2023 Texas State Football
Game #4
Texas State (2-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) vs. Nevada (0-3, 0-0 Mountain West)
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023
Bobcat Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
Kickoff: 6 PM
Buy Tickets
TV: ESPN+
            Brant Freeman (Play-by-play)
            Keith Moreland (Analyst)
            Koral Riggs (Sideline)
Radio: KTSW 89.9 & Varsity Network (free app)
            Clint Shields (Play-by-play)
            Geff Gandy (Analyst)
Live Stats
X/Twitter Updates: @TXSTATEFOOTBALL
 
 
SETTING THE TABLE
In its second home game in as many weeks, Texas State will host Nevada on Saturday at 6 pm at Bobcat Stadium to wrap up its nonconference schedule.
 
The Bobcats are off to their best start in 10 years thanks to an offense that is 12th in the country in scoring, a defense that is leading the nation in tackles for loss and is third in total sacks, and a special teams unit that is pacing all of FBS in kick return yards.
 
Texas State opened its 2023 home schedule last Saturday with a 77-34 win over Jackson State. The Bobcats scored their most points in a game in more than 100 years while also producing 684 yards of offense, including 399 on the ground.
 
Nevada, who beat Texas State last year to open the 2022 season in Reno, is 0-3 to start 2023. The Wolf Pack fell narrowly to Kansas, 31-24, last week.
 
The meeting between the Bobcats and Wolf Pack this week is the third all-time matchup between the two programs. Nevada leads the all-time series 2-0, which includes a 34-21 victory in San Marcos in 2012. Texas State has not beaten a team from the Mountain West Conference since 2013.
 
Saturday's game is Hispanic Heritage Day, Extra Yard for Teachers, and Strutters Founders' Day. Tickets are available at TXST.com/tickets.
 
 
STARTING OFF RIGHT

• Texas State is off to its best start since 2013 thanks to wins over Baylor and Jackson State in the first three games of the season.
• The last time Texas State started a season 2-1 was in 2013. That year, the Bobcats opened the year with a 22-15 road win at Southern Miss followed by a 28-3 victory over Prairie View A&M at home.
• Texas State has started a season with a 2-1 record 3 times in its FBS history: 2012, 2013 and 2023.
• The Bobcats have been 2-1 a total of 10 times this century.
• If Texas State were to win on Saturday against Nevada, it would also be the Bobcats' best 4-game start since 2013 (3-1).

 
Texas State's 2-1 Starts Since 2000
Year    First 3 Games  4th Game W/L            Final Rec
2023    2-1       ?          ?
2013    2-1       W        6-6
2012    2-1       L          4-8
2010    2-1       W        4-7
2009    2-1       L          7-4
2008    2-1       L          8-5
2005    2-1       W        11-3
2004    2-1       L          5-6
2002    2-1       W        4-7
2001    2-1       W        4-7
 
NEAR-RECORD OUTPUT

• The Bobcats scored 77 points in their last game as they defeated Jackson State, 77-34.
• The 77 points were the most by Texas State in a game in more than 100 years and fell one point shy of the all-time program record.
• The program record for points in a game is 78, which was set on Oct. 1, 1920 against Meridian College at Evans Field in San Marcos (W, 78-0).
• The 77 points is still a Division I program record for the Bobcats.
• The 77 points were also the most by a Sun Belt team since Louisiana scored 77 against Texas Southern on Sept. 14, 2019 (W, 77-6).
• Texas State's 77 points are now tied for the 3rd-most ever by a Sun Belt team.
• The Bobcats have scored more than 70 points 3 times in program history: 2023, 2005 (75-7 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State), 1920.

 
POINTS IN FIRST 3 GAMES

• Through the first 3 games of the season, Texas State has scored 132 points, its most to start a campaign in 42 years.
• The 132 points are the most since 1981 when Texas State (then known as Southwest Texas State) scored 150 points in the first 3 games.
• The Bobcats enter this Saturday ranked 12th in the nation in scoring offense. They are averaging 44.0 points per game.
• Last year, the Bobcats averaged 20.7 points through the first 3 games and finished the year 110th in the country in scoring offense (21.1).

