There will be no easing into the new season for Texas Lutheran football.
The Bulldogs open the 2026 campaign on the road against No. 14 Trinity, immediately giving head coach Neil LaHue and his team an opportunity to measure themselves against one of Division III’s established programs.
For a TLU team entering the year as the back-to-back SCAC regular-season champion, LaHue believes his players are ready to find out where they stand.
“I think our kids are ready to hit a different colored jersey,” LaHue said. “They’ve been practicing hard during fall camp, but this is what we’ve worked for. What better opponent than a Central Texas rival like Trinity?”
It is a familiar foe, too.
The Bulldogs defeated Trinity in San Antonio two seasons ago before the Tigers answered with a victory last fall at Bulldog Stadium. The programs also regularly see one another outside the regular season, leaving few secrets between the two coaching staffs.
“We know them very well,” LaHue said. “If we’re not playing them, we’re probably scrimmaging them. We know that staff, and they know us.”
That familiarity does little to diminish the difficulty of the assignment.
LaHue expects Trinity to present one of the most physical defenses TLU will encounter all season, placing particular importance on the Bulldogs’ ability to remain patient offensively.
TLU wants to run the football — even if early success is difficult to find.
“We can’t abandon the run,” LaHue said. “We’ve got to know that it could be a grind, but we’ve got to stick to our run and can’t let them pin their ears back and just come after our quarterback.”
Senior Javin Logan enters the opener as one of TLU’s options in the backfield, but the Bulldogs are excited to utilize others like sophomore Johnathan Pompey, senior Andrew Christian and McMurry transfer James Garza to carry part of the workload.
Quarterback carries more uncertainty.
Caden Bosanko, making his way back from knee surgery after being injured in last season’s opener, will be a game-time decision.
“We think he might be ready to go,” LaHue said, “but it’ll be a game-time decision.”
If Bosanko cannot play, Micah Casson and two-sport athlete Elijah Favela have emerged from fall camp as TLU’s leading alternatives.
LaHue believes the depth of the room gives the Bulldogs options rather than simply a contingency plan.
“They’re all kind of 1A, 1B, 1C guys because they’re all pretty talented,” LaHue said. “Those two guys have kind of emerged as the guys we would go with first if Caden can’t go.”
While questions remain at quarterback, TLU enters the opener with considerably more continuity on the other side of the ball.
Eight defensive starters return from last season.
Leading tacklers Owen Garcia and Justin Navarro headline the group, while Anthony Ortegon, Sebastian Walker and Ayden Abuzlam give the Bulldogs three returning starters along the defensive front. Travonne Woodley also returns after earning significant playing time as a true freshman, with Marvin Farris back at linebacker.
In the secondary, three-year starter Troy Tomaselli remains what LaHue called a “huge key” to the defense, while Malik Johnson enters his first full season in an expanded role at corner.
Johnson became an important piece of the defense during conference play last season, frequently drawing man-to-man responsibilities.
“He’s a very good man-to-man cover guy, and he’s also just a good all-around football player,” LaHue said. “We expect him to even take another step.”
That secondary will be tested by a Trinity offense TLU expects to establish the run before hunting for explosive plays downfield.
The formula for the Bulldogs is straightforward.
“If we keep them in front of us and don’t give them the big plays,” LaHue said, “I think our defense will be fine.”
And then there is the third phase — one LaHue made sure wasn’t forgotten.
Before the interview could conclude, the TLU coach volunteered one more key to Saturday’s game: special teams.
“We’ve got to do a great job there too,” LaHue said. “I just know what we’re getting ready to face. They’re very good in special teams. I feel like we are too.”
TLU enters the opener with new faces at punter, adding another variable to a phase LaHue believes can become particularly important in the unpredictability of a season opener.
“Anytime you’re coming to the first game, special teams will be a big key,” he said.
That leaves the Bulldogs with a demanding but clear assignment in San Antonio.
Stay committed to the run. Prevent Trinity’s explosive plays. Win enough battles on special teams. And trust the experience of a defense returning eight starters.
For a program coming off consecutive conference regular-season championships, the new season begins without a warmup.
Instead, TLU gets an immediate opportunity to show how far it has come.
And potentially leave San Antonio with a Top 25 win to prove it.