NEW ORLEANS – Texas State football was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference's West Division as announced in the 2025 preseason coaches poll, sharing first-place votes with division-favorite Louisiana.

While the Bobcats and Ragin' Cajuns each picked up six first-place votes, Louisiana edged TXST 86-78 in total points. Louisiana won the SBC West in 2024, with Texas State tying for second.

The Bobcats won their second consecutive bowl game and finished the 2024 slate 8-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play, winning the most Sun Belt league games for the program since 2014. TXST also won three road games, the most overall since four in 2014, all coming in the Sun Belt to match its highest total. The eight overall wins gave the Bobcats back-to-back seasons of reaching the mark, having not done so since the 1982-83 seasons, while GJ Kinne became the first head coach to record consecutive eight-win seasons since Jim Wacker in 1981-82.

2025 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(First-Place Votes)

East Division
1. James Madison – 94 Points (11)
2. Georgia Southern – 76 Points (1)
3. App State – 60 Points
4. Coastal Carolina – 49 Points (1)
5. Old Dominion – 48 Points
6. Marshall – 42 Points (1)
7. Georgia State – 23 Points
 
West Division
1. Louisiana – 86 Points (6)
2. Texas State – 78 Points (6)
3. Arkansas State – 64 Points (1)
4. South Alabama – 50 Points (1)
5. Southern Miss – 47 Points
6. Troy – 43 Points
7. ULM – 24 Points

Head coach GJ Kinne, Dorion Strawn and Kalil Alexander are set to represent Texas State at Sun Belt Media Days July 22-23 in New Orleans.