2023 American Southwest Conference football season

The 2023 American Southwest Conference football season was the season of college football played by the eight member schools of the American Southwest Conference (ASC) as part of the 2023 NCAA Division III football season. The 2023 Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football team compiled a 9–2 record (6–0 in conference games), won the ASC championship, and made it to the NCAA Division III first round where they lost to Trinity (TX) 20–6.

Teams[edit]

Hardin–Simmons[edit]

2023 Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football
ASC champion
NCAA Division III First Round, L 6–20 vs Trinity (TX)
Conference	American Southwest Conference
Ranking
D3Football.com	No. 16
Record	9–2 (6–0 ASC)
Head coach	Jesse Burleson (13th season)
Offensive coordinator	Jeff Whitehead (13th season)
Defensive coordinator	Zach Wilkerson (10th season)
Home stadium	Shelton Stadium
Seasons ← 2022 2024 →

The 2023 Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football team represented Hardin–Simmons University of Abilene, Texas. In their 13th year under head coach Jesse Burleson, the team compiled a 9–2 record (6–0 against ASC opponents), won the ASC championship, and made it to the NCAA Division III first round where they lost to Trinity (TX) 20–6.

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Mary Hardin–Baylor[edit]

The 2023 Mary Hardin–Baylor Crusaders football team represented the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor of Belton, Texas. In their second year under head coach Larry Harmon, the team compiled a 6–4 record (5–1 against ASC opponents) and finished second in the ASC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	at No. 23 Wisconsin–River Falls*	Ramer Field River Falls, WI	L 22–45	2,124	[5]
September 9	at No. 5 Trinity (TX)*	Trinity Stadium San Antonio, TX	L 16–35	1,776
September 16	No. 4 Wisconsin–Whitewater*	Crusader Stadium Belton, TX	L 14–17	2,500	[6]
September 23	McMurry	Crusader Stadium Belton, TX	W 50–9	3,828
October 7	at Texas Lutheran	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	W 55–21	310
October 14	Sul Ross*	Crusader Stadium Belton, TX	W 37–13	3,307
October 21	at Austin	Apple Stadium Sherman, TX	W 49–14	0
October 28	at No. 20 Hardin–Simmons	Shelton Stadium Abilene, TX	L 14–24	3,421
November 4	East Texas Baptist	Crusader Stadium Belton, TX	W 21–12	2,850
November 11	at Howard Payne	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	W 35–10	2,155
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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Howard Payne[edit]

The 2023 Howard Payne Yellow Jackets football team represented Howard Payne University of Brownwood, Texas. In their first year under head coach Kevin Bachtel, the team compiled a 6–4 record (3–3 against ASC opponents) and finished tied for third in the ASC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	at George Fox*	Stoffer Stadium Newberg, OR	W 17–3	1,531	[8]
September 9	SAGU*	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	W 42–10	1,275
September 16	Lyon*	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	W 85–0	1,525
September 30	at No. 18 Hardin–Simmons	Shelton Stadium Abilene, TX	L 33–40	2,611	[9]
October 7	East Texas Baptist	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	W 28–14	1,325
October 14	Austin	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	W 35–11	3,125
October 21	at McMurry	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	L 21–45	200
October 28	Texas Lutheran	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	W 31–27	1,100
November 4	at Sul Ross	Jackson Field Alpine, TX	L 42–47	269
November 11	Mary Hardin–Baylor	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	L 10–35	2,155
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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McMurry[edit]

The 2023 McMurry War Hawks football team represented McMurry University of Abilene, Texas. In their fifth year under head coach Jordan Neal, the team compiled a 6–4 record (3–3 against ASC opponents) and finished tied for third in the ASC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	vs. Birmingham–Southern*	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	L 19–20	25
September 9	at Millsaps*	Harper Davis Field Jackson, MS	W 53–2	257	[11]
September 23	at No. 23 Mary Hardin–Baylor	Crusader Stadium Belton, TX	L 9–50	3,828
September 30	Lyon*	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	W 52–14	3,100
October 7	No. 5 Hardin–Simmons	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	L 16–19 (OT)	0	[12]
October 14	at East Texas Baptist	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	L 13–14	1,732
October 21	Howard Payne	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	W 45–21	200
October 28	Austin	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	W 51–13	1,124
November 4	at Texas Lutheran	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	W 36–33	600
November 11	Sul Ross*	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	W 43–23	100
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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East Texas Baptist[edit]

