HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Brad Jackson ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, Christopher Jones added a 100-yard pick-6 and Texas State picked up its first Sun Belt Conference win this season, handing Southern Miss its first league loss 41-14 on Saturday.

Jackson ran for two short touchdowns and found Chris Dawn Jr. over the middle for an 82-yard score as the Bobcats (4-6, 1-5) took off to a 27-0 halftime lead.

Jones capped the win by picking off Landry Lyddy's pass a few yards deep in the Bobcats' end zone for the freshman's first career interception and returning it all the way in the fourth quarter.

Jackson was 14 of 17 for 192 yards passing and rushed for 49 more. Lincoln Pare rushed for 118 yards on 21 carries with a touchdown. Dawn had 117 yards receiving.

Lyddy was 29-of-44 passing for 267 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Elijah Metcalf had 116 yards receiving with a score.

Texas State ended a five-game losing streak while the Golden Eagles (7-3, 5-1) had a five-game win streak snapped.

Texas State Postgame Notes – November 15, 2025
Texas State 41 (4-6, 1-5), Southern Miss 14 (7-3, 5-1)
Attendance: 27,223
M.M. Roberts Stadium (36,000) | Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Media Guide | Roster | Schedule
 
NEXT GAME: Saturday, November 22 | vs. ULM 4 p.m. CT | ESPN+

Captains: Brad Jackson, Lincoln Pare, Dorion Strawn, Kalil Alexander, Treylin Payne, Ryan Nolan, David Nunez
 
Series vs. Southern Miss | 4-2
Road | 3-0
Texas State extends its lead in the series to 4-2 and wins its third straight in the series.
GJ Kinne wins his 20th game at the helm for TXST making him the 6th Bobcat coach to reach 20 wins at the FBS/FCS level.
TXST snaps a 5-game losing streak.
The Bobcats keep their quest for Bowl eligibility alive. This season would be the fifth season TXST is bowl eligible.

TEAM NOTES
Head Coach GJ Kinne
Career Record: 32-18
Career FBS Record: 20-16
Record at TXST: 20-16

Total Yards | TXST 449, Southern Miss 391
8^th game with 400+ yards of total offense in 2025

Rushing Yards | TXST 257, Southern Miss 124
First 200-yard game since Troy (10/22/25)
6^th time this season with 3+ rushing TDs

Passing Yards | TXST 192, Southern Miss 267

• First time holding an opponent scoreless in a half since Nicholls (9/20/25), first time in 1^st half since at ULM (11/9/24)
• Christopher Jones - First pick 6 for TXST this season
  • First red zone passing TD USM has given up this season
  • USM had 0 red zone TOs prior to today
• Last defensive TD for Bobcats was at South Alabama (11/29/24)
• Did not have a turnover – first time since Troy (10/11/25)
• 4^th straight game with a takeaway after only having 1 in the first 6 games of 2025
• Had a 100 yard rusher (Pare, 118) and receiver (Dawn Jr., 117) – last time Burrell/Pare vs Troy (10/11/25)

Individual Stats
 
Brad Jackson | QB | R-Fr.
Passing: 14-17, 192 yds, TD
Rushing: 16-49 yds, 2 TD
8 of 10 games in 2025 with a rushing TD (11-13 career)
6^th game in 2025 with a pass and rush TD (7^th career)
3^rd game in 2025 with a multi-rush TD game (4^th career)

Chris Dawn, Jr. | WR | Jr.
Receiving: 5-117 yards, TD 
4^th 100-yard receiving game in 2025 (5^th career)
Back-to-back games with receiving TDs (first 2 of 2025)

Lincoln Pare | RB | R-Sr.
Rushing: 21-118 yds, TD
Receiving: 1-5 YDS
4^th 100-yard game in 2025
Scored a rushing TD in 8 of 10 games in 2025 

Beau Sparks | WR | Jr.
Receiving: 6-36 yds

Terrence Cooks II | LB | R-Sr.
12 TKLS, 1 TFL-4 yds
Team-high tackles
Career-high tackles

Treylin Payne | LB | Sr.
8 TKLS,
6^th game in 2025 with 7+ tackles

Jaden Rios | CB | R-Sr.
3 TKLS, 1 INT-7 yds
2^nd pick at TXST (JMU) – 6^th career INT (4 at East Texas A&M)

Christopher Jones | CB | R-Fr.
1TKL, 1 INT-100 yds
1^st career pick
Ties longest INT return in TXST history (last 2020)
Ties for most INT yards in a game at TXST (last 2020)
32^nd time a TXST player has returned at least 1 INT for a TD in a game (last Mannie Nunnery at South Alabama 11/29/24)

Tyler Robles | K | R-So.
FG: 2-2 (29, 50) 
PAT: 5-5
Sets the TXST program record for single-season FGs made with 16 (was 15 by Mason Shipley in 2023 & 2024)
Now has 3 50-yard field goals in 2025 (50 at UTSA, 50 at Marshall)
39-40 on PAT in 2025, 5th time perfect at 5-5+