STEPHENVILLE — As fans filed into their seats moments before kickoff, there was palpable buzz in the crowd surrounding Mike Copeland Field at Art Briles Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets were 3-0 on the football field for the fourth time in the last five years — but for the first time in 2025, the ‘Jackets have their own home turf to defend.

For 74 years, Stephenville and Tarleton State shared Memorial Stadium for home games.

But, earlier this month, the Yellow Jackets received a home of their own when Stephenville ISD unveiled a state-of-the-art $40 million multi-purpose turf field stadium named for one of its most famous coaches — former Houston Cougars and Baylor Bears head coach Art Briles.

“I got to play for him here in high school and I got the ability to do it in college at Housto

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