 
MOST POINTS, FIRST 3 GAMES OF A SEASON
Texas State program history
Year    Total
1981    150
1951    141
2023    132
1920    129
 
NEARLY 700

• The scoring record was not the only record that Texas State nearly reset last Saturday against Jackson State as the Bobcats had 684 yards of offense, which was 13 shy of matching the program's all-time record.
• The Texas State program record for yards in a single game is 697 which was set in 2014 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
• The 684 total yards were the second-most by the Bobcats in a single game in program history.
• Texas State enters this week 37th in the country (4th among Sun Belt teams) in total offense with 455.7 yards per game.

 
MOST YARDS IN A SINGLE GAME
Texas State program history
Total        Date                         Opponent
697           Sept. 12, 2014          Arkansas Pine-Bluff
684           Sept. 16, 2023          Jackson State
680           Nov. 9, 1991             Prairie View A&M
668           Oct. 31, 1981           Texas A&M-Commerce
 
GROUND CONTROL

• Texas State's running game was heavily used in the win against Jackson State -- the Bobcats attempted only 4 passes in the second half -- and the return on the approach was a season-high 399 team rushing yards in the game.
• The 399 rushing yards were the 2nd-most in Texas State's FBS history and most since the Bobcats set the program's FBS record with 446 against New Mexico State on Dec. 1, 2012.
• Texas State averaged 9.7 yards per carry as a team against Jackson State (41 attempts). The week before at UTSA, the Bobcats averaged 1.1 yards per rush attempt.
• Each of the 6 Bobcats who had a rushing attempt in the game against the Tigers averaged 5.0 or more yards per carry. Ismail Mahdi averaged 25.7 yards on his 3 attempts.
• It was the second time in 3 games this season that Texas State had 100+ rushing yards as a team (143 at Baylor on Sept. 2).
• The Bobcats were led on the ground against Jackson State by quarterback Malik Hornsby (133 rushing yards) and running back Damarius Good (105 rushing yards).
• It was the first time Texas State had two 100-yard rushers in the same game since Oct. 20, 2007 vs. Stephen F. Austin.
• Hornsby was the first Texas State quarterback with a 100-yard rushing game since Willie Jones III in 2018.

 
IN THE MARGINS

• Texas State's 43-point win over Jackson State was its largest margin of victory in 9 years.
• The last time the Bobcats beat an opponent by 43 or more points was the 2014 season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff when it won 65-0.
• Dating back to last season, 5 of Texas State's last 6 wins have been by double-digits.
• Texas State's point margin of +45 points this season is its best in the first 3 games of a season during the program's Division I era (FBS & FCS) and best since 1983 (+102).
• The Bobcats are outscoring their opponents by an average score of 44.0-28.3 this season.

 
TENACIOUS D

• Texas State's defense was in attack mode once against last week against Jackson State as it finished with a season-high 13.0 TFLs.
• The 13.0 TFLs tied the program's FBS record for most in a game. The last time Texas State had 13.0 TFLs was on Dec. 1, 2012 against New Mexico State.
• Texas State has 3 of its 8 highest totals for TFLs in a game during its FBS era (since 2012) this season.
• The Bobcats have 10.0+ TFLs in all 3 games this season.
• This is the first time in the program's FBS history that the Bobcats have had 10.0+ TFLs in 3 different games in a single season.
• Texas State leads the country in TFLs entering the week with an average of 11.3 per game. It also leads the nation in total TFLs with 34.0.
• Twenty-one different Bobcats have at least 0.5 TFL this season. Last year, 17 Bobcats over the course of the entire season had at least 0.5 TFL.
• Five different Bobcats lead the team with 3.0 TFLs each: Ben Bell, Derick Mourning Jr., Caleb Coleman, Tavian Coleman and Brian Holloway.

