Head Coach GJ Kinne Postgame
RB Mahdi Postgame | WR Hobert Postgame

SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) — Jordan McCloud threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns and Texas State (1-0) used a fast start to hold off Lamar (0-1) for a 34-27 season-opening win on Saturday.

The Bobcats built a 15-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, and a field goal early in the second extended the lead to 18 points which Texas State took to intermission.

Texas State led 34-17 with 5:29 left when McCloud threw a 30-yard scoring pass to Joey Hobert. Following a missed point-after attempt, Lamar marched 75 yards in five plays capped by Robert Coleman's 9-yard touchdown to Jayden Boyd with 4:11 left to reduce the Cardinals' deficit to 34-24 .

Lamar's defense forced a three-and-out and Chris Esqueda kicked a 27-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining to make it 34-27.

The Cardinals recovered the on-side kick but never advanced the ball beyond midfield.

Ismail Mahdi ran for 156 yards on 28 carries and his 1-yard plunge at the end of the first made it 15-0 for Texas State.

Texas State returns to action Saturday at home against UTSA. Kick is slated for 3 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
 
Texas State Postgame Notes – August 31, 2024

Texas State 34 (1-0), 27 Lamar (0-1)
Attendance: 19,637
UFCU Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
*First game as UFCU Stadium
Media Guide | Roster | Schedule

NEXT GAME: vs. UTSA | Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 | 3 p.m.
UFCU Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Varsity Network/89.9 FM KTSW

TEAM NOTES
Captains: Jordan McCloud, Joey Hobert, Tory Spears, Kaleb Culp, Nash Jones, Ben Bell, Mason Shipley

Texas State opened the season receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

Texas State held Lamar scoreless in the first half

• Last time TXST held an opponent scoreless in a half – vs. Rice, 12/26/23 (2nd)
• Last time TXST held an opponent scoreless in the first half – vs. HCU, 9/24/22

Texas State opens the season 1-0

• Won third straight home opener
• Won second straight season opener
• Moves to 1-0 at home – went 5-1 at home in 2023 (its best home record since 2005, 6-0 regular season)
• Has won three straight dating back to 2023
• 486 yards total offense (10x in 2023)
• 213 yards rushing (41 attempts) – rushed for 200+ 4x in 2023
• 7 sacks - most in 2023 was 6 (2x)
  • 2nd most in an FBS game (since 2012)
  • Most was vs Idaho (8) - 10/4/14

Series vs. Lamar: Texas State leads 16-6-1
In San Marcos: 9-3-1
Has won two straight vs Lamar

Head Coach GJ Kinne
Career Record: 21-7
Career FBS Record: 9-5
Record at TXST: 9-5

Individual Stats
Jordan McCloud | QB
Maxwell Award Watch List, Walter Camp Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List, Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
21-30-1, 238 yards, 3 TD

RJ Martinez | QB
7-10-0, 35 yards

Ismail Mahdi | RB
Maxwell Award Watch List, Paul Hornung Award Watch List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Rushing: 28-156 yards, TD
Kick Returns: 2-40 yards

• 5th 100-yard game at TXST (4 in 2023)
• 3rd 150-yard game at TXST (2 in 2023)

Joey Hobert | WR
Biletnikoff Award Watch List, Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List, Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
6-91 yds, 2 TD

• 2nd multi-TD game at TXST

Mason Shipley | K
Lou Groza Award Watch List, Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
2-3 FG, long 46 yds

Jordan Polk | CB
Team-high 7 tkls

Kalil Alexander | DE
4 tkls
1.5 sacks – 10 yds
1.5 TFLs – 10 yds

Ben Bell | DE
Bednarik Award Watch List, Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List, Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
3 tkls
1.5 sacks – 20 yds
1.5 TFLs – 20 yds

Tunmise Adeleye | DE
2 tkls
1.5 sacks – 10 yds
1.5 TFLs – 10 yds

HEAD COACH GJ KINNE

On going with Martinez in the first half after a couple series...
 
"We talked to both quarterbacks going into it, RJ (Martinez) performed really well in fall camp, and we wanted to get him some snaps early in the game. You know I thought he deserved that, he went out there and played really well all fall camp. Those guys were competing, and I thought both quarterbacks played well tonight"
 
On what is needed this week to clean up penalties...
 
"We have got to get back to the drawing board, and continue to preach the discipline. That was the number one thing we preached all fall camp, all off season, all spring, all summer, all fall camp. We have to continue to get better in that area, we got to do better as coaches, we got to do better as players collectively."
 
On how important was it for the defensive line to keep the quarterback under pressure...
 
"I thought they did a good job of applying pressure and getting some sacks. We had a couple more that, you know, we had penalties on and just kind of lost the momentum we had. And credit to those guys, they played well, and they were able to run the ball a little bit better than I want them to, but yeah, proud of the D-Line, for getting after him."
 
WR JOEY HOBERT
 
In regards to penalties...

"I think that word alone, what you said at the end there, is the biggest thing is just discipline. You know, during summer, fall camp, we harped on it so much, being the most physical team, being the toughest, being the most disciplined, and those penalties."
 
On fourth quarter TD catch...
 
"That was a lot more film review, you know we watched film for the past two weeks on these guys and when those DBs got in 1 on 1 situation they like to dive low. Not even just kneecap or hip, but at ankles. And so as soon as I ran clear and saw him, I was like well, I'm not going to slow down so he thinks I'm going to do it, so I just ran and went for it.
 
How many times have you hurdled somebody in your life...
 
"Zero."
  
RB ISMAIL MAHDI
 
On cleaning up the penalties...

"I mean, we got leaders on the team. We have to emphasize it, you know what I'm saying, like we're better than that, you know the coaches can say so much, but you got to have leaders on the team. That have to be vocal and hold those other guys accountable."
 
On his 150 yards and playing with the offensive line...
 
"Yeah O-line did great. O-line did a phenomenal job. Coach Nealy did a good job preparing us, the whole staff did a good job of just making the right calls and putting me in the right situations to make a play. And. I just had to make a play."

On the match-up...
 
"Yes sir, I feel like that's the best thing that happened to us, the way they came out and played. Just to show us that we can't get caught up on the expectations, there's a lot of work we have to do. I feel like that's the perfect thing that could have happened to us, is for them to come out  and show us that we have to wake up."