JONESBORO, Ark. – Texas State allowed seven rushing touchdowns, three defensive touchdowns and a kick return for a touchdown in a 77-31 loss at Arkansas State on Saturday at Centennial Bank Stadium.
 
The Bobcats (6-5, 3-4 SBC) dropped their second game in a row after the Red Wolves (6-5, 4-3 SBC) scored the most points allowed by Texas State in a game in program history. The Red Wolves returned three Bobcat turnovers for touchdowns in the second half to go with the seven rushing scores surrendered, which were also the most allowed by Texas State in an FBS game.
 
It was the first time Texas State allowed a touchdown in all three phases – offense, defense and special teams – since 2017.
 
Arkansas State scored on seven of its 10 offensive drives and scored 42 points in the second half despite only having the ball for just over 11 minutes over the third and fourth quarters. Its defense had two pick-sixes and a fumble returned for a touchdown in the second half as the Red Wolves scored 28 points on Texas State's four total turnovers in the game. Arkansas State ended the third quarter with the 93-yard kick return by Ja'Quez Cross.
 
Texas State ended up running 36 more plays on offense compared to Arkansas State in the game due to the defensive and special teams touchdowns in the second half. The Bobcats outgained the Red Wolves, 539-487, and they had a season-high 366 passing yards.
 
TJ Finley led the Texas State offense by going 37-of-55 in the air with a career-high 366 yards and three touchdowns. He also had the two interceptions returned for touchdowns and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
 
Ashtyn Hawkins had a career-high 165 receiving yards on eight catches. Kole Wilson led the team with 10 receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Joey Hobert, meanwhile, had the other receiving score for the Bobcats as he finished with seven catches for 43 yards.
 
Donerio Davenport led the team in rushing with 76 yards on 14 carries, and Ismail Mahdi became the program's FBS record holder for rushing yards in a single season after he finished with 62 yards on 17 carries. Mahdi also had a rushing touchdown, his team-leading ninth of the season.
 
The Bobcats led on three occasions, including at 17-14 early in the second quarter when Finley connected with Hobert for an 18-yard pass. The touchdown capped a six-play, 76-yard drive for the Bobcats as they scored on three of their first four drives.
 
However, the Red Wolves used five rushing touchdowns on 198 yards on the ground in the first half to build a 35-17 halftime lead. Arkansas State had three scores on 40+ yard plays, including two by Cross late in the second quarter. Cross rushed for a 42-yard score to give Arkansas State a 21-17 lead and then added a 15-yard rushing touchdown after the Bobcats fumbled the ball deep in their territory. Cross later capped the first half's scoring with a 57-yard rush with 1:52 to go in the second quarter.
 
Arkansas State's Zak Wallace had the first two rushing touchdowns: a 41-yard rush on the Red Wolves' first drive of the game and then an 8-yard rush that made it 14-10 Arkansas State with 2:03 left in the first quarter.
 
Both teams had over 300 yards of offense in the first half, including 300 by Texas State and 307 by Arkansas State.
 
In the second half, Arkansas State scored three touchdowns over a seven-minute span early in the third quarter to take a 56-17 lead. A 91-yard fumble return by Trevian Thomas with 5:52 to go in the third capped the stretch.
 
After the Bobcats responded with a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive finished off by Finley finding Wilson for a touchdown pass, Arkansas State answered with the 93-yard kick return touchdown by Cross that made it 63-24 at the end of the third quarter.
 
The Red Wolves led as much as 53 points when back-to-back pick-sixes made it 77-24 Arkansas State with 10:39 remaining in the game.
 
The Bobcats ended the scoring with a three-yard touchdown pass from Finley to Wilson with 6:19 left in the game.
 
Arkansas State's offense did not take a snap between 8:20 in the third quarter to 6:19 in the fourth.
 
 
From Head Coach GJ Kinne
Opening statement
"Obviously a disappointing loss. Disappointing the way we played, disappointing the way we coached, and that falls on me. And that's what I told the team afterwards, that I have to do a better job and we got to find a way to come back and play together for these seniors."
 