 
MOST TFLs PER GAME IN THE NATION
Through Week 3
Rk        Total    Team
1.         11.3     Texas State
2.         10.7     Tennessee
3.         10.0     Marshall
            10.0     Arkansas
5.         9.5       Colorado State
 
MOST TFLs in a game, PROGRAM FBS HISTORY
Since 2012
Rk   Total       Date                            Opponent
1.     13.0        Sept. 16, 2023             Jackson State
        13.0        Dec. 1, 2012                New Mexico State
3.     12.0        Oct. 22, 2022              Southern Miss
        12.0        Oct. 15, 2016              ULM
5.     11.0        Sept. 9, 2023               UTSA
        11.0        Sept. 12, 2015             Prairie View A&M
7.     10.0        Sept. 2, 2023               Baylor
        10.0        Sept. 10, 2022             FIU
 
SACK ATTACK

• Powering the 13.0 TFLs last week against Jackson State were 6.0 team sacks by the Bobcats.
• The 6.0 sacks were the most in a game for Texas State since Sept. 2, 2017 against HCU when it also had 6.0 sacks.
• Texas State's 6.0 sacks against Jackson State were tied for the 2nd-most in a single game during the program's FBS history.
• Texas State enters this week 4th in the country in team sacks with 4.67 per game.
• In total sacks, Texas State is tied for 3rd in the country with 14.0.
• Ben Bell and Deven Wright lead the Bobcats with 2.0 sacks each this season.
• Twelve different Bobcats this year have at least half a sack.
• Texas State is also tied with Nebraska for the most yards lost on sacks with 104 apiece. The Bobcats and Huskers are the only 2 teams in the country with 100+ sack yards this year.

 
MOST SACKS IN THE NATION
Through Week 3
Rk     Total                    Total
1.      Wake Forest        16.0
2.      Louisiana             15.0
3.      Texas State          14.0
         Nebraska             14.0
5.      TCU                      13.0
 
MOST SACKS in a game, PROGRAM FBS HISTORY
Since 2012
Rk      Total       Date                                 Opponent
1.        8.0          Oct. 4, 2014                     Idaho
2.        6.0          Sept. 16, 2023                 Jackson State
           6.0          Sept. 2, 2017                   HCU
           6.0          Dec. 1, 2012                    New Mexico State
5.        5.0          Sept. 9, 2023                   UTSA
           5.0          Nov. 27, 2021                  Arkansas State
 
RETURN POLICY

• Texas State's special teams played a key role in its average field position of its own 37-yard line last week thanks in part to 183 kick return yards on its 6 attempts.
• Texas State's average of 30.5 kick return yards against Jackson State was fueled by Kole Wilson totaling 142 kick return yards on 3 attempts (average: 47.3).
• Texas State leads the country in kick return yards with 353 this season.
• The Bobcats are 15th in the country in kick returns this season with an average of 29.42 yards per return. They are 2nd among Sun Belt teams (App State, 30.80).
• Texas State is one of 9 teams at the FBS level this year with 3 kick returns of 30 yards or more and one of only 2 teams (other: Eastern Michigan) with 2 kickoff returns of 50 yards or more.

 
MOST KICK RETURN YARDS IN THE NATION
Through Week 3
Rk     Total     Team                           No. of Attempts
1.      353        Texas State                  12
2.      306        Louisiana                     14
3.      291        Vanderbilt                   12
4.      259        UNLV                           7
5.      254        Eastern Michigan        7
 
ALL-PURPOSE WILSON

• Kole Wilson finished the game against Jackson State with 192 all-purpose yards, the most by a Bobcat since Lincoln Pare had 224 in the 2022 season finale against Louisiana (221 rushing, 3 receiving).
• Wilson's 142 kick return yards were the most by a Bobcat since Jeremiah Haydel had 164 on Nov. 14, 2020 against Georgia Southern.
• Wilson is currently 2nd in the country in kick returns with a season average of 38.6 per return.
• Wilson is also 26th in the country in all-purpose yards per game this season with 125.7/game.
• He is the team's leading receiver with 13 catches for 184 yards and a TD.
• Last year in 10 games at UIW as a true freshman, Wilson had 18 receptions for 281 yards and a TD. He also had 238 kick return yards on 11 attempts.

