Texas State (0-0) vs. Lamar (0-0)
Home Opener and Bowl Championship Celebration

Saturday, August 31, 2024
UFCU Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
Kickoff: 7 PM

2024 Season Preview Show

TV: ESPN+
            Brant Freeman (Play-by-play)
            Keith Moreland (Analyst)
Radio: KTSW 89.9 & Varsity Network (free app)
            Clint Shields (Play-by-play)
            Geff Gandy (Analyst)
X/Twitter Updates: @TXSTATEFOOTBALL

Live Stats

SETTING THE SCENE

• Texas State is coming off a 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.
• Texas State is receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll to open the 2024 season.
• Texas State posted the highest season attendance average the program has seen in 2023 at 21,184 (127,102 total).
• The Bobcats will play four weekday (non-Saturday) games in 2024. TXST has not played a weekday game since Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019.
• Texas State finished 7-2 across nine games played in the state of Texas in 2023.
• Texas State welcomed 2023 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year Jordan McCloud to San Marcos. McCloud spent 2023 at JMU after stops at Arizona and USF.
• Jordan McCloud and Ismail Mahdi were named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, while McCloud also earned Walter Camp Award preseason accolades.
• Saturday marks the 23rd all-time meeting between Texas State and Lamar. The Bobcats are 3-2 in the last five meetings and posted a streak of five straight from 1962-1984.

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 is 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	112th	457.6	15th
Scoring Offense	21.1	110th	36.7	11th
Passing Offense	221.1	79th	270.9	28th
Rushing Offense	104.1	119th	186.7	26th

ON THE OFFENSIVE
While Texas State's offense finished 11th in the country in scoring offense, it became the nation's most improved scoring offense entering 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). 
• The Bobcats' 36.7 points per game in 2023 marked the first time they have averaged more than 28 points per game since 2014 when they averaged 33.8.

PLAY FAST, GO BIG
Part of Texas State's unprecedented scoring output is its ability to play fast and hit big plays.

• The Bobcats tied for 19th in the nation with 215 plays from scrimmage of 10+ yards.
• Texas State had 76 plays of 20+ yards, which tied for 17th in the country.
• Texas State was tied for 13th in the country in pace of offense with a play every 23.1 seconds. Jacksonville State led the country at 20.3

GOING FOR A DRIVE

• Texas State's offense scored on 45% of its drives (57 TD, 15 FG on 160 drives) in 2023.
• Texas State was 7-1 when it scored on 40 percent or higher of its offensive drives in a game, with wins against Baylor (50%), Jackson State (85%), Nevada (42%), Southern Miss (43%), ULM (42%), Georgia Southern (64%), and South Alabama (50%). Its lone loss was against Louisiana (60%).
• The Bobcats averaged 2.66 points per drive in non-garbage time drives against FBS opponents, according to BCFToys.com, the 29th best in the country.
• Texas State averaged 10+ yards per play on 23 percent of its drives, which was 8th-best in the nation according to BCFToys.com (non-garbage time drives against FBS opponents only). 

PCT. OF OFFENSIVE DRIVES AVERAGING 10+ YARDS
According to BCFToys.com
Rk    School    Pct.
1.    LSU    35.7
2.    Georgia    31.9
3.    Oregon    28.6
4.    USC    26.4
5.    Liberty    24.4
6.    Kansas    23.7
7.    Washington    23.3
8.    Texas State    22.7
9.    Oklahoma    22.5
10.    Georgia Tech    22.4    

TALKING POINTS
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.
• It was only the second time in the school's FBS history that the Bobcats have scored 400+ points in a single season (406 in 2014).
• The 477 points were the most points scored by Texas State 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.
• The Bobcats scored 265 points in conference-play in 2023 (8 games). In 2022, Texas State scored 253 points all season (12 games).

SCORING OFFENSE, TXST'S FBS HISTORY
Top seasons since 2012

Rk	Year	Points	Games
1.	2023	477	13
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.
• 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. They had 479 yards of offense against South Alabama to close the regular season.

TOTAL OFFENSE, TXST'S FBS HISTORY
Top seasons since 2012

Rk	Year	Total Yards	Games
1.	2023	5,961	13
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.
• The Bobcats have only thrown for 3,000+ yards in a season 4 times in program history: 2003, 2008, 2009, 2023.
• Texas State had 5 300-yard passing games in 2023, which is an FBS program record.
• The Bobcats also set the overall program record for most completions in a season with 287. 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
3.	2009	3,178	11
4.	2003	3,129	12

GROUND GAME
Despite throwing for more than 3,500 yards in 2023 -- and ranking 26th in the country with that total -- 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 rushed for more than 2,000 yards in a season 5 times in the program's 12 years at the FBS level. The first 4 instances, though, were in the first 4 years in FBS.
• 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
2.	2023	2,439	529
3.	2015	2,248	470
4.	2012	2,152	413
5.	2013	2,058	471

TALKING THAT ISH
Texas State's leading rusher Ismail Mahdi, who was named an All-American by four different organizations, had 1,331 rushing yards on 223 carries in 2023.

