The Texas Southern University Head Football Coach Cris Dishman saw early success in his first season as the Tigers’ new leader. Dishman Tigers football team beat Prairie View A&M in the Labor Day Classic 34-27 for the first time in a decade. The last time the Tigers beat the Panthers the final score was 37-35 in 2014.
Coach Dishman welcomes the competition his team will face in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, understanding that teams are looking to beat them every time they face off against one another. The days of the Texas Southern football team being the running joke as they are everyone’s homecoming game are over.
The Tigers’ Head Football Coach is making it his mission to have his team ready to compete at every facet of the game, especially on special teams. The second-year head coach understands that for the Tigers to be competitive, the team must have multi-position players who can fill a void when necessary. This is because teams that win championships typically have playmakers beyond the first and second string on the depth chart. Injuries occur in the sport of football, which requires the next man up to be as good as the player being replaced or be a solid contributor who makes plays when called upon. Texas Southern University finished 3rd in the SWAC West division with a 4-4 conference record, going 5-6 overall. The goal for the TSU football program this season is to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and win the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. Texas Southern starting quarterback KJ Cooper suffered an injury during the Labor Day Classic game against Prairie View A&M last season, is ready to take the throne this upcoming season.
Read More: SWAC Media Day 2025: Big Changes for HBCU Athletics
Texas Southern Quarterback Kenneth Cooper will be returning from the injury he suffered last season, believes the Tigers can compete at an even higher level this season. When Kenneth Cooper and DeMarcus Jackson were asked about their thoughts on the predicted order of finish, the Texas Southern players were not too happy being predicted to finish 4th in the SWAC West this season. DeMarcus Jackson said the SWAC will see what their motto from the neck up means this upcoming season.
Texas Southern will play Prairie View A&M in the State Fair Classic in the first game of the season on August 30th.