San Marcos, TX- The Texas State Bobcats (7-5, 4-4) raced out to a 31-6 lead in the second quarter, and then held off a potent South Alabama offensive comeback the rest of the game to gain their seventh win of the season to get a foothold on a better bowl bid than their fellow Sun Belt foe (6-6, 4-4). For collegefootballfan.com, the Bobcats won their first game among five we’ve attended since 2012. In addition, this game introduced us to their new Head Coach, G.J. Kinne, who took over this program coming from FCS program Incarnate Word.
Last season, he took that program to the FCS semi-finals where they lost to perennial power North Dakota State. The atmosphere at Bobcat Stadium seemed more lively than in previous visits the last three years as we visit our daughter Alex and her fiancé’ Zach who works in business development at TXST. The evening’s attendance totaled 15,617. However, the club seats were abuzz with season ticket holders and alum back and excited about the future of the Bobcats under Kinne.
Bobcats attack
The Bobcat defense started the scoring on Kaleb Kulp’s 31-yard fumble return. Immediately, Kinne exposed a game-long strategy hooch-kicking all kickoffs to the Jaguars to give them decent field position. The strategy worked in the Bobcats favor. On the four subsequent possessions after such kickoffs, the Bobcats halted the Jags for three-and-outs to take over and score. The Bobcats next score came on a 48-yard pass on a crossing pattern to Ashlyn Hawkins from T.J. Finley. Jahmyl Jeter capped a 79-yard drive with a one-yard TD run, and Mason Shipley booted a 28-yard FG to put the Cats up, 24-0, before the end of the first period. Tinsley finished the day with 19 of 28 passing for 368 yards, three TDs, and one INT. Quite an improvement over his performance last season when we saw him play quarterback for Auburn in their 41-12 loss to Penn State.
Jaguar wake-up call
On a fourth and four entering the second period, USA QB Carter Bradly fired a pass to Jason Ivory for a 39-yard score. A two-point play failed, but things got worse for the Jaguars quickly. Kole Wilson returned the ensuing kick-off 100 yards to put TXST up, 31-6. The Bobcats weren’t letting up, but neither were the Jaguars. They put the Cats back on their six with a punt. A fumble by Chris Dawn recovered by CB Marquise Robinson put South Alabama at the Texas State 29. The turnover resulted in a 51-yard FG by Diego Guajardo.
USA pulled out all the stops as Bradley led the Jags to the TXST 18 where he connected with TE DJ Thomas-Jones with :08 to play in the half. The combination connected again for a successful two-point play to trail, down by only two scores, 31-17. The Bobcat lead did not seem as formidable as it had earlier.
Third quarter: Bobcats and Jaguars go toe-to-toe
Neither team scored on their first possession in the third, but the the gloves came off right after. First of all, Bradley (18 for 24, 183 yards and two TDs) left the game for good with an injury. Senior Desmond Trotter, a former starter a few years ago, came in to take his place. He drove the Jags 83 yards culminating with a one-yard scoring pass to Thomas-Jones. Not to be outdone, TXST responded with a 10-yard scoring pass from Tinsley to Donerio Davenport to finish a 75-yard drive to maintain the Bobcat lead, 38-24. Both defenses turned back the ensuing two drives with INTs as the Jags were driving again to start the final period.
Two weeks ago, an OC lost his job for doing this
Trotter connected with Caullin Lacy on a 13-yard scoring pass. Once again, USA trailed by eight. Finley led the Bobcats right back with a 24-yard scoring pass to Kole Wilson. Trotter (18 for 21, 368 yards, four TDS, one INT) threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Thomas-Jones, his third of the game, to trail now, 45-36. USA went for two and failed. On November 11, PSU did the same against Michigan late in their game. They trailed by nine and killed any hopes for a comeback. South Alabama was now in the same position, but the defenses here weren’t as stingy as Michigan’s and Penn State’s. It also wasn’t as late in the game. PSU Head Coach James Franklin fired his OC Mike Yurcich after that game next day.
Bobcats reaching new heights
Things looked worse now for the Jaguars as the Bobcats recovered their onsides kick eight yards away. A 41-yard pass the TE Connor Fox put TSXT on the Jaguar one. RB Ismail Mahdi took it in from the one to lead 52-36 with 3:04 left. USA gave it one last blast. Trotter threw a five-yard TD to Jacob Hooper, and then they converted a two-point play to trail, 52-44, at the 1:04 mark. The Bobcats recovered the onsides again. The Jags used their last time-out, and the Bobcats went into the victory formation to win their seventh game of 2023.
That total ties the school high mark set back in 2014, their third season of FBS play. This year, they’ve earned the school’s first bowl game. Best conjectures indicate they will play in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl or the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas. GJ Kinne seems to have the Bobcats ready to set some more records and go to more bowl games.
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Next!
The Jaguars are Bowl eligible at 6-6 and will probably also get a bowl game in December. We at collegefootballfan.com look to fill in our open Championship/playoff weekend next Saturday. Our best option looks to be the SBC championship game where the Troy Trojans (10-2, 7-1) of the West Division will host Appalachian State (8-4, 6-2) of the East Division. No. 24 James Madison won the East, but because of some unusual rule not to be eligible in its first two years of FBS play, they will not play for this championship. Seems unfair to the players who earned such a great record. ASU holds the distinction though of handing the Dukes their only defeat this season, 26-23. JMU defeated Troy early in 2023, 16-14. This should be a great game for the SBC title.