SAN MARCOS, Texas – With the help of a career-high 216 rushing yards by
Ismail Mahdi, Texas State overcame a 17-0 halftime deficit on Saturday against Nevada and beat the Wolf Pack 35-24 at Bobcat Stadium for the program's largest come-from-behind win in its FBS history.
Â
The Bobcats (3-1), off to their best four-game start since 2013, scored touchdowns on five of its seven second-half drives to complete the comeback win. Mahdi had 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the final two quarters.
Â
Texas State finished with 276 rushing yards and 574 yards of total offense. It held the Wolf Pack (0-4) to 353 yards of offense, including 175 in the second half, and forced three second-half turnovers.
Â
The Wolf Pack built the 17-0 lead in the first half thanks to a field goal on their opening drive, an interception returned for a touchdown on the Bobcats' first drive, and a rushing touchdown early in the second quarter.
Â
Texas State had 197 yards of offense in the first half, but it came away scoreless on its four drives. In addition to the interception returned for a touchdown when they were in the red zone, the Bobcats had drives in the first half end in a punt, turnover on downs twice, and a fumble on the final play of the half.
Â
Nonetheless, Texas State rallied in the third quarter with three touchdowns.
TJ Finley found
Joey Hobert for a 25-yard pass in the back of the end zone to break the Nevada shutout and then Finley connected with
Kole Wilson for a 77-yard touchdown reception – the longest touchdown pass for Texas State in five years – to make it 17-14. Mahdi followed that up with rushing touchdowns of 46 and 36 yards to put the Bobcats in the lead.
Â
Malik Hornsby capped the scoring for the Bobcats in the fourth quarter with a 13-yard scamper and the Bobcats' third rushing touchdown in the game.
Â
Finley finished the game 25-of-31 with 295 yards and two passing touchdowns against one interception.
Â
The Texas State defense finished with the three takeaways, which resulted in 14 points off turnovers. The Bobcats forced a total of four fumbles, two of which were recovered in the second half.
Kaleb Ford-Dement had an interception in the closing seconds of the first half.
Â