The 2023 East Texas Baptist Tigers football team represented East Texas Baptist University of Marshall, Texas. In their first year under head coach Calvin Ruzicka, the team compiled a 5–5 record (3–3 against ASC opponents) and finished tied for third in the ASC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at Louisiana Christian*	Wildcat Field Pineville, LA	L 14–34	4,221
September 9	Hendrix*	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	W 38–37	671
September 16	No. 23 Wisconsin–Oshkosh*	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	L 7–60	379
September 30	Austin	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	W 35–7	2,017
October 7	at Howard Payne	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	L 14–28	1,325
October 14	McMurry	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	W 14–13	1,732
October 21	at Texas Lutheran	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	W 16–6	1,300
October 28	Sul Ross	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	W 24–10	1,276
November 4	at Mary Hardin–Baylor	Crusader Stadium Belton, TX	L 12–21	2,850	[14]
November 11	No. 19 Hardin–Simmons	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	L 27–42	1,003
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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Texas Lutheran[edit]

The 2023 Texas Lutheran Bulldogs football team represented Texas Lutheran University of Seguin, Texas. In their second year under head coach Neal LaHue, the team compiled a 2–8 record (1–5 against ASC opponents) and finished sixth in the ASC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	at No. 21 Wisconsin–Oshkosh*	Titan Stadium Oshkosh, WI	L 31–48	2,396	[16]
September 9	at Southwestern (TX)*	Birkelbach Field Georgetown, TX	W 39–7	2,400
September 16	Ave Maria*	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	L 14–27	500
September 30	at Sul Ross*	Jackson Field Alpine, TX	L 34–37	194
October 7	No. 22 Mary Hardin–Baylor	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	L 21–55	310
October 14	at No. 20 Hardin–Simmons	Shelton Stadium Abilene, TX	L 22–27	3,122
October 21	East Texas Baptist	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	L 6–16	1,300
October 28	at Howard Payne	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	L 27–31	1,100
November 4	McMurry	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	L 33–36	600
November 11	Austin	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	W 29–10	1,000
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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Austin[edit]

The 2023 Austin Kangaroos football team represented Austin College of Sherman, Texas. In their first year under head coach Tony Joe White, the team compiled a 1–9 record (0–6 against ASC opponents) and finished last in the ASC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	Nebraska Wesleyan*	Apple Stadium Sherman, TX	L 7–19	1,253
September 9	at Rhodes*	Crain Field Memphis, TN	L 17–19	1,200
September 23	at Crown*	Old National Bank Stadium St. Bonifacius, MN	W 34–23	125
September 30	at East Texas Baptist	Ornelas Stadium Marshall, TX	L 7–35	2,017
October 7	Sul Ross*	Apple Stadium Sherman, TX	L 7–49	986
October 14	at Howard Payne	Gordon Wood Stadium Brownwood, TX	L 11–35	3,125
October 21	No. 23 Mary Hardin–Baylor	Apple Stadium Sherman, TX	L 14–49	0
October 28	at McMurry	Wilford Moore Stadium Abilene, TX	L 13–51	1,135
November 4	No. 20 Hardin–Simmons	Apple Stadium Sherman, TX	L 19–59	0
November 11	at Texas Lutheran	Bulldog Stadium Seguin, TX	L 10–29	1,000
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

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Sul Ross[edit]

The 2023 Sul Ross Lobos football team represented Sul Ross State University of Alpine, Texas. In their second year under head coach Barry Derickson, the team compiled a 4–6 record but was ineligible for ASC conference play due to the team's transition to the NCAA Division II's Lone Star Conference (LSC).

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References[edit]