Football | 9/15/2017 9:47:00 PM
Texas State Opens 2017 Sun Belt Conference Schedule
• The Texas State football team returns home to play its first Sun Belt Conference game of the season when the Bobcats host defending Sun Belt champion Appalachian State on Saturday night, Sept. 16, at Bobcat Stadium. The game will kick off at 6 p.m
• Texas State enters the Appalachian State game looking to win its second straight home game after opening the 2017 season with a 20-11 victory over Houston Baptist on Sept. 2. The Bobcats are 1-1 overall this season after falling 37-3 at Colorado on Sept. 9.
• Appalachian State also is 1-1 this season after opening the season with a 31-10 loss at Georgia on Sept. 2 and beating Savannah State, 54-7, last week.
SERIES HISTORY
• This marks the third game between Texas State and Appalachian State, but Saturday's game marks the first time the Mountaineers have played in the state of Texas. The Bobcats are looking for their first victory against the Mountaineers after falling 41-34 in 2004 and 35-10 in 2016 in Boone, N.C.
THE HEAD COACHES
• Head coach
Everett Withers is in his second season as head coach at Texas State and his fifth season overall as a head coach. Withers enters the Appalachian State game with a 28-24 career record after the Bobcats opened the 2017 season with a 1-1 mark. A graduate of Appalachian State, Withers played defensive back and served as a team captain for the Mountaineers. He served one season as an interim head coach at North Carolina and coached at James Madison in 2014 and 2015 before coming to Texas State.
• Head coach Scott Satterfield is in his fifth season at Appalachian State and has a 33-19 career record, including a 28-6 record during the last 34 games. Only Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State have a better record during that span.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS
• Texas State enters Saturday's game ranked 20 nationally and leading the Sun Belt Conference in rushing defense after surrendering an average of 75.0 yards per game in the first two contests this season.
• The Bobcats also rank seventh nationally and lead league in quarterback sacks with 4.5 per game after collecting six sacks against Houston Baptist and three at Colorado. The six sacks are the most in a game by Texas State since Dec. 1, 2012 when the Bobcats recorded six sacks against New Mexico State.
• Texas State also ranks fourth in scoring defense after holding opponents to 24.0 points per game.
•
Gabe Loyd and
Bryan London II lead Texas State with 17 total tackles after Loyd collected a career-high 12 tackles at Colorado and London added 10 against the Buffaloes.
• On offense, the Bobcats are averaging 155.5 yards per game in rushing offense and 131.0 yards passing this season. Graduate transfer
Damian Williams has started the first two games at quarterback and completed 24 of 44 passes for 230 yards.
•
Anthony D. Taylor leads Texas State's ground attack with 85 yards on 16 carries this season after he rushed for 66 yards on eight carries at Colorado.
Anthony Smith has run for 82 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts after rushing for 71 yards on seven carries against Houston Baptist.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
• Appalachian State enters Saturday's game leading the Sun Belt in total defense and pass defense after giving up 241 total yards and 92 passing yards per game.
• The Mountaineers rank third among Sun Belt teams in scoring defense, just ahead of the Bobcats, after surrendering 19.0 points per game this season.
• Appalachian State also ranks fourth in scoring offense and total offense after averaging 32 points and 454 total yards in their first two games.
• Senior quarterback Taylor Lamb enters the Texas State game having made 38 career starts and having thrown for 7,504 yards and 68 touchdowns with just 26 interceptions in his career.
• Running back Jalin Moore has rushed for 95 yards and a touchdowns on 22 carries this season after leading the Sun Belt with 1,402 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns on 237 carries last year.
UP NEXT
• Texas State will play its third home game of the season when the Bobcats host UTSA in the H-E-B I-35 Showdown on Sept. 23 at Bobcat Stadium beginning at 6:30 p.m.
