Texas State (5-2, 1-1 Sun Belt) vs. Troy (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Bobcat Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
Kickoff: 6 PM
TV: ESPN+
            Brant Freeman (Play-by-play)
            Keith Moreland (Analyst)
            Koral Riggs (Sideline reporter)
Radio: KTSW 89.9 & Varsity Network (free app)
            Clint Shields (Play-by-play)
            Geff Gandy (Analyst)
X/Twitter Updates: @TXSTATEFOOTBALL
Live Stats
 
 
SETTING THE TABLE
In a pivotal game for the Sun Belt West Division, Texas State returns to action to host Troy on Saturday at 6 pm at Bobcat Stadium. The Bobcats and Trojans – along with South Alabama – enter this week in a tie for first place in the division.
 
The Bobcats, who are 5-2 in a season for the first time since 2011, have plenty to play for going into this weekend's matchup. In addition to staying in the driver's seat for the West Division crown, Texas State needs one more win to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2014.
 
Troy, meanwhile, is riding a four-game winning streak coming into San Marcos and has allowed a combined 10 points over its last three games. The Trojans shut out Army (19-0) in their last time out on Oct. 14.
 
Texas State boasts the Sun Belt's top offense, in both scoring and total yards, while Troy is the conference's best defense in terms of scoring and yards allowed. The Bobcats are averaging 38.3 points per game (11th-best in the nation) on 491.3 yards (8th-best) while Troy is holding its opponents to 17.4 points per game (17th-best) on 281.3 yards (10th-best).
 
The Bobcats have lost 11 in a row to Troy, with their last and only win in the all-time series occurring in 1997 in San Marcos. In the last two meetings, Texas State has taken an advantage into the fourth quarter, but each contest resulted in a three-point loss for the Bobcats.
 
Texas State, which is in the midst of a stretch of three consecutive home games, is looking to have 6 wins in a season by the end of October for the first time 2005.
 
The game is also the Bobcats' Homecoming game, presented by Texas First Rentals, and the team will wear throwback SWT uniforms.
 
 
FIVE FOR FIGHTING

• Texas State enters this week with a 5-2 record, a mark it has not had in a season since 2011.
• The last time Texas State was 5-2 was in 2011 when the Bobcats were in their last year of playing at the FCS level.
• Texas State has been 5-2 in a season 12 times in the last 50 years, but only 4 times in the last 40 years: 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2005, 2011, 2023.
• The Bobcats' 5 wins this year are already their most in a season since 2014 (7-5).
• Texas State is aiming for its 6th win, which would clinch the Bobcats' first .500-or-better record in a regular season since 2014.
• The last time the Bobcats were 6-2 in a season was 18 years ago in 2005. That year, Texas State won a share of the Southland Conference title, reached the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs (then called the Division I-AA Playoffs), and finished the season ranked as the No. 4 team in the country at the FCS level.

 
CONFERENCE CENTER

• Texas State is also 2-1 in conference play, which is the first time they have won 2 of its first 3 conference games in a season since 2014.
• Texas State has jumped out to a 2-1 Sun Belt record thanks to beating Southern Miss by 14 and coming back to beat ULM with 12 unanswered points in the 4th quarter. Its lone loss was at Louisiana, a game in which it led 30-21 with less than 6 minutes to go.
• The Bobcats are one conference win away from matching their highest Sun Belt win total in a season in the last 9 years. The program record for conference wins as an FBS team is 5, which was set in 2014.
• Texas State was 3-1 to start conference play in 2014 and finished 5-3.

 
SAN MARVELOUS

• The Bobcats are in the middle of a stretch in which they play 3 straight home games. This is the first time Texas State has played 3 home games in a row since 2019.
• The Bobcats are 3-0 at home this year, beating Jackson State and Nevada in back-to-back weeks on Sept. 16 and 23, respectively, and then topping ULM 21-20 in their conference home opener.
• The Bobcats have not won 2 conference home games in a row since 2013.
• Texas State has won 7 of its last 9 home games.
• Texas State finished the 2022 season with a 4-2 record at home.
• The Bobcats are aiming to go 4-0 at home to start a season for the first time since 2005. That year, Texas State was 7-0 at home in the regular season and won 9 straight home games before losing in the FCS Playoffs in San Marcos.
• This is the best 9-home game stretch for the Bobcats since 2009-10.

