For the first time in its history, the Lamar University football team has earned a spot in the national rankings.
Following their nail-biting 17-16 victory against Weber State over the weekend, the Cardinals are now ranked No. 22 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, which was released on Monday morning. This poll is determined by media members who evaluate teams weekly based on their performances.
“These rankings are exciting,” said Rossomando, “but ultimately, we have a game to focus on this week. What good is the ranking if we don’t perform well on Saturday?”
Lamar’s debut in the rankings follows a strong 2-1 start to the season. Despite a close loss to Texas State in their opener (34-27), the Cardinals showed resilience against the FBS opponent. In Week 2, they bounced back with a convincing 28-14 win over Mississippi Valley State during their home opener in Beaumont, which set the stage for their significant matchup against No. 20 Weber State last Saturday, where they delivered a strong performance.
Lamar secured a significant victory over Weber State, relying on a late defensive stand at the goal line and a crucial missed field goal by the Wildcats in the closing moments to achieve the upset and attract national attention.
This win marked Lamar’s first triumph against a ranked opponent since the 2019 season, when they defeated No. 24 Sam Houston in Huntsville.
Currently, Lamar is one of just two schools from the Southland Conference featured in the national poll, with the University of Incarnate Word holding the No. 15 spot.
With consecutive wins under their belt, Lamar is set to host Texas Southern at 6 p.m. Saturday in Beaumont. Despite the new top 25 ranking, Rossomando emphasized that the team has only just begun its work.
“I believe our players can view (the ranking) in perspective and think, ‘It’s fantastic. We’ve made significant strides for Lamar football and put it back on the map. But now, it’s time to refocus and prepare for Texas Southern,'” Rossomando stated.
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