Texas State (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt) vs North Texas (6-6, 3-5 American)

Friday, January 3, 2025
Gerald J. Ford Stadium | Dallas, Texas
Kickoff: 3 p.m. CT

TV: ESPN
            Tom Hart (Play-by-play)
            Jordan Rodgers (Analyst)
            Cole Cubelic (Sideline)

Radio: KTSW 89.9 & Varsity Network (free app)
            Clint Shields (Play-by-play)
            Geff Gandy (Analyst)

X/Twitter Updates: @TXSTATEFOOTBALL

OPENING DRIVE

• Texas State had an historic 2023 season that saw the program win its first bowl game, in its first appearance, a 45-21 victory over Rice in the SERVEPRO First Responder Bowl.
• The Bobcats set an FBS-program record with eight wins in 2023.
• Texas State posted the highest home season attendance average the program has seen in 2024 (22,649) besting the 2023 total, and had two sellouts at UFCU Stadium in 2024 (UTSA & Arkansas State).
• TXST is coming off a 45-38 win over South Alabama to close the regular season. Jordan McCloud passed for 248 yards and a TD, while Lincoln Pare added 96 yards and a TD on the ground and 66 receiving yards. Defensively, Mannie Nunnery had a 60-yard INT return TD.
• Jordan McCloud's 29 TD passes in 2024 set the Texas State single-season record.
• The Bobcats secured back-to-back winning seasons with the victory over South Alabama at 7-5, the first time since the 2008-09 seasons.
• North Texas, out of the American Athletic Conference, enters the match-up 6-6 after starting the season 5-1 and securing bowl eligibility in its final regular season game against Temple.
• The match-up includes two of the top offenses in the FBS, with both ranking in the top 10 in total offense. 

A WIN VS NORTH TEXAS MEANS

• The Bobcats win their second consecutive bowl game after winning the 2023 First Responder Bowl over Rice.
• TXST is 2-0 all-time in bowl games.
• Texas State wins 8 games for the second straight season, tying the FBS program record.
• GJ Kinne has back-to-back 8-win seasons, first coach since Jim Wacker 1981(13)-82(14).
• The Bobcats improve to 8-29-3 in the all-time series with North Texas

THE MATCH-UP
For the second consecutive season, the Texas State football team is headed to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl and will face North Texas out of the American Athletic Conference.

Texas State finished the 2024 season 7-5 overall with a 5-3 record in Sun Belt Conference action, giving the Bobcats consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2008-09 and matching the most conference wins at the FBS level. The Bobcats also won three games in November to close out the regular season for the first time since 2014, and it was the first season since 2014 with three road wins.

TXST defeated Rice, 45-21, in the 2023 edition of the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, the program's first bowl appearance in program history. The 26,542 announced attendance set the bowl game attendance record for Ford Stadium.

North Texas finished the season 6-6 overall and 3-5 in league play. Texas State is 7-29-3 all time against the Mean Green, with North Texas winning the last match up 27-14 in 1994. This will be the first meeting of the teams at the FBS level.

UNT is 3-11 all-time in bowl games, with the most recent a 35-32 loss to Boise State in the 2022 Frisco Bowl.

Two of the nation's top offenses during the regular season, UNT ranked 3rd nationally in total offense (488.7) with the Bobcats coming in at 6th (474.3). TXST's scoring offense was 11th (37.1), while the Mean Green 26th (34.0). Defensively, TXST held opponents to 24.3 points per game and 346.5 yards of total offense against UNT's 34.5 and 456.6.

VICTORY STAR
Texas State played in, and won, its first bowl game in 2023, a 45-21 victory over Rice in the SERVEPRO First Responder Bowl.

• The Bobcats set an FBS program record for wins in a season with 8.
• The last time Texas State had 8 wins in a season was in 2008 when the Bobcats were 8-4 in the regular season and finished the year with a first-round loss at Montana in the Division I-AA (FCS) Playoffs first round.
• Texas State has 14 seasons in its program history with 8 or more wins.

THE KINNE EFFECT
In his first year, Texas State head coach GJ Kinne took the Bobcats to a place they have never gone -- a bowl game -- and did something that has not been done in 40 years.

• Kinne is the first Texas State head coach to have a winning season in his first campaign at the helm of the Bobcats since Dennis Franchione in 1990 (6-5).
• With the bowl win, Kinne became the first, first-year head coach at Texas State to win 8 or more games since John O'Hara in 1983 (9-3). O'Hara took over the Bobcats after they won back-to-back DII national championships under Jim Wacker in 1981 and 1982.
• Prior to Kinne, only 2 Texas State head coaches in the program's history had won 8 or more games in their first season: O'Hara (1983) and Bill Miller (8-2 in 1965).
• Kinne was named the 21st head coach in Texas State's history on Dec. 2, 2022 (one day after his 34th birthday).

EXCITING BRAND OF FOOTBALL
One thing that GJ Kinne and the rest of the Texas State coaching staff installed in their first year was an offense that has produced at its highest level in the Bobcats' FBS history.

• Texas State finished the 2023 season ranked 11th in the country in scoring offense (36.7) and 15th in total offense (457.6).
• Texas State finished 28th in the country in passing offense (270.9) and 26th in rushing offense (186.7).
• Entering 2023 as an FBS team, Texas State had never ranked higher than 24th in the nation in total offense. In 2014, the Bobcats finished the season 24th in total offense, which was the only time they had been in the nation's top-50 in that category.
• Also entering the season, Texas State's highest finish as an FBS team in rushing offense was 18th (2014) and passing offense was 56th (2020).
• Its best finish in scoring offense at the FBS level was 31st in 2014.
• The Texas State offense averaged 132.4 more yards per game in 2023 compared to 2022.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Comparing averages and national rank
 

	2022		2023
Category	Total	Rank	Total	Rank
Total Offense	325.2	112	457.6	15
Scoring Offense	21.1	110	36.7	11
Passing Offense	221.1	79	270.9	28
Rushing Offense	104.1	119	186.7	26

TXST in 2024 (regular season)

Category	Total	Rank
Total Offense	474.3	6
Scoring Offense	37.1	11
Passing Offense	265.5	29
Rushing Offense	208.8	16

A FINE LINE
TXST State started the same offensive line for all 12 regular season games in 2024 - Strawn, Jones, Todd, Lockette, Harkey. The bowl game will see a new addition to the unit with Alex Harkey entering the transfer portal. Nash Jones leads the line, and TXST with 51 career starts, 18 as a Bobcat.    

ON THE OFFENSIVE
While Texas State's offense finished the 2022 season 11th in the country in scoring offense, it became the nation's most improved scoring offense over the 2023 season.

• Texas State improved its scoring output from 21.1 points per game in 2022 to 36.7 in 2023 (+15.6). (37.1 in 2024)
• The Bobcats' 36.7 points per game in 2023 marked the first time they averaged more than 28 points per game since 2014 when they averaged 33.8.

LET'S GET ACTIVE
Quarterback Jordan McCloud ranks in the top five among FBS active players in touchdown passes and total TDs responsible for and the top 15 for completions, completion %, passing yards, total plays and total offense.
 

TD Pases	87	5
Total TDs Responsible For	107	5
Passing Yards	9,828	13
Total Plays	1,606	13
Total Offense	10,812	14
Completions	820	13
Completion %	65.2%	13

STAYIN' ALIVE
Joey Hobert has an active streak of 34 straight games with a reception dating back to Dec. 31, 2021.

Hobert has 4 multi-TD games at Texas State (3 in 2024), and 9 overall.

2024 games
vs. Lamar | 6-91, 2TD
vs. Sam Houston | 8-75, 2TD
vs. Arkansas State | 10-101, 2TD

• Hobert was one of the top targets for Texas State in 2023.
• Led the team with 76 receptions for 895 yards and 8 receiving touchdowns. 
• Receptions and receiving yards were both FBS program records.
• Hobert, who missed 2 of the last 3 games of the season, is second all-time on TXST's single-season reception list.
• Hobert is tied for 5th in the program's history for most receiving touchdowns in a season with the 8.
• Also ranks in the top 10 for career receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs.

FAST START
The Bobcats have outscored their opponents 155-55 in the first quarter of games this season and 261-161 through the first half. TXST has also held 5 opponents (Lamar, Sam Houston, Troy, ULM & Southern Miss) scoreless in the first quarter and 2 in the first half (Lamar & ULM).

IN THE RANKINGS
TXST players in the nation's top 20 (regular season)...

Player	Category	Value	Rank
McCloud	Completion %	69.6%	9
	Passing Efficiency	158.9	12
	Passing TDs	29	4
	Points Resp For	220	4
	Points Resp For/Game	18.3	5
Nolan	Fumbles Recovered	2	16
Sparks	Punt Return TDs	1	2

TAKE BACK TEXAS
At the conclusion of the regular season, Texas State has a .600 winning % dating back to the start of the 2023 season, and is one of only four FBS teams in Texas to win eight games in 2023.

	2024	2023	Total	%
Texas	11-2	12-2	23-4	.852
SMU	11-2	11-3	22-5	.812
TXST	7-5	8-5	15-10	.600
Texas A&M	8-4	7-6	15-10	.600
UTSA	6-6	9-4	15-10	.600
Texas Tech	8-4	7-6	15-10	.600
TCU	8-4	5-7	13-11	.542
Sam Houston	9-3	3-9	12-12	.500
North Texas	6-6	5-7	11-13	.458
Baylor	8-4	3-9	11-13	.458
Rice	4-8	6-7	10-15	.400
Houston	4-8	4-8	8-16	.333
UTEP	3-9	3-9	6-18	.250

HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN
The Bobcats sold out 2 of 7 home games this season with crowds of 28,000 against UTSA and Arkansas State. It was the first Sun Belt Conference sellout for TXST on Oct. 12.

Single-Game Attendance Highs (Home)
Rk     Date Attendance Opponent
1.     Sept. 24, 2016 - 33,133 Houston
2.     Sept. 8, 2012 - 33,006 Texas Tech
3.     Sept. 13, 2014 - 32,007 Navy
4.     Sept. 23, 2017 - 31,333 UTSA
5.     Oct. 12, 2024 - 28,000 Arkansas State
        Sept. 7, 2024 - 28,000 UTSA

Records in 2024
Highest single-season average - 22,649 (was 21,184)
Only season with 2 games in the top 5 for largest crowds
4 games in 2024 in the top 15 for largest crowds

3,000/2,500 CLUB
Texas State was the only team in the FBS to finish the regular season with 3,000 passing yards and 2,500 rushing yards. TXST had 3,186 passing yards off 394 attempts and 2,506 yards on the ground off 484 carries.

MAKING OUR POINT
While Texas State's offense was one of the highest scoring in the country in 2023, the season was also its highest scoring in the school's FBS history.

• Texas State set an FBS school record with 477 points scored, besting the previous mark of 406 set in 2014.
• The Bobcats are at 445 in 2024, marking only the third time in the school's FBS history that the Bobcats scored 400+ points in a single season (2023, 2014).
• The 477 points were the most points scored by TXST in any season besting the 470 in 13 games in 2008 as an FCS program. That year, Texas State scored 457 points in 12 regular season games (432 in 2023 regular season).
• Texas State scored 40+ points in 6 games last season, which topped the overall program record of 5 previously set in 1967 and 1983 (5 in 2024).
• The Bobcats scored 265 points in conference-play in 2023 (8 games). In 2022, Texas State scored 253 points all season (12 games).
• TXST averaged 36.9 points in conference games in 2024, scoring 295.

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
Texas State's offense set the FBS program record for most yards in a season in 2023.

• Texas State's 5,961 total yards of offense bested the program's previous FBS record of 5,573 set in 2014.
• The overall program record for most yards of total offense in a season is 6,147 set in 2005 (14 games).
• The Bobcats had 486+ yards of offense 6 times in 2023, a yardage total they matched exactly to open the 2024 season.

