboys.