MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Mannie Nunnery's 60-yard pick-6 in the fourth quarter provided enough safe distance for Texas State and it went on to beat South Alabama 45-38 in a back-and-forth affair on Friday.
With the win, the Bobcats (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt Conference) spoiled South Alabama's outside hopes of a conference title.
Not only did the Jaguars need to beat Texas State, but it also needed UL Monroe (5-6, 3-4) to knock off Louisiana (9-2, 6-1) on Saturday to claim the Sun Belt Conference West Division.
Nunnery's interception return gave Texas State a 45-35 advantage, the largest lead either team had all game. Before the score, Texas State took the lead for good when Jordan McCloud threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Joey Hobert with 11:39 left to play in the game. The Bobcats used a 12-play, 90-yard drive that lasted five minutes to reclaim the lead.
Ismail Mahdi ran for 147 yards and 20 carries and scored a touchdown for the Bobcats. McCloud threw for 248 yards, a touchdown and was intercepted twice.
Lopez threw for 190 yards and a touchdown and was intercepted twice. Fluff Bothwell ran for 81 yards on six carries and scored two touchdowns for South Alabama (6-6, 5-3).
Texas State Postgame Notes – November 29, 2024
Texas State 45 (7-5, 5-3), South Alabama 38 (6-6, 5-3)
Attendance: 15,569
Hancock Whitney Stadium | Mobile, Alabama
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NEXT GAME: TBD
Coach GJ Kinne
"Just a huge win, on the road. That's a culture win right there, that's who wanted it more, a lot of adversity and a lot of back and forth and we were able to come out on top. So just super proud of the boys. We gotta be the best 7-5 team in the country. A lot to reflect on, a lot to get better at. But you know two years in a row, with a winning record is a big deal around here. We're going to enjoy all of the wins, it wasn't pretty but we're gonna enjoy all of them."
We talk all the time about how hard it is to win in November. Three wins for the first time in November since 2014, what does that mean?
We got a great group of coaches and a great group of players, and when things get tough and things don't go our way, we're able to respond. That just shows you the direction of this program, we're just getting started and just really proud of the guys.
What is the mindset after today and heading into the postseason after a win?
Lots of momentum, for our team, recruiting, the portal, NIL. Just winning, winning helps everything
RB Lincoln Pare
We've heard about this season being a roller coaster, two wins, two losses, that kind of thing. So what did it mean to finish out the regular season with that win?
Man, it was big. The message all week was finish out for the seniors. So, to be able to get those seniors that last win and really propel ourselves for a good bowl game was big for the team.
Along those lines, talk about the resilience of this team, just overall.
It's been big, we've had guys get hurt, we've had guys go down. So just taking Coach Kinne's message and going on the field and giving everything we got and I feel like we did that.
For you specifically, the rushing number wasn't maybe as high as we've seen in other games, but it was balanced, receiving yards, rushing yards, what's going through your head during the game?
Just win the game, whatever I gotta do to help the team win is what I was going to do today.
On the defensive side of the ball, two huge picks from those guys, just talk a little bit about the counterpart to such a dominant offense.
It's phenomenal. Coach Dex, he does a great job. All of those guys rally to the ball every play. Just to see a guy like Manny get a pick six for us and that other pick just huge. The defense coming up big for us, us telling them we got them, and they got us right back.
We don't know about when or who for a bowl game yet, but what are the next couple weeks going to look like for you guys?
Everybody is just getting healthy and getting the corrections in and then just getting ready to see what bowl game we're going to go to.
TEAM NOTES
Captains: Nash Jones,
Mason Shipley,
Ismail Mahdi,
Kaleb Culp,
Tory Spears,
Jordan McCloud,
Joey Hobert
Series vs. South Alabama: 6-4
Road: 1-4
- The Bobcats improve to 6-4 in the all-time series with South Alabama.
- TXST wins on the road for the first time in the series after going 5-0 at home.
- Texas State wins 7 regular season games for the third time since entering the FBS ranks in 2012 (2014, 2023).
- TXST secures back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2008 (8-5) - 2009 (7-4).
- The Bobcats win 3 games in November for the first time since 2014 (3-2).
- TXST moves to 2-2 in non-Saturday games in 2024, including 2-1 in Sun Belt play.
- First season with 3+ road wins since 2014.
Head Coach GJ Kinne
Career Record: 27-12
Career FBS Record: 15-10
Record at TXST: 15-10
Fast Start
- TXST has outscored opponents 155-55 in the 1st quarter
- Outscored opponents 261-161 in 1st half
Texas State had 2 quarterbacks with a rushing TD – Jackson (1), McCloud (1)
- Last time TXST had 2 quarterbacks with a rushing TD – at ULM (11/9/2024)
- Jackson (2), McCloud (1)
TXST had 4 rushing TDs – 3rd time this season with 4+ (5 vs UTSA, 4 at ULM)
- 6th time this season with 200+ rushing yards
TXST had 337 yards of total offense in the first half – 3rd highest total in 2024 (UTSA 394, Southern Miss 384)
Finished with 530 yards total offense - 4th time this season with 500+
TXST scored 40+ points for the 5th time in 2024 and second consecutive game
TXST had 2 INTs by 2 different players (Jackson, Nunnery) – first time this season with multiple
SCORING OFFENSE, TXST'S FBS HISTORY (Top seasons since 2012)
Rk Year Points Games
1. 2023 477 13
-- 2024 445 12
2. 2014 406 12
3. 2012 343 12
4. 2020 332 12
5. 2015 323 12
TOTAL OFFENSE, TXST'S FBS HISTORY (Top seasons since 2012)
Rk Year Total Yards Games
1. 2023 5,961 13
-- 2024 5,692 12
2. 2014 5,573 12
3. 2015 5,000 12
4. 2012 4,557 12
MOST PASSING YARDS, TXST HISTORY (Most passing yards in a season, overall history)
Rk Year Passing Yds Games
1. 2023 3,522 13
2. 2008 3,499 13
-- 2024 3,186 12
3. 2009 3,178 11
4. 2003 3,129 12
MOST TEAM RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON (Texas State's FBS history)
Rk Year Rushing Yds Attempts
1. 2014 2,862 538
-- 2024 2,506 484
2. 2023 2,439 529
3. 2015 2,248 470
4. 2012 2,152 413
5. 2013 2,058 471
Individual Stats
Jordan McCloud | QB
Passing: 21-28-1, 248 yards, TD
Rushing: 5-27, TD
- 6th game in 2024 with a passing and rushing TD
- 36 single-season TDs responsible for (29 pass, 7 rush) – PROGRAM RECORD
- 29 passing TDs – extends TXST single-season record (T8 for career)
Career active numbers (NCAA Rank heading into South Alabama)
TD passes | 87 (5)
Total TDs responsible for | 107 (5)
Passing Yards | 9,828 (13)
Total Offense | 10,812 (14)
Completions | 820 (12)
Brad Jackson | QB
3-13 yards rushing, TD
Lincoln Pare | RB
Receiving: 5-66 yards
Rushing: 26-96 yards TD
Ismail Mahdi | RB
20-47 yards, TD
- 4th 100-yard game in 2024
- 9th career 100-yard game (8th at TXST)
- 4th rushing TD of season
Joey Hobert | WR
7-80 yards, TD
- Now has a reception in 34 straight games dating back to Dec. 31, 2021
- 66 season receptions – T5 at TXST by a player
- 8th receiving TD in 2024 (first since 10/12 vs Arkansas State)
- T5 for a player in a season at TXST (matches 2023 total)
Kole Wilson | WR
3-63 yards
- Now has a reception in 30 straight games dating back to Nov. 5, 2022
Darius Jackson | S
2 tkls, 1 INT
Mannie Nunnery | LB
2 tkls, 1 INT, TD
- 1st career INT/INT Return for a TD
- 60 yard INT return
Kalil Alexander | DE
5 tkls, 2 TFL
Tavian Coleman | DT
4 tkls, 2.0 TFL, Sack