 
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD

• Despite being held to their second-fewest points in a game this season in their last time out, the Bobcats are the Sun Belt's top-scoring offense and one of the best in the country.
• Texas State is first in the Sun Belt in scoring offense with 38.3 points per game and 11th in the country.
• The Bobcats have scored 30 or more points in 5 of their 7 games this season. The last time Texas State scored 30+ points in 5 games in a season was 2020.
• Texas State's 21 points in the win against ULM on Oct. 14 were its fewest in a victory since the penultimate game of the 2022 season against Arkansas State (W, 16-13, on Nov. 19, 2022).
• Texas State needs 20 more points to move into its top-5 scoring seasons in its FBS history.
• The Bobcats are facing the Sun Belt's top scoring defense this week in Troy. The Trojans are first in the Sun Belt and 17th in the nation with 17.4 points allowed this season.

 
SCORING OFFENSE, TXST'S FBS HISTORY
Top seasons since 2012
Rk      School      Points        Games
1.        2014        406            12
2.        2012        343            12
3.        2020        332            12
4.        2015        323            12
5.        2013        287            12
6.        2021        277            12
7.        2023        268            7
8.        2022        253            12
 
NATIONAL LEADERS IN SCORING OFFENSE
Through Week 8 (Oct. 21)
Rk     School                   Points/Game
1.      LSU                        47.4
2.      Oregon                  47.0
3.      USC                       45.4
4.      Oklahoma             43.1
5.      Florida State         41.6
6.      Michigan               40.6
7.      Georgia                 40.1
         Washington          40.1
9.      Ole Miss                39.7
         Penn State            39.7
11.    Texas State           38.3
 
CARDIAC CATS

• Texas State's 21-20 win over ULM was its second come-from-behind this season when trailing at any point in the second half.
• That is the most second-half comeback wins for the Bobcats in a season since 2021.
• Texas State trailed 17-0 at halftime against Nevada before coming back to win 35-24 on Sept. 23. Then, Texas State was behind 20-9 with less than 5 minutes against ULM.
• The win against the Warhawks on Oct. 14 was the first time Texas State rallied from a double-digit deficit with under 5 minutes to go in a game in the program's FBS history.

 
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING

• Texas State has 500+ yards of offense in 4 of the last 5 games, which has helped it rank as one of the nation's top total offenses.
• Texas State is 8th in the country in total offense -- and first in the Sun Belt -- with 491.3 yards per game.
• The Bobcats are 15th in the nation with 6.81 yards per play this year (3,439 yards/505 plays).
• In the last 5 games, the Bobcats are averaging 551.2 yards of offense (2,756 total yards).
• Texas State is averaging 499.3 yards of offense in conference-only games, which is second to South Alabama (520.7) for the best in the Sun Belt.
• Texas State needs 463 yards of offense to match last year's output in 12 games (3,902).
• The Bobcats are 5-1 this season when it has 400+ yards of offense. Troy has not allowed 400 yards of offense in a game this season.

 
TOTAL OFFENSE RANKINGS IN THE NATION
Through Week 8 (Oct. 21)
Rk      School                      Yards Per Game
1.        LSU                           552.9
2.        Oregon                     551.6
3.        Georgia                    509.4
4.        Washington              507.1
5.        North Carolina         499.7
6.        UCF                           499.6
7.        Oklahoma                 496.9
8.        Texas State              491.3
9.        Liberty                      487.9
10.      Miami (FL)                481.9
 