450+ in 2024
Lamar | 486
UTSA | 504
Troy | 467
Arkansas State | 591
Southern Miss | 703 PROGRAM RECORD
Georgia State | 459
South Alabama | 530

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

AIR ATTACK
Texas State's passing offense set the FBS and overall program record for most yards in a season in 2023.

• Texas State had 3,522 passing yards in 2023, which marked the first time since 2008 that the Bobcats totaled more than 3,000 yards in the air. 
• The overall program record for passing yards in a season was 3,499 set in 2008 (13 games).
• Texas State had 200+ passing yards in all but 2 games in 2023 (10 of 12 in 2024).
• The Bobcats have only thrown for 3,000+ yards in a season 5 times in program history: 2003, 2008, 2009, 2023, 2024.
• Texas State has 5 300-yard passing games in 2024, which ties the FBS program record set in 2023.
• The Bobcats also set the overall program record for most completions in a season with 287 in 2023. The previous record was 264 in 2009.

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

GROUND GAME
Despite throwing for more than 3,500 yards in 2023, the Bobcat offense was also one of the best in the country and in the program's FBS history in rushing.

• Texas State rushed for 2,439 yards last season, which was the second-most in the program's FBS history (2,862 in 2014).
• Texas State has now rushed for more than 2,000 yards in a season 6 times in the program's 12 years at the FBS level. The first 4 instances, though, were in the first 4 years in FBS (also 2023).
• The Bobcats finished the season as one of 35 FBS team to register 3,000+ passing yards and 2,000+ rushing yards.

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

On the other side of the ball, Texas State has held opponents under 101 rushing yards four times this season and is 3-1 in those outings.
vs Lamar | 51 yds
vs UTSA | 82 yds
vs Arizona State | 101 yds
at Troy | 63 yds

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM
Kicker Beckham Sunderland, currently in his first season as a Bobcat, spent three seasons (2020-22) on the roster as a goalkeeper for FC Cincinnati in the MLS. He was the first homegrown player ever signed by the club. Prior to his time with FC Cincinnati, Sunderland joined the team's academy in its inaugural season, making nine starts. He also spent time in the academies of the Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire before signing with FC Cincinnati.

GETTING TO THE BACKFIELD
In addition to Texas State having one of the best offenses in the country, it finished second in the nation in TFLs and tied for 9th in sacks in 2023.

• Texas State registered 7 sacks in the 2024 opener against Lamar. The most for TXST in an FBS game behind eight vs Idaho on Oct. 4, 2024 and the most since six against South Alabama Nov. 5, 2023.
• The Bobcats have 33 sacks for 261 yards this season, finished with 40 in 2023.
• TXST finished the regular season 24th in the nation (3 SBC) with 2.75 sacks/game and 10th (1 SBC) with 7.4 TFLs.
• The Bobcats had 108 TFLs in 2023, 2nd in the nation and an FBS program record, and were 16 shy of matching the overall program record of 124 set in 1982 (90 in 2024).
• Texas State's 40 sacks were an FBS program record and most in any season for Texas State since it had 41 in 1997.
• The overall program record for sacks in a season is 58.5 set in 1982.
• Texas State had 7 games in 2023 of 10+ TFLs and 8 games of 3.0+ sacks - 2024: 3/7

THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS
2023 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist Mason Shipley finished last season 15-of-15 on field goals.

• Shipley tied his former teammate Seth Keller (2021, 2022) for the overall program record for most field goals made in a season.
• Shipley finished as one of two kickers to not miss a field goal in 2023.
• In 2022 & 2023 Texas State kickers (Shipley & Keller) went 30-of-32 on FB (93.8%).
• Shipley set the TXST and Sun Belt Conference record with a 60-yard field goal against Sam Houston (9.28).

ALL IN THE FAMILY
TXST has a handful of players with family NFL ties.
Jordan McCloud - Brother - Ray Ray
Joey Hobert - Father - Billy Joe
Tory Spears - Father - Marcus
Jordan Williams - Father Roy