FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Quarterback Brad Jackson threw for 173 yards and three touchdowns, plus ran in another score on the ground for Texas State in a 41-10 win over Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday.
Lincoln Pare rushed for 106 yards on 11 carries for one touchdown for the Bobcats (7-6), totalling 1,128 rushing yards in his final season. Chris Dawn, Jr. caught two touchdown passes.
Jackson opened the scoring for Texas State off a 6-yard rush in the second quarter and the Bobcats went into halftime up 10-7. After the break, Jackson threw a 69-yard pass to Beau Sparks. Dawn Jr. caught passes from 12 and 14 yards out to score.
Pare broke away on a 63-yard run up the middle in the fourth quarter.
Kicker Tyler Robles hit two field goals for Texas State, from 30 and 28 yards out.
Aaron Turner caught Rice's (5-8) only touchdown of the day, a 2-yard pass up the middle from quarterback Patrick Crayton Jr. Crayton Jr. finished the day completing four passes for 70 yards and one interception.
Texas State Postgame Notes – January 2, 2026
Texas State 41 (7-6, 3-5), Rice 10 (5-8, 2-6)
Attendance: 28,243
Amon G. Carter Stadium (46,000) | Fort Worth, Texas
Media Guide | Roster | Schedule
Captains: Brad Jackson, Lincoln Pare, Dorion Strawn, Kalil Alexander, Treylin Payne, Ryan Nolan, David Nunez
Series vs. Rice | 4-2
Neutral | 2-0
Postseason | 2-0
Texas State wins its 3rd consecutive bowl game in as many tries.
The Bobcats win 7+ games for the 3rd straight season having not done so since the 1982-84 stretch.
GJ Kinne wins his 23rd game at the helm for the Bobcats, tying him for 4th all-time for DI (FBS/FCS) wins with the program. It also makes him 23-16 overall and the winningest DI coach (min. 3 seasons) at TXST at .590.
The Bobcats close the season on a 4-game win streak, it's longest within a single season since 2011. TXST last won 4 straight closing out 2024 with 2 wins and opening 2025 with 2.
TEAM NOTES
Head Coach GJ Kinne
Career Record: 35-18
Career FBS Record: 23-16
Record at TXST: 23-16
Score | TXST 41, Rice 10
6 games of 40+ points in 2025
474 points - 3 shy of TXST single-season FBS record (477, 2023)
Scored 40+ points against Rice in both match-ups (45 in 2023)
4th time holding an opponent under 20 points this season - 10 points was season low
Total Yards | TXST 436, Rice 195
11 of 13 games with 400+ in 2025
6,146 yards of total offense in 2025 - 2nd for an FBS season (6200, 2024)
Held an opponent under 200 yards for the 1st time in 2025
Least amount of yards given up in a bowl game
2887 season yards are most in a year for TXST during the FBS era
Rushing Yards | TXST 241, Rice 102
8th game of 200+ this season
Most rushing yards in a bowl game for TXST
2nd lowest for an opponent this season (43 vs Troy)
A bowl opponent has never rushed for 200+ against TXST
Passing Yards | TXST 195, Rice 94
2nd time this season holding an opponent under 100 yards (97 vs Nicholls)
1st time in a bowl game holding an opponent to under 100 yards
- Finished the season with a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers
- 3rd game in 2025 for Bobcats with multiple takeaways - 2nd with 3+ (2 FR, 1 INT)
- 69-yard TD from B. Jackson to B. Sparks – longest pass play in Armed Forces Bowl History
- 2nd straight bowl game with 28,000+ in attendance
TXST Bowl Superlatives
31 points | Largest margin of victory
241 rushing yards | Most in a bowl game
195 total yards for Rice | Lowest total for an opponent
94 passing yards for Rice | Lowest total for an opponent
3 passing TDs | Most in a bowl game
8 kickoffs | Most in a bowl game (Michael James)
523 kickoff yards | Most in a bowl game (Michael James)
Defensive bowl highs | 63 tackles, 13.0 TFLs-56 yards, 3 forced fumbles
Texas State coach GJ Kinne
"I am really happy for the players and coaching staff and everyone involved in our success.. it was an up and down year. A lot of credit to rice, they came out and played hard and it was a close one there for a little bit. Sparks created a spark and got us going.
On the play of the guys announcing they are returning early
"A ton of momentum. This game was important for us as a program. To come out here and get another win. Chris has three bowl wins and three rings with an opportunity to get four next year. In college football now that is hard. I am going to take care of those guys that do the right things on and off the field. They are so unselfish. We have a lot of opportunity to improve this offseason. We have a chance to really make some noise next year."
On the play of the defense…
"It talks to the type of men we have in that locker room. I am proud of the way we finished the season, but man if we could have done that in the middle of the season. I am proud of how we finished and there is a lot to build on. Going to the Pac-12 with the momentum, we have so much firepower coming back. The sky is the limit and next year has a chance to be really special."
On the message at halftime…
"We had to settle down a little bit. We had not played in a month. The execution part, you can practice all you want, we just started slow. The message was to calm down, we get the ball to start the second half. We just had to adjust a little bit and I was proud of the way we came out. We settled down and ran some base plays. We are built on explosive plays, and some teams have bottled us up this season."
Beau Sparks on two 1,000 receivers
"It's a blessing. It starts with Coach Kinne believing in us and Brad getting us the ball. It was really a team effort. We're super blessed to be in this position."
Brad Jackson on second half
"For us, we didn't change anything. It just came down to playing our game. I didn't play the greatest in the first half, Sometimes that happens when you don't play for a month. We have the same guys in the room all season. We put our heads down and got to work in the second half. I was happy we were able to get it turned around.
"For us, this season was really unique, we had a lot of ups and downs. At one point we're sitting 3-6.. It was a hard time. To be able to bounce back, get those three wins in a row, and this one, in the way we did, shows how resilient we are. To be able to get this one, start the year off right, it's a big accomplishment for us."
Kalil Alexander on facing Rice offense
"We really harped on this week about being disciplined and having great eyes. It's easy to get caught up in the triple option scheme. We worked hard on reeling to the ball and tackling. It also helps when we play complimentary football. The offense helped us shorten the game."
Individual Stats
Brad Jackson | QB | R-Fr.
Passing: 17-24, 173 yards, 3TD
Rushing: 14-52, TD
17 rushing TDs in 2025 – TXST single-season record
11 of 13 games in 2025 with a rushing TD (14-16 career)
9th game in 2025 with a pass and rush TD (10th career)
3 TDs are most by a Bobcat in a bowl game
Tied for 4th at TXST for single-season points at 102
Single-season TXST rankings
|
TOUCHDOWNS |
|
|
|
| 1 |
17 |
Claude Mathis |
1996 |
16 rush, 1 receiving |
|
17 |
Cameron Luke |
2008 |
17 receiving |
|
17 |
Brad Jackson |
2025 |
17 rush |
Beau Sparks | WR | Jr.
Receiving: 4-87 yards, TD
Receiving TD in 3 straight games
Finished the season with 10 receiving TDs - T4th at TXST
Single-season TXST rankings
|
RECEIVING YARDS |
| 1 |
1,268 |
Cameron Luke |
2008 |
| 2 |
1,200 |
Beau Sparks |
2025 |
Chris Dawn, Jr. | WR | Jr.
Receiving: 11-75 yards, 2 TD
Finishes the season with 1,006 receiving yards - 1st career 1,000-yard season
4th career multi-reception TD game - 1st of 2025
2nd most receptions in an Armed Forces Bowl / Most for a TXST player in a bowl game
1st Bobcat with 2+