Texas State (6-4, 3-3 Sun Belt) at Arkansas State (5-5, 3-3 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023
Centennial Bank Stadium | Jonesboro, Ark.
Kickoff: 2 PM
TV: ESPN+
            Roger Twibell (Play-by-play)
            Pete Cordelli (Analyst)
            Dorian Craft (Sideline)
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
Texas State will enter its final road game of the regular season with the opportunity to match its FBS record for most wins in a season – against a team that is fighting for bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019.
 
The Bobcats are set to face Arkansas State on Saturday at 2 pm in Jonesboro in a matchup between two of the three teams currently tied for second-place in the Sun Belt West Division.
 
Texas State is coming off a 31-23 loss at Coastal Carolina while Arkansas State has won 2 of its last 3 games and 4 of its last 5 at home.
 
The Bobcats have won 3 in a row against the Red Wolves, and each of those 3 games have been decided by 3 points or less.
 
Texas State, which is already bowl eligible, is aiming for its seventh win of the year, which would match its FBS program record of 7 set in 2014.
 
The Bobcats and Red Wolves can be watched on ESPN+ and heard on KTSW 89.9 FM and the Varsity Network app.
 
 
SIX-WIN SEASON

• Despite last week's setback at Coastal Carolina, Texas State is still within shot of at least matching the program's FBS record for wins in a season.
• Texas State's 6 wins this year are its most since 2014 when it set the program's FBS record for wins in a season with 7.
• In 12 seasons at the FBS level (since 2012), Texas State has had 3 seasons of 6 or more wins: 2013, 2014, 2023.
• The Bobcats clinched bowl eligibility for the first time in nine years with the 45-24 win over Georgia Southern at home on Nov. 4.
• The Bobcats are also looking to notch their 4th conference win, which would be their most in a season since it went 5-3 in Sun Belt play in 2014.

 
TALKING POINTS

• Texas State has the Sun Belt's highest scoring offense this season with 34.9 points per game. And the scoring output is one of the best in program history.
• The Bobcats have scored 349 points in 10 games this year, which is 2nd-most for a single season in the program's FBS history
• Texas State needs 58 more points to set a new program FBS record for highest scoring offense in a single season.
• The current program FBS record is 406 set in 2014.
• Texas State has only averaged more than 30.0 points per game over an entire season once in its FBS history (2014).
• In Texas State's first 10 seasons in the Sun Belt, it never finished higher than 4th among Sun Belt teams in scoring offense (2014). It currently leads the conference in overall games in that category.
• The Bobcats enter this week 21st in the country in scoring offense. The last time they finished the season in the nation's top-50 in that category was 2014 (31st).
• Texas State is averaging 31.6 points per game on the road this year.
• The Bobcats' 158 points in road games this year are their most in a season since 2014 when they scored 205 in 6 road contests.

 
SCORING OFFENSE, TXST'S FBS HISTORY
Top seasons since 2012
Rk      School         Points            Games
1.        2014           406                 12
2.        2023           349                 10
3.        2012           343                 12
4.        2020           332                 12
5.        2015           323                 12
 
IN A RUSH

• Texas State ran for 199 yards against Coastal Carolina, which was right at its average for the season.
• Texas State is 16th in the nation in rushing offense and first in the Sun Belt.
• Texas State has 4 games this year of 200 or more rushing yards as well as last week's 199-yard performance.
• Texas State's 2,007 team rushing yards this year are its most in a season since 2015 when it had 2,248.
• This is the 5th time in Texas State's FBS history that it has run for more than 2,000 yards in a season. All of the previous 4 instances were in its first 4 years at the FBS level.
• The Bobcats are averaging 193.0 yards in conference-only games.
• They need 145 rushing yards to move into 3rd place on the program's list for most rushing yards in an FBS season.

 
MOST TEAM RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State's FBS history
Rk        School      Rushing Yds       Attempts
1.         2014         2,862                  538
2.         2015         2,248                  470
3.         2012         2,152                  413         
4.         2013         2,058                  471
5.         2023         2,007                  408
 
1,000-YARD CLUB

• The key piece to Texas State's rushing offense this year has been sophomore Ismail Mahdi, who leads the team with 1,050 yards on the ground.
• Mahdi's career-high 1,050 rushing yards make him the 12th Bobcat in overall program history to have 1,000-yards on the ground in a season.
• Mahdi is the first Bobcat to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Robert Lowe ran for 1,091 yards on 185 carries in 2014.
• Mahdi needs 42 rushing yards to become the program's FBS record holder for most rushing yards in a single season.
• The overall program record for most rushing yards in a season is 1,595 set by Claude Mathis in 1997.
• The last time a Bobcat ran for 1,100 yards or more on the ground was 26 years ago.

