SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) — Brad Jackson and Beau Sparks connected for four touchdowns and the Bobcats' rushing attack had 392 yards as Texas State beat Eastern Michigan 52-27 on Saturday evening in a season opener for both teams.
Jackson finished the night 18 of 26 with 214 yards and four touchdowns as the Bobcats racked up 606 total yards.
Lincoln Pare led all rushers with 167 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Three running backs finished with over 50 yards and a touchdown for Texas State.
Jackson connected on 5-yard and 3-yard touchdown passes to Sparks in the third quarter en route to a 21-0 run for the Bobcats.
Noah Kim went 23 of 34 for 248 yards and a touchdown for Eastern Michigan. Dontae McMillan added 78 yards on the ground and Joey Mattord and Tavierre Dunlap each ran for a touchdown.
Sparks caught four touchdowns in seven receptions for 82 yards.
Texas State Postgame Notes – August 30, 2025
Texas State 52 (1-0), Eastern Michigan 27 (0-1)
Attendance: 21,082
UFCU Stadium (28,000) | San Marcos, Texas
Media Guide | Roster | Schedule
NEXT GAME: Saturday, September 6 | at UTSA | 2:30 p.m. CT | ESPN+
Head Coach GJ Kinne...
A lot of fun, great crowd, and the guys were fired up. That was very fun and good way to start the season. We had some ups and downs especially in the first half, with some inexperience showing up, but I thought we came out to play and the game plan us coaches put together really worked out with the guys going out there and executing it. Brad played really well like a vet out there, doing everything he was asked to do. We were explosive and able to run the ball; it was good to see on defense in the second half we really came to play. We will see on a couple injury related things, but it looks okay for the most part.
Wide Receiver Beau Sparks...
On the receiving room and their support...
My room is amazing man, they are all my biggest fans, and I am so grateful to have them and extremely blessed to have them in my room.
On the energy in the stadium...
The stadium energy was amazing, it gets you wanting to go and keep going, I mean our fans are amazing.
TEAM NOTES
Head Coach GJ Kinne
Career Record: 29-12
Career FBS Record: 17-10
Record at TXST: 17-10
Captains: Brad Jackson, Lincoln Pare, Dorion Strawn, Kalil Alexander, Ryan Nolan, Treylin Payne, David Nunez
Series vs. Eastern Michigan | 1-1
Home | 1-0
- The Bobcats win their third straight season opener after defeating Lamar 34-27 in 2024 and upsetting [rv/rv] Baylor 42-31 in 2023. TXST is 66-45-4 all-time in season openers.
- TXST wins its fourth straight home opener (2024, Lamar 34-27; 2023, Jackson State, 77-34; 2022, FIU 41-12).
- The Bobcats start the season 1-0 at UFCU Stadium after three straight seasons of winning 4+ games at home.
- TXST gets its first program win over Eastern Michigan after falling 51-29 in 2021.
- GJ Kinne wins his 17th game as coach of the Bobcats, and third consecutive season opener, after back-to-back 8 win seasons in 2023 and 2024.
Total Offense – The Bobcats had 606 yards of total offense (5 of 500+ in 2024) – 7
th all-time in an FBS game for TXST
Points Scored – The Bobcats scored 40+ points (5 of 40+ in 2024), T9th in an FBS games for TXST
392 rushing yards - 3
rd most in an FBS game (Had 1 game of 300+ in 2024)
4 passing TDs – T5th in a game since 2012 (Had 3 games of 4+ in 2024)
0 turnovers – Did so twice in 2024 (last time against ULM 11/9/24)
7 TFLs - Had 7+ in 9 of 13 games in 2024
Individual Stats
Brad Jackson | QB | R-Fr.
Passing: 18-26-0, 215 yards, 4 TD
Rushing: 10-48
- Career highs for completions, attempts, TD passes
Beau Sparks | WR | Jr.
Receiving: 7-82, 4TDs
- TD receptions career high
- TD receptions ties TXST single-game record (Cameron Luke, 10-20-07 vs SFA)
- 3rd multi-TD game of career
- Receiving yards – TXST high
Lincoln Pare | RB | R-Sr.
Rushing: 12-167, TD
Receiving: 1-20
Jaylen Jenkins | RB | R-jr.
Rushing: 5-74, TD
- 1st TXST Rushing TD
- Single-game highs for attempts and yards at TXST
- Career-long 58-yard rush (TD)
Treylin Payne | LB | Sr.
9 tackles - career high (was 8 at Houston vs Baylor 2023)
Tyler Robles | K | R-So.
7-7 PAT - career high
1-1 FG (24 yd) - career high / career long
