SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Texas State football team entered Saturday's game against Appalachian State, the Sun Belt Conference preseason favorites, looking to see where the team had improved since last season. The Bobcats nearly pulled off a huge upset when they fell 20-13 in front of 19,520 fans at Bobcat Stadium Saturday night.

"Its always tough to lose. Hats off to Appalachian State, they're obviously a very talented and skillful football team," said head coach Everett Withers. "It was good to have them here and have an opportunity to compete against them."

"A bunch of guys in that locker room really hurt and it hurts to lose, but I told them I was proud of them. I was proud of the way they fought and competed. We've made a bunch of strides but we still got a long way to go as long as we keep getting up and coming to work every day, learning from mistakes and taking days like today and continue to get better, we're going to be fine."
 
Texas State jumped out to a 7-0 lead when the Bobcats drove 80 yards on four plays with 5:33 left in the first quarter. The drive began with Robert Brown, Jr. rushing for a career-long 20-yard run to the 40-yard line. The Bobcats scored their touchdown when Damian Williams hit Mason Hays for a 49-yard touchdown pass and James Sherman added the extra point. It was the first touchdown pass for Williams at Texas State and the longest career reception by Hays.
 
Midway through the second quarter, the Bobcats added another three points when Sherman kicked a 28-yard field goal. Sherman's field goal came after the Bobcats drove 46 yards in 10 plays before stalling at Appalachian State's 11-yard line.  
 
The Mountaineers closed to within 10-7 when Taylor Lamb threw a six-yard slant pass to Thomas Hennigan for a touchdown and Michael Rubino added the extra point with 24 seconds left in the first half.


 
On the opening drive of the second half, Rubino kicked a 27-yard field goal to tie the game after App State's had a first-and-goal play at the six.
 
Texas State drove down the ensuing possession but it ended when Sherman's 33-yard field goal attempt was wide right after Brown rushed for a 22 yards and Williams ran for 14 more to get the Bobcats down to the Mountaineer 23-yard line.
 
A 1-yard touchdown run from Terrence Upshaw over the right guard gave the Mountaineers their first lead. Rubino added the extra point to make it 17-10 with 2:08 left in the third quarter.
 
The Bobcats answered with another field goal when Sherman connected from 38 yards out to cut the deficit to 17-13 with 11:13 left to play.
 
App State came right back on the next drive to increase its lead to 20-13 when Rubino kicked a 46-yard goal at the 6:48 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
The ensuing kickoff landed out of bounds to give the Bobcats excellent field position to start the drive at their own 35. After a first down was converted by Thurman Morbley on a seven-yard reception, the Mountaineers picked off a third down pass two players later.
 
Right before App State punched the ball into the end zone to put the game away, A.J. Krawczyki forced a fumble at the 1-yard line that was recovered by JaShon Waddy to give Texas State life but facing a 99-yard drive to tie the game.

"I just saw an open hit, so I took it," Krawczyki said. "That's what our coaches tell us to do. I knew he was reaching the ball out."


 
Facing third and long in the end zone, Williams threw a pass to the outside that landed incomplete but the Mountaineers were called for pass interference to move Texas State to its own 18. King followed with a 10-yard catch and run to move the chains on the next play. Facing third down again, King made a leaping 15-yard reception for another Bobcat first down with just over a minute left on the clock.
 
Gabe Schrade followed by catching a 10-yard pass for another first down. Williams then found Hays two plays later to put the Bobcats into the red zone with 22 ticks left on the clock. A scramble of 11 yards by Williams put the offense nine yards shy of the end zone, and then a two-yard swing pass to Anthony D. Taylor that saw the running back get out of bounds to stop the clock with 10 seconds remaining.
 
A blitzing Mountaineer got through the line and forced a quick pass from Williams to King. While he caught the ball, King was taken down a yard short of the end zone on what would be the final play of the game.
 
Williams finished the game 23-for-35 and a career-high 260 yards with a touchdown. The senior also added 46 yards on 15 carries.
 
Brown ran for a career and team-high 51 yards thanks to two career long rushes.
 
King recorded his second career 100-yard receiving contest with career and game-high 112 yards on six catches. Hauling in five receptions for 88 yards was Hays. Also hauling in five pass was Morbley for 24 yards.
 
Defensively, Hal Vinson recorded a career best 10 tackles, two of which were for a loss. Senior safety Krawczyk matched his career-high of seven tackles. Frankie Giffin and Gabe Loyd finished half a sack apiece on the night.
 
With the defeat, TXST drops to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play while the Mountaineers are now 2-1 on the season and 1-0 in the SBC. The Bobcats will host UTSA in the H-E-B I-35 Showdown next Saturday at 6:30 p.m.