 
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.        Ismail Mahdi         1,050          159        2023
3.        Robert Lowe          945             164        2013
4.        Robert Lowe          915             175        2015
5.        Lincoln Pare          772             172        2022
 
MOST RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State Overall History
Rk.     Player                          Rush Yds     Year
1.        Claude Mathis             1,595          1997
2.        Claude Mathis             1,593          1996
3.        Donald Wilkerson       1,569          1994
4.        Claude Mathis             1,289          1995
5.        Roy Jackson                 1,187          1986
6.        Reggie Rivers               1,145          1990
7.        Robert Lowe                1,091          2014
8.        Ismail Mahdi               1,050          2023
 
GETTING TO THE BACKFIELD

• Texas State continues to rank among the nation's best when it comes to getting into the backfield as the Bobcats are 2nd in the country in TFLs and 23rd in sacks.
• Texas State is averaging 8.5 TFLs and 2.70 sacks per game this year.
• The Bobcats have 85.0 TFLs this season, which are already an FBS program record. It has surpassed the previous record of 77.0 set last season.
• The 85.0 TFLs are the most for Texas State since 2008 when it had 89.0 at the FCS level.
• Texas State has not had 90.0 or more TFLs in a season since 2004 (90.0).
• Texas State has 27.0 sacks this year, which has matched its FBS record for most in a season. This is the third time Texas State has totaled 27.0 sacks in a season, with the previous two times happening last season and in 2014.
• The last time Texas State had more than 27.0 sacks in a season was in 2011 when it had 31.0 in its final year in FCS.
• The overall program records for TFLs in a season and sacks in a season are 111.0 and 58.5, respectively, set in 1982.

 
MOST TFLs IN A SEASON FOR TXST
Since 2003
Rk      Total       Year         Games          TFL/Game
1.        90.0        2003        12                 7.50
2.        89.0        2008        13                 6.85
3.        88.0        2005        14                 6.29
4.        85.0        2023        10                 8.50
 
RECORD CHASERS

• The two biggest pieces to Texas State's TFL production this year have been defensive end Ben Bell and linebacker Brian Holloway.
• Holloway leads the team with 12.5 TFLs while Bell has 12.0 TFLs.
• The two are approaching Texas State's FBS record for most TFLs in a season.
• Holloway is 1.0 TFL from tying the record while Bell is 1.5 TFLs away.
• The record is held by Ben's brother, Levi Bell, who set it last season with 13.5.
• Levi Bell is currently on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.
• Holloway has a TFL in 8 of the 10 games this. Bell has 5.5 TFLs in the last 3 games.
• The overall program record for TFLs in a season is 19.0, set by Gregg Pitts in 2002.

 
MOST TFLs IN TXST'S FBS HISTORY
Since 2012
Rk     Total       Player                        Year
1.      13.5        Levi Bell                     2022
2.      13.0        Nico Ezidore              2020
         13.0        Michael Odiari           2014
4.      12.5        Brian Holloway         2023
5.      12.0        Ben Bell                     2023
         12.0        Nikolas Daniels          2019
         12.0        Joplo Bartu                2012
 
SACK ATTACK

• Ben Bell is also approaching another Texas State FBS record with his 7.0 sacks this year.
• Bell, the team's leader in sacks, needs 2.0 more sacks to tie the program's FBS record, which is currently held by Michael Odiari set in 2014.
• Bell has 4.0 sacks in the last 3 games.
• Five of his 7.0 sacks this year have come in conference play.
• The overall program record for most sacks in a season is 12.0 set by Rod Clark in 1982.
• In 10 games this year, Bell has 43 tackles, 12.0 TFLs, 7.0 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries and 1 forced fumble.
• Bell is the highest rated pass rusher in FBS according to PFF grades this year (min. 80 snaps played).

 
MOST SACKS IN A SEASON
Texas State FBS History (Since 2012)
Rk        Total           Player                             Year
1.         9.0               Michael Odiari               2014
2.         7.0               Ben Bell                          2023
3.         6.0               Nelson Mbanasor          2022
 
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT

• Texas State's defense has steadily improved over the last 4 games as it has seen its points allowed and yards allowed drop over the recent stretch.
• The Bobcats have surrendered 106 points in the last 4 games (26.5/game) compared to 179 points in the first 6 games of the season (29.8/game).
• Texas State has also allowed 63.5 yards per game less over the last 4 games compared to the first 6 games of the year.
• One of the biggest changes for the Texas State defense is the number of snaps per game. In the first 6 games of the year, the Bobcat defense was on the field for 76.7 plays per game. Over the last 4 contests, it has dropped to 63.3 plays per game.

