Texas A&M-Commerce Lions to kick off 2022 football season on Thursday

David Claybourn, The Herald Banner, Greenville, Texas
·2 min read

Sep. 2—Texas A&M University-Commerce will launch its first football season as an NCAA Division I member with a non-conference game at home on Thursday.

The Lions will play the Lincoln Oaklanders from Oakland, California in the season opener on Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium in Commerce. The opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

A&M-Commerce is going cashless at athletic venues. All major credit cards will be accepted at the box office. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets at LionAthletics.com/Tickets, prior to arriving to the game.

KETR-FM (88.9) will also broadcast the game.

After 90 years of competing in the Lone Star Conference as a charter member, the Lions have moved up from NCAA Division II and switched to the Southland Conference.

In the NCAA Division II and the NAIA they won national championships in football in 2017 and 1972, in men's basketball in 1955, men's golf in 1965 and men's tennis in 1972 and 1978.

They've won eight straight season openers starting with a 51-6 victory in 2013 over Sul Ross. They've scored some big points in season openers, also whipping East Texas Baptist 98-20 in 2014 and a team from Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 93-0 in 2019.

They skipped the 2020 season as a precaution due to COVID-19 but won their 2021 season opener 12-6 over Colorado Pueblo on the way to a 7-4 season record.

This is the first time these two teams have ever played against each other.

Lincoln opened the season last week with a 35-10 loss at Webber International in Babson Park, Florida. That game ended at halftime due to inclement weather.

Lincoln quarterback Rhett Reilly went 10-of-15 passing for 163 yards and two interceptions in that game.

Lincoln was held to just 48 yards rushing as Otis Weah led with 24 yards on eight carries and David Walker finished with 13 yards on four carries.

Taivonn Ervin led the Oaklanders with four catches for 84 yards.

Running back J.T. Smth will be a Lion to watch. He won the NCAA Division II national championship in the 100-meter dash in the spring at 10.44 seconds.