• Mahdi became the program's FBS record holder for rushing yards in a season, a feat he accomplished in his first season as a Bobcat after transferring from HCU.
• In addition to being the program's FBS record holder, Mahdi is the first 1,200-yard rusher at Texas State since Claude Mathis set the school's overall record with 1,595 yards in 1997.
• Mahdi is 4th in program history for most rushing yards in a season.
• There have been only 3 Bobcats who have rushed for 1,300 yards in a season including Mahdi. Claude Mathis (twice) and Donald Wilkerson (1994) accomplished the feat, while Mahdi became the first Bobcat to do it this century.
• Mahdi finished the 2023 season ranked 13th in the country in rushing yards and rushing yards per game (102.4).
• Mahdi had 6 100-yard games in 2023.

MOST RUSHING YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State Overall History

Rk	Player	Rush Yds	Year
1.	Claude Mathis	1,595	1997
2.	Claude Mathis	1,593	1996
3.	Donald Wilkerson	1,569	1994
4.	Ismail Mahdi	1,331	2023
5.	Claude Mathis	1,289	1995
6.	Roy Jackson	1,187	1986

ALL-PURPOSE PLAYER
While Ismail Mahdi was the team's leading rusher, he led the nation in all-purpose yards.

• Mahdi entered the bowl season as the only player in the country with 2,000 or more all-purpose yards and finished as one of only two at 2,000+ (2,169).
• He also led the country in all-purpose yards per game with 166.85.
• Mahdi was named a first team All-American as an all-purpose player by CBS Sports/247Sports and a second team All-American as an all-purpose player by the FWAA, ESPN and The Athletic.
• Mahdi became the third Bobcat in the program's FBS history to earn first team All-American honors from a publication, joining Keenen Brown (PFF, 2018 as a tight end) and Jeremiah Haydel (ESPN, 2020 as a return specialist).
• Mahdi is the 48th different Bobcat in school history to be named an All-American.
• Mahdi added 12 total touchdowns to go with his 2,000+ all-purpose yards.
• Mahdi finished 3rd in the program's overall history for most all-purpose yards in a season (2,169).
• Mahdi's season-high for all-purpose yards in a game in 2023 was 316 yards at Southern Miss on Sept. 30 (138 kick return yards, 89 rushing yards, 89 receiving yards).

MOST ALL-PURPOSE YARDS IN A SEASON
Texas State program history

Rk	Yards	Player	Year
1.	2,330	Karrington Bush	2008
2.	2,274	Claude Mathis	1995
3.	2,169	Ismail Mahdi	2023
4.	2,048	Donald Wilkerson	1994
5.	1,851	Claude Mathis	1996
6.	1,750	Karrington Bush	2010

GOOD RECEPTION
Joey Hobert was one of the top targets for Texas State in 2023.

• Hobert, a first-year transfer out of Utah Tech (FCS), led the team with 76 receptions for 895 yards and 8 receiving touchdowns. 
• Hobert's 76 receptions and 895 receiving yards are 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 -- as well as Kole Wilson -- are tied for 5th in the program's history for most receiving touchdowns in a season with the 8.

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.

• The Bobcats had 108 TFLs, 2nd in the nation and an FBS program record, and were 16 shy of matching the overall program record of 124 set in 1982.
• 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.
• The Bobcats finished 9th in the country with an average of 3.08 sacks per game this year.
• Texas State had 7 games this season of 10+ TFLs and 8 games of 3.0+ sacks.
• The Bobcats had 26 different players credited with a TFL and 19 with a sack in 2023.

RECORD CHASERS
The two biggest pieces to Texas State's TFL and sack production were defensive end Ben Bell and linebacker Brian Holloway.

• Holloway paced the team with 16.0 TFLs, an FBS program record and 3 shy of tying the overall school record.
• Bell finished with 16.0 TFLs, tied for the team best, and added 10.0 sacks.
• The 10.0 sacks by Bell set the program's FBS single-season record.

MOST TFLs IN TXST'S OVERALL HISTORY

Rk	Total	Player	Year
1.	19.0	Greg Pitts	2002
2.	18.0	Fred Evans	2005
3.	17.5	Fred Evans	2004
4.	16.0	Brian Holloway	2023
	16.0	Ben Bell	2023
	16.0	Clenton Ballard	2000
	16.0	Sterling Rogers	2000

MOST SACKS IN A SEASON
Texas State FBS History (Since 2012)

Rk	Total	Player	Year
1.	10.0	Ben Bell	2023
2.	9.0	Michael Odiari	2014
3.	6.0	Nelson Mbanasor	2022

THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS
Lou Groza Award Semifinalist Mason Shipley finished 2023 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.
• Over the last 2 seasons, Texas State kickers (Shipley & Keller) are 30-of-32 on field goals (93.8 percent).

RETURN POLICY
Texas State had 2 kick returns for touchdowns in 2023, including one by Ismail Mahdi (Sept. 30 at Southern Miss) and the other by Kole Wilson (Nov. 25 vs. South Alabama).

• It was only the second time in program history that the Bobcats have had 2 or more kick return touchdowns in a season (2 in 2013).
• Texas State ended the season as one of 7 teams in the country with multiple kick return touchdowns.
• The Bobcats finished the season ranked 5th in the nation in kick return average with 26.08 yards per return.
• Texas State led the nation in kick return yards with 1,017.
• Mahdi finished 14th in the nation in kick return average (25.6 yards per return).
• Mahdi's 563 kick return yards are the 4th-most by a Bobcat in a season in Texas State's FBS history.