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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. 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. 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 to 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.

Stadiums

• Memorial Stadium, 1959–1969
• Turnpike Stadium, 1970–1976
• Cravens Field, 1977–1979
• Maverick Stadium, 1980–1985

References

1. "UTA Color Palette". Retrieved August 29, 2022.
2. ^ Rychlik, Michael (December 29, 1999). "UTA had some football success until the program died in 1985". Arlington Morning News. Archived from the original on May 25, 2000. Retrieved July 12, 2018. Published in print as "Rise & Fall: Plight of UTA football still hard for some to swallow". The Dallas Morning News. December 29, 1999. Retrieved September 12, 2020 – via Newsbank.
3. E. E. Litkenhous (December 17, 1943). "Litkenhouse Selects U.S. Grid Leaders: Notre Dame Named Top Team for 1943; Minnesota Does Fadeout". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. 18. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. UTA Magazine Online, Legendary Coach and Athletic Director Dies Archived 2006-12-30 at the Wayback Machine
5. "Former congressman Tommy Vandergriff, who was willing to contribute..." UPI. December 10, 1985. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
6. McNabb, David (November 26, 1985). "UTA eliminates football because of program costs". The Dallas Morning News. p. 1A. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
7. Lawson, Mike (2002-08-01). "UPFRONT: TACKLING MARCHING BAND WITHOUT A FOOTBALL TEAM". SBO Plus!. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
8. "Maverick Marching Band". Maverick Marching Band - Department of Music - The University of Texas at Arlington. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
9. Appelt, Isaac (April 4, 2023). "Students, alumni react as football referendum passes in Student Government election". The Shorthorn. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
10. https://www.theshorthorn.com/sports/a-year-later-where-does-football-stand/article_eeb47f5a-01bd-11ef-a639-234c8b5e3b3e.html
11. League History & Records 2008 Southland Conference Football Media Guide, southland.org. Accessed December 18, 2008.

• Texas–Arlington Mavericks football
• American football teams established in 1919
• American football teams disestablished in 1985
• 1919 establishments in Texas
• 1985 disestablishments in Texas