College Football: Hardin-Simmons reloads as one of nation's top D-III programs

Hardin-Simmons hasn’t had a losing season since going 4-6 in 2013, and Cowboys coach Jesse Burleson — 88-31 in 12 seasons — has managed to keep the program as one of the best in NCAA Division III.

Jimmy Keeling, the program’s previous coach, was 172-53 and won 11 American Southwest Conference titles in 21 years.

HSU hasn’t lost more than two games in a season since going 6-3 in 2014, and the Cowboys have made five trips to the playoffs in that span (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022).

Little wonder HSU has been ranked in the top 25 of the D3football.com and AFCA national polls for 69 consecutive weeks, including the top 10 in 39 weeks.

There’s no reason to think the Cowboys’ dominance will wane this season. They begin the year ranked No. 8 in the D3football.com preseason poll.

Here’s five things to watch for this season:

Getting over the hump

HSU has lost only nine regular-season games since 2015 — seven against fellow national powerhouse and American Southwest Conference rival Mary Hardin-Baylor.

The Crusaders also have ended HSU’s season twice in the first round of the playoffs (2018, 2015) — even after the Cowboys beat them in the regular season in 2015.

So, the question every season is, is this the year the Cowboys finally dethrone Mary Hardin-Baylor — a three-time national champion (2016, 2018 and 2021) and five-time national finalist — for the ASC crown?

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Playoff success

That leads into the next question. Can HSU finally get past the first round of the playoffs?

Neither are easy to do, especially with another national power, Trinity, close by in San Antonio.

Trinity beat the Cowboys 14-7 last year in the first round.

Linfield, a 2004 national champ, is the only other team to beat HSU in the postseason since 2015.

Mary Hardin-Baylor begins the year ranked No. 3 in the nation, and Trinity is No. 4.

HSU hasn’t won a first-round playoff game since going three rounds in 1999 — losing to Trinity 40-33 in the national quarterfinals. The Cowboys are 0-8 in playoff openers since.

Tough schedule

It’s been difficult for HSU to find non-conference games the last few seasons, and the Cowboys were kept out of the playoffs in 2021 despite only one loss, that to Mary Hardin-Baylor, because they played an NAIA school to fill out the schedule.

So, Burleson has gotten creative in finding non-conference foes. HSU opens the season against Albright on Friday, Sept. 1, then the Cowboys play two tough ones on the road against Wisconsin-La Crosse (Sept. 9) and Endicott (Sept. 22).

La Crosse is ranked No. 12 in the nation, while Endicott garnered 34 votes in the same D3football.com poll. So, both will be tough games in Wisconsin and Massachusetts before opening ASC play. Albright, winless a year ago, also will have a game under its belt before coming to Abilene.

Considering how tough it is to get an at-large playoff berth in D-III, and HSU plays in a league with Mary Hardin-Baylor, there’s little room for error in those first three games.

Can the offense come around?

Gaylon Glynn returns for his second season as the team’s starting quarterback, after throwing for 2,206 yards and 20 TDs last season with five picks.

However, he’s one of three returning starters on a team that averaged 41.9 points a game last year.

The Cowboys lost their top six receivers and will need the newcomers to step up. China Spring junior K.J. Peoples is the top returning receiver, after making five catches for 82 yards and no TDs last year.

HSU does return its top two rushers — Mansfield Lake Ridge junior Myles Featherston (106-564, five TDs) and Hawley junior Colton Marshall (74-457, 13 TDs).

If Glynn can find some reliable receivers, then the Cowboys offense should be fine.

The defense should be solid with eight returning starters from a squad that allowed 15.5 points a game.

First-team All-ASC players DB Brock Bujnoch (Hutto junior) and LB Matt Mitchell (Wimberley senior) lead the defense.

Local flavor

Marshall isn’t the only Big Country grad who could make a big impact with the Cowboys.

Noah Garcia, Cooper’s all-time leader in rushing yards (5,389) and touchdowns (73) before graduating in 2021, was slowed by injuries last year but still ran for 386 yards and six TDs on 52 carries in seven games his first season with HSU after transferring from Cisco.

Wylie sophomore Grayson Bearden is back after handling the kicking chores last year (8-of-13 field goals/59-62 PATs, 83 points).

Ballinger senior Cody Harral averaged 40.8 yards on 34 punts in his third year as the Cowboys’ punter.

Also back is Cooper senior Colton Grimes, a starting defensive lineman, who had 35 tackles in 11 games last year, and Wylie junior LB Cason Hanna (20 tackles in 10 games).

Two other Wylie players — junior DE Brice Cantrell and junior DB Stellon Wright — also could bolster the defense.

HSU Schedule

Sept. 1 … Albright … 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 … at Wisconsin-La Crosse … 1 p.m.

Sept. 22 … at Endicott … 6 p.m.

Sept. 30 … Howard Payne* … 1 p.m.

Oct. 7 … at McMurry* … 6 p.m.

Oct. 14 … Texas Lutheran* … 1 p.m.

Oct. 21 … at Sul Ross* … Noon

Oct. 28 … Mary Hardin-Baylor* … 1 p.m.

Nov. 4 … at Austin College* … 1 p.m.

Nov. 11 … at East Texas Baptist* … 1 p.m.

*American Southwest Conference game

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Hardin-Simmons seeks rarified air as D-III football elite once again