 
TXST DEFENSE: FIRST 6 G vs. LAST 4 G
2023 Season
Stat                             First 6 Games   Last 4 Games
Points/Game               29.8                   26.5
Yards/Game                430.3                 366.8
1st Downs/Game        23.8                   19.8
Plays/Game                 76.7                   63.3
 
ON FOURTH DOWN

• Texas State's defense came through with 2 fourth-down stops in 3 attempts last week at Coastal.
• In the last 6 games -- all against Sun Belt teams -- Texas State has held its opponents to 3-of-16 on fourth downs (19%).
• For the season, Texas State is 2nd in the Sun Belt and 21st in the country in 4th down defense (10-of-27, 37%).
• Texas State has the best 4th down defense among the 19 teams in the country that have faced 25 or more 4th down attempts this year.

 
SHIP IN THE WIND

• Mason Shipley was good in his lone field goal attempt last week at Coastal Carolina as he is now 12-for-12 in field goal attempts this season.
• Shipley is one of 3 kickers in FBS who remains perfect on field goal attempts this season (min. play in 75% of team games).
• Shipley needs 2 more field goals made to tie the Texas State record for most made in a season.
• The Texas State record of 14 was set by Seth Keller, who was the Bobcats' starting kicker in each of the last 2 seasons ahead of Shipley. Keller had 14 field goals made in both 2021 and 2022.
• Shipley has a field goal made in 5 straight games entering this weekend.
• Shipley already owns a share of the Texas State record for longest field goal made (54 yards, 2022).
• Shipley is 41-of-42 on PATs this season. The 41 successful PATs are currently 7th-most for a single season in program history.
• On Nov. 9, Shipley was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top place kicker.

 
ALL-PURPOSE PLAYER

• In addition to Ismail Mahdi becoming a 1,000-yard rusher for the Bobcats, he is making his way up the program's single-season all-purpose yards chart as well. He has 1,645 all-purpose yards in the 10 games this season.
• Mahdi is 1st in the nation in all-purpose yards and 2nd in the country in all-purpose yards per game (164.5).
• Mahdi is already Texas State's FBS leader for most all-purpose yards in a season. He is 6th all-time in the program's overall history.
• Mahdi needs 106 all-purpose yards to move into sole possession of 5th place on Texas State's chart for most in a season. He needs 207 to move into 4th.
• Mahdi has 8 games of 100+ all-purpose yards this year and 2 games of 200+ yards.
• Mahdi's 1,645 all-purpose yards are the most by a Bobcat since Karrington Bush had 1,750 in 2010.
• Over the last 7 games, Mahdi is averaging 183.3 all-purpose yards (1,283 total yards).

 
MOST ALL-PURPOSE YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State program history
Rk        Yards       Player                           Year
1.         2,330        Karrington Bush           2008
2.         2,264        Claude Mathis              1995
3.         2,048        Donald Wilkerson         1994
4.         1,851        Claude Mathis              1996
5.         1,750        Karrington Bush           2010
6.         1,645       Ismail Mahdi                2023
7.         1,637        Claude Mathis              1997
8.         1,621        Karrington Bush           2007
9.         1,610        Reggie Rivers                1990
10.       1,512        Claude Mathis              1994
 
GOOD RECEPTION

• With a passing offense that ranks top-40 in the country, Texas State has 3 receivers this season with 500+ receiving yards - a first for the program in its FBS history.
• Joey Hobert leads the team with 804 receiving yards - a Texas State FBS program record for most in a season - while Kole Wilson (527) and Ashtyn Hawkins (523) are 2nd and 3rd on the team, respectively.
• The previous most receivers with 500+ yards in a season for Texas State was 2, which was reached in 2014 and 2021.
• Wilson has already reached his career-high for receiving yards in a season. He had 281 last year as a freshman at UIW.
• Hawkins needs 64 more receiving yards to match his career-high, which he set last year (587) in 9 games.
• Hobert's career-high for receiving yards in a season is 1,258, set last season at Utah Tech in 11 games.

 
IN PASSING

• Texas State's passing offense is one of the best in the program's FBS history -- and on track to become the best.
• Texas State has 2,636 passing yards this season, which is 17 shy of matching last season's output (2,653 in 12 games).
• The Bobcats need 257 passing yards to tie the program's FBS record for most in a season.
• The current FBS record for Texas State for most passing yards in a season is 2,893, set in 2019.
• Texas State is 38th in the country this year with 263.6 passing yards per game.
• The overall program record for passing yards in a season is 3,499, which was set in 2008 over the course of 13 games.

 
MOST TEAM PASSING YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State FBS program history
Rk     Yards             Season
1.      2,893              2019
2.      2,861              2020
3.      2,752              2015
4.      2,711              2014
5.      2,653              2022
6.      2,639              2016
7.      2,636             2023