The UT Arlington Mavericks football team represented the University of Texas at Arlington from the 1959 through 1985 seasons. Between 1919 through 1958, UTA competed as a junior college prior to moving to the NCAA College Division in 1959 and ultimately the University Division in 1971. UTA played its home games at multiple stadiums throughout their history with the most recent being Maverick Stadium, in Arlington, Texas.
History
The UT Arlington football team traces its roots to 1919 when the program was established at Grubbs Vocational College. Published in print as By 1923, Grubbs was renamed as the North Texas Agricultural College with the football team then playing as the Junior Aggies competing in the Central Texas Conference. As the Aggies, the program captured four conference championships through the 1948 season. The 1943 North Texas Aggies football team was ranked at No. 69 among the nation's college and military service teams in the final 1943 Litkenhous Ratings.
By 1949, the school changed its name and mascot again, competing as the Arlington State Blue Riders through the 1950 season only to once more change the mascot to the Rebels for the 1951 season. Arlington would reach their zenith as a junior college program in capturing both the 1956 and 1957 Junior Rose Bowls as national junior college champions.UTA Magazine Online, Legendary Coach and Athletic Director Dies Following the 1958 season, Arlington State became a four-year school and begin competition as a College Division school.
After founding the Southland Conference as a charter member for the 1964 season, by 1966, the school officially became the University of Texas at Arlington. UTA won conference championships in 1966, 1967 and 1981 seasons in addition to winning their lone bowl game, the 1967 Pecan Bowl. The program would be officially disbanded after an announcement by then university president Wendell Nedderman on November 25, 1985, citing financial loss and low attendance as the primary impetus for its abandonment.
Despite the team's disbandment, the UTA Maverick Marching Band was determined to stay intact. They shifted focus to performing at various contests and events around the state and remain one of the only college marching bands in the United States to stand alone without a football program.
In 2023, the UTA students voted on a non-binding referendum which gauged student support for the return of football resulting in increased student fees. The referendum passed 1,004 in favor to 625 opposed. It was noted at the time that the school would need to add a women's sport to go with football to comply with Title IX regulations along with needing to raise money to build a new stadium and annual operating expenses of at least $3 million per year.
Seasons This listing includes only the seasons UTA competed as a four-year college beginning with the 1959 season.
Conference champions *Bowl game berth ^ SeasonHead coachConferenceSeason resultsBowl resultConference finishWinsLossesTiesArlington State Rebels1959Chena GilstrapIndependent—430—1960Independent—920—1961NCAA College Division independent—730—1962NCAA College Division independent—460—1963NCAA College Division independent—180—1964Southland Conference5th361—1965Southland Conference2nd630—1966 *Burley BeardenSouthland Conference1st640—UT Arlington Rebels1967 *Burley BeardenSouthland Conference1st1010 Won 1967 Pecan Bowl against North Dakota State Bison, 13–0 ^1968Southland Conference2nd640—1969Southland Conference3rd550—1970Southland Conference5th0100—UT Arlington Mavericks1971John SymankSouthland Conference7th290—1972Southland Conference2nd560—1973Southland Conference5th460—1974Harold ElliottSouthland Conference5th1100—1975Southland Conference5th470—1976Southland Conference3rd560—1977Southland Conference3rd560—1978Southland Conference3rd560—1979Southland Conference2nd920—1980Southland Conference3rd380—1981 *Southland Conference1st650—1982Southland Conference6th380—1983Southland Conference5th560—1984Chuck CurtisSouthland Conference3rd740—1985Southland Conference6th461—Total1281502(only includes regular season games)100(only includes bowl games)1291502(all games)References:League History & Records 2008 Southland Conference Football Media Guide, southland.org. Accessed December 18, 2008.
Stadiums Memorial Stadium, 1959–1969 Turnpike Stadium, 1970–1976 Cravens Field, 1977–1979 Maverick Stadium, 1980–1985
References