IN A RUSH

• Texas State's ground game has stood out this year as it enters this week ranked 15th in the country and second in the Sun Belt with 207.0 yards per game.
• Texas State has 200+ rushing yards in 4 of the last 5 games. The one game in that stretch that did not have 200+ rushing yards was a 178-yard effort against Southern Miss on Sept. 30.
• The Bobcats have not averaged 200+ yards per game in a season since 2014 (238.5) and have not averaged 150+ yards per game since 2015 (187.3).
• Texas State's 1,461 rushing yards are 15th in the country and second in the Sun Belt.
• The 1,461 team rushing yards are the most for Texas State in a season since 2021 (1,790).
• Texas State is 18th in the nation in yards per carry with 5.25.
• Texas State has featured 3 different players with 100-yard rushing games this year: Ismail Mahdi (2), Damarius Good (1) and Malik Hornsby (1).
• The Bobcats have been led in rushing in games by 3 different players: Ismail Mahdi (5), Donerio Davenport (1), and Malik Hornsby (1).
• Texas State's 54 rushing attempts against ULM were its most in a game since 2015.

 
CLIMBING THE CHARTS

• The central piece to the Texas State ground game this year has been running back Ismail Mahdi, who leads the team with 726 rushing yards on 98 carries.
• Mahdi is 14th in the country and third in the Sun Belt in total rushing yards. He is also 13th in the country in rushing yards per game (103.7).
• Mahdi is 4th in the country in rush yards per carry with 7.41 yards per attempt.
• In the last 4 games, Mahdi is averaging 135.8 yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry.
• Mahdi's 726 rushing yards are already a career-high. He had 568 yards on 112 attempts over 8 games last year at HCU.
• Mahdi also ranks 2nd in the country in all-purpose yards (169.86/game & 1,189 yds).
• Mahdi's 726 rushing yards this season are the 5th-most by a Bobcat in a single season in the program's FBS history.

 
MOST RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State FBS History (Since 2012)
Rk.    Player                    Rush Yds     Att             Year
1.      Robert Lowe         1,091           185            2014
2.      Robert Lowe         945              164            2013
3.      Robert Lowe         915              175            2015
4.      Lincoln Pare          772              172            2022
5.      Ismail Mahdi        726              98              2023
 
JOE DIRT

• Joey Hobert, in his first year as a Bobcat, has emerged as a reliable target for Texas State as he leads the team with 48 receptions and 612 receiving yards.
• Hobert has 8 or more catches in each of the last 4 games.
• He also has 3 straight 100-yard receiving games entering this week against Troy. He is the first Bobcat receiver in the program's FBS history to have 3 consecutive 100-yard receiving efforts.
• Hobert has a touchdown catch in each of the last 4 games as well. He has a touchdown in 5 of the 7 games this season.
• Over the last 4 games, Hobert is averaging 9.3 catches per game for 114.5 yards.

 
HOBERT IN THE SBC AND NATION
Where the TXST WR ranks entering week 9
Stat                      Total        SBC             National
Rec                       48            T-2nd          T-16th
Rec/Gm                6.9           2nd             15th
Rec. Yds               612          2nd             25th
Rec. Yds/Gm        87.4         2nd             25th
Rec. TD                6              T-1st            T-17th
 
GOOD RECEPTION

• With at least 5 games remaining in the season, Joey Hobert has already established himself as one of the Bobcats' best receivers in the program's FBS history (since 2012).
• Hobert's is already 3rd in the program's FBS history in receiving yards in a season and receiving touchdowns in a season.
• He is also 2 catches away from becoming only the 6th different receiver in Texas State's FBS history to have 50 or more catches in a season.

 
MOST RECEIVING YARDS IN TXST FBS HISTORY
In a season, since 2012
Rk     Player                     Total          Year
1.      Elijah King               750            2017
2.      Hutch White           618            2019
3.      Joey Hobert            612            2023
4.      CJ Best                    591            2015
 
MOST RECEIVING TDS IN TXST FBS HISTORY
In a season, since 2012
Rk     Player                     Total          Year
1.      Marcell Barbee       10              2021
2.      Ashtyn Hawkins      7                2022
3.      Joey Hobert            6                2023
 
GETTING DEFENSIVE

• Texas State's defense is coming off one of its best performances this season as it allowed a season-low 285 yards of offense against ULM on Oct. 14.
• It was the first time the Bobcats held an opponent under 300 yards of offense since Nov. 19, 2022 when they held Arkansas State to 291 yards of offense in a 16-13 win.
• The 285 yards were the fewest allowed against an FBS opponent since the 2022 season opener at Nevada (274).
• Texas State is 6th in the Sun Belt in total defense in conference-only games (406.0 yards/game).
• Texas State has held 3 of its last 4 conference opponents at home to less than 325 yards of offense, a stretch that dates back to Oct. 21, 2022 vs. Southern Miss.