 
TJ THE QB

• Quarterback TJ Finley has already established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the Sun Belt Conference.
• Finley is top-3 among Sun Belt quarterbacks this season in 6 major categories. He is also 4th in the Sun Belt in passing touchdowns with 6.
• Finley is 20th in the country in passing efficiency and 28th in passing yards per completion (13.82).

 
TJ FINLEY IN THE SUN BELT
Where the quarterback ranks entering Week 4
Category                                    Rank              Total
Passing Efficiency                       2nd                171.2
Points Responsible For              2nd                54
Passing Yards                             3rd                 760
Passing Yards/Game                  3rd                 253.3
Passing Yards/Completion         3rd                 13.82
Total Offense                             3rd                 256.7
 
MILESTONE WATCH

• Wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins had 3 catches for 38 yards and a touchdown against Jackson State as he reached one career milestone and neared another.
• Hawkins became a 1,000-yard receiver in his Texas State career as he enters this week with 1,008 yards in 24 career games.
• Texas State currently features 3 players with 1,000 career receiving yards: Hawkins, Joey Hobert (1,592) and Beau Corrales (1,290).
• The junior also needs 3 receptions for 100 in his career.
• Hawkins would become the 14th receiver in program history to have 100 career receptions and first since his former teammates Marcell Barbee (2020-22) and Javen Banks (2018-22) both had 101.
• In 24 career games as a Bobcat -- since 2021 -- Hawkins has 97 catches for 1,008 yards. He is averaging 4.0 receptions and 42.0 yards per game.

 
100-RECEPTION BOBCATS, FBS ERA
List of Texas State players with 100+ career receptions since 2012
Player                                       Career Receptions      Years
Hutch White                             116                              2016-19
Brandon Smith                         112                              2012-15
Tyler Watts                               102                              2015-18
Marcell Barbee                         101                              2020-22
Javen Banks                              101                              2018-22
 
BIG PLAY TRACKER

• Texas State has 23 plays of 20+ yards this season, including a season-high 11 last week against Jackson State.
• Among the 23 "big plays" from scrimmage for Texas State, 4 are for 40+ yards.
• The Bobcats are tied for 10th in the country in plays from scrimmage of 20 yards or more.
• They are one of 35 FBS teams with 3 plays of 50 yards or more. Running back Ismail Mahdi has 2 of those 50+ yard plays: a 65-yard rushing TD at Baylor and a 56-yard rushing TD against Jackson State.
• Last year, Texas State finished the season 119th in the country with 39 plays of 20+ yards from scrimmage.
• Of the 23 plays of 20+ yards, 17 are through the air and 6 are on the ground.

 
IN THE END ZONE

• Texas State has scored 20 touchdowns this season, including 12 on the ground and 8 through the air.
• The 8 rushing touchdowns against Jackson State were the most by a Sun Belt team since 2018 and T-3rd most in a game in Sun Belt history. It was also a Texas State FBS record.
• Two Bobcats are top-35 in the country in rushing touchdowns, led by running back Jahmyl Jeter who is 15th in the nation with 4. Quarterback TJ Finley is 35th in the country with 3 rushing touchdowns.
• Jeter is also 24th in the nation in total touchdowns with the 4 on the ground.
• Entering the season, Finley had 3 career rushing touchdowns before his 3 tabulated already this season.
• Last year, Jeter had 1 rushing touchdown.

 
3-1 STARTS

• Head coach GJ Kinne is looking to do something a Texas State head coach has not done in 26 years.
• If Texas State were to win on Saturday against Jackson State, Kinne would become the first Bobcat head coach to start his Texas State career with a 3-1 record since Bob DeBesse did it in 1997.

 
TEXAS STATE HEAD COACHES TO WIN 3 of their first 4 games TO START THEIR BOBCAT CAREERS
In program history
Coach                         Year                    4-Game Record               Final Record
Bob DeBesse              1997                   3-1                                   5-6
John O'Hara               1983                   3-1                                   9-2
Jim Wacker                1979                   4-0                                   7-4
Bill Miller                   1965                   3-1                                   8-2
Milton Jowers            1951                   4-0                                   6-3-1