GAME FACTS
New Mexico State (1-10, 0-5 in WAC) at Texas State Bobcats (3-8, 1-4 in WAC)
Dec. 1, 2012 | 3:00 p.m. | San Marcus, Texas | Bobcat Stadium (30,000)
Radio: ESPN Austin (1260 AM); KZOS (92.5 FM)
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San Marcos, Texas – The Texas State football team completes its first season in FBS play and plays in the final Western Athletic Conference football game this Saturday afternoon when the Bobcats play host to New Mexico State at Bobcat Stadium. The game kicks off at 3:00 p.m.
Texas State will introduce its distinguished 2012 “T” Association Alumni Hall of Honor class at halftime following their inductions ceremony on Friday night. They are former baseball player and current Texas State assistant coach
Jeremy Fikac, along with former football players Clint Bendele and Cliff Mitchell.
Prior to the game, Texas State will honor 17 seniors on this year's team after they helped lead Texas State's transition into the FBS and the WAC this season. They include
Ed Amerson,
Joplo Bartu,
Brett Blackburn,
Marcus Curry,
Adley Eshraghipour,
Damon Grant,
Chase Harper,
Tim Hawkins,
Jarrett Haywood,
Brian Lilly,
Jason McLean,
Darryl Morris,
Shaun Rutherford,
Jonathan Ward,
Thaddeus Watkins,
Denzel Wells and
Mario Wiggins.
The seniors helped lead the Bobcats to their first win over an FBS program since 2000 and a victory in their first WAC game earlier this year. Texas State also played in front of record-setting crowds at Bobcat Stadium with four of the largest attended home games in school history.
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Texas State enters the game with a 3-8 overall record in its first season as a member of an FBS conference after suffering a 38-31 loss at UTSA on Nov. 24. The loss was the fifth straight loss for the Bobcats and dropped Texas State's record against Western Athletic Conference teams to 1-4. The other four losses came against San Jose State, Utah State, then No. 18-ranked Louisiana Tech, and Navy. Texas State's last win was a 38-7 victory over Idaho in its WAC opener on Oct. 13.
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State enters Saturday with a 1-10 record following a 50-14 loss against BYU in Las Cruces last Saturday. It was the 10th straight loss for the Aggies, a streak that includes five losses against WAC opponents this season. New Mexico State, which began the season with a 49-19 victory over Sacramento State, is the least penalized team in the WAC with 39.6 yards per game. Austin Franklin ranks second among WAC leaders with 6.27 receptions per game and is seventh among national leaders with 104.9 receiving yards per contest. Defensive back Davis Cazares leads the league in tackles with 110.
THE COACHES
Texas State head coach
Dennis Franchione will coach his team in the final WAC football game after beginning his career in the Division FBS ranks at New Mexico from 1992-97 and at TCU from 1998-2000. Franchione is in his second stint and fourth season overall at Texas State. Franchione has a 22-23 record with the Bobcats and enters the New Mexico State game with a 196-115-2 career record. He compiled a 13-9 record at Texas State in 1990-91 before going on to coach at New Mexico, TCU, Alabama and Texas A&M. Franchione returned to the sidelines in 2011 when guided Texas State to a 6-6 record.
DeWayne Walker is in his fourth season as the head coach at New Mexico State and enters Saturday's game at Texas State with a 10-39 career record. Walker went to New Mexico State after serving three seasons as defensive coordinator at UCLA. He joined UCLA's staff after serving as a secondary coach in the NFL ranks. He spent one season with the Washington Redskins and two years with the New York Giants. He also was the associate head coach/secondary coach at USC under Pete Carroll after spending three seasons as secondary coach with the New England Patriots.
GAME COVERAGE
Texas State fans can hear the game live on the Texas State football radio network with Brant Freeman calling the play-by-play action and Bill Culhane serving as an analyst. The game can be heard in the Austin area on the network's flagship station, ESPN Austin (1260 AM). It also will be carried on KZOS (92.5 FM) in San Marcos.
The broadcast begins with a one-hour pre-game show and concludes with a 15-minute post-game show. In addition to listening to the game in Austin and San Marcos, Bobcat fans can also listen to the game on the internet by logging on to the Texas State Athletics website, www.TxStateBobcats.com