On the what are the issues over the last two games and how to get them corrected…
"I think consistency. It starts there. I thought we did a lot better job with the penalties. And obviously, that's something I preached all week and really harped on the guys is the discipline. And I knew that it was going to be one of those games, and I thought for the most part, besides one play, we held our emotions in check. Obviously the turnovers early and then obviously late. Putting a lot of points on the board – you can't have those if you want to win a game. I think it also comes down to the third down, the first half, that third down defense. We had them in third and long multiple times. And whether it was a penalty or them converting getting into that fourth and one, just can't have it if you're going to win a game. The third down defense and turnovers, that's a recipe for a loss if you can't win that battle."
 
On TJ Finley's performance as of late…
"I think we have to be better around him. TJ is a good player, and it kind of got away from us there at the end. I wouldn't put this one on TJ at all. TJ played really well at times. We just have to get better around him. And he's got to continue to get better, but that's everyone. Everyone's got to get better if we're going to win next week.
 
On Texas State's rush defense…
"We didn't play well enough. I'll have to watch the film, but credit to those guys. They ran the ball on us and we couldn't stop them."
 
On giving up 77 points…
"We gave them (touchdowns) with the turnovers and the kickoff return and all that kind of stuff. But I think everything's up for discussion. We got to get better as coaches. We got to get better doing what your coached to do. Injuries are part of it, so never going to blame it there. I thought that we did some good things. But then, obviously you know, just the third down defense is just not where it needs to be.
 
On what was going through his head after Arkansas State started to pull away…
"We've started really well the last 2 weeks. Taking the ball and going right down and score. They once again have another good return on special teams (after the opening score). We got to address that. We get them in a third and long situation, and they convert the third down. So it's just those plays that are just momentum killers. And then we were able to respond, and we go back down and get some points on the board, we go back and forth, and then we turn the ball over there and just can't do that. Then just kind of snowballed on us. The message after the game was don't point any fingers to anybody besides me. Don't point at your teammates. Y'all have to stay together. Don't point at your coaches, point at me. I got to do a better job of preparing you. I got to do a better job coaching these coaches and that's something I'll do. Besides that, we got to play for these seniors this last week. We got a big home game. We get to play at home and play for these seniors, and get some try to get some momentum going into the postseason.
 
On if he thinks the team is embarrassed by this game…
"I think there's always (some embarrassment). You're going to look at yourself hopefully, and see what you could do better. But ultimately, I'm the head coach. I got to do a better job.
 
On if the team has lost its edge after getting the sixth win a couple weeks ago…
"I think today was we just didn't play up to our standard on either side of the ball or on special teams. I have to watch the film and get a real feel for what happened. But we just got to be better. And we got to get our edge back. I preached all week about the penalties. Maybe that hurt us. They got a bunch of penalties and still won the game. So you know, we got to get our edge back.
 
 
Stats To Know
The loss snapped Texas State's three-game winning streak against Arkansas State. The Bobcats are 1-5 all-time in Jonesboro.
 
The 100-yard receiving game for Ashtyn Hawkins was his second this season and seventh of his career.
 
Texas State's 366 passing yards on Saturday moved its season total to 3,002 this season, which is the most in a season in the program's FBS era.
 
The Bobcats had two sacks – one by Dominique Ratcliff and another by Kaleb Ford-Dement – to give them 29.0 this season, which are a new FBS program record.
 
The seven rushing touchdowns allowed were the most surrendered by Texas State in a game in the program's FBS era. The previous record of six was set on Nov. 10, 2012 vs. Louisiana Tech.
 
The 77 points allowed surpassed the previous record for Texas State of 75 set in 1916 against Baylor.
 
 
Texas State's Standout Performers

• QB TJ Finley: 37-of-55, 366 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
• RB Donerio Davenport: 14 att, 76 yds
• WR Ashtyn Hawkins: 8 rec, 165 yds
• WR Kole Wilson: 10 rec, 68 yds, 2 TDs
• S Shawn Holton: 7 tackles
• DL Dominique Ratcliff: 4 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack

 
 
Up Next
Texas State will conclude its regular season with Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 25. The Bobcats will take on South Alabama at Bobcat Stadium with a 6 pm kickoff. Tickets are available at TXST.com/tickets.