 
A TALE OF TWO HALVES

• Texas State has carried a lead into halftime in 3 of its last 4 games as it has used fast starts to a game all season.
• Texas State is averaging 17.8 points in the first half of its last 4 games.
• In the second half of the last 4 games, the Bobcats are being outscored by their opponents, on average, 16.5-16.3.
• While their opponents are outscoring them by 0.2 points, Texas State's pass efficiency is better in the second half of the last 4 games: 179.7 in the 2nd half vs. 139.4 in the 1st half.
• For the season, the Bobcats are averaging 23.6 points in the first half. They are also outscoring their opponents in the first half by an average of 10 points (23.6-13.0).

 
TXST IN THE FIRST HALF vs. SECOND HALF
Last 4 games (since Sept. 23 vs. Nevada)
1st Half          Stat                                             2nd Half
17.8                Points                                         16.3
12.0                Points Allowed                           16.5
6.3                  Average yds/play                       7.0
5.3                  Average yds allowed/play         6.2
5.3                  Yds/rush                                     5.3
3.8                  Yds allowed/rush                       5.7
58                   First Downs                                47
39                   First Downs Allowed                  45
10                   Points Off Turnovers                  7
17                   Points Allowed Off Turnovers    20
 
A NEW CAREER LEADER

• Wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins has 14 catches in 3 conference games this year and is second on the team with 31 catches over the entire season.
• Hawkins now holds the Texas State FBS record for career catches with 117. He passed Hutch White (116) in the game against ULM.
• Hawkins is currently 6th in Texas State's overall history in career receptions. He needs 4 to tie Tyson Olivo (1998-2001) for 5th and 5 to match D'Angelo Torres (1997-99) for 4th on the program's all-time list. The program record is 160, set by Johnny Parker from 1969-71.
• Hawkins already holds the Texas State record for catches in a single-game. He had 13 at Baylor on Sept. 17, 2022.

 
MOST CAREER RECEPTIONS BY A BOBCAT
Texas State FBS history (since 2012)
Player                       Career Receptions      Years
Ashtyn Hawkins      117                              2021-Current
Hutch White            116                              2016-19
Brandon Smith         112                              2012-15
 
FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE

• Texas State is averaging 23,637 people at home through 3 games this season.
• The Bobcats are 6th in the Sun Belt in average attendance. App State leads the conference with 36,832 fans through its 3 home games.
• Texas State has had 2 of its 10 biggest crowds in Bobcat Stadium history this season. On Oct. 14, there were 27,537 in attendance, which was the 5th-largest in stadium history. On Sept. 16, there 24,118 for the game against Jackson State, which was the 10th-largest.
• Year over year, through the first 3 games, Texas State's attendance is up 17 percent (23,637 in 2023 vs. 20,202 in 2022).
• Compared to last year's average attendance for the entire season (17,541), the Bobcats' attendance this year so far is up 35 percent.
• The Bobcats have not had crowds of 20,000 or more in 3 or more games in a season since 2014 (4).

 
Largest Single-Game Crowds, Bobcat Stadium History
Stadium was expanded to its capacity in 2012
Rk     Date                           Opponent                      Attendance
1.      Sept. 24, 2016           Houston                         33,133
2.      Sept. 8, 2012             Texas Tech                     33,006
3.      Sept. 13, 2014           Navy                               32,007
4.      Sept. 23, 2017           UTSA                              31,333
5.      Oct. 14, 2023             ULM                               27,537
6.      Sept. 19, 2015           Southern Miss                27,252
7.      Sept. 4, 2021             Baylor                             26,573
8.      Oct. 8, 2022               App State                       25,613
9.      Sept. 12, 2015           Prairie View A&M          24,561
10.    Sept. 16, 2023           Jackson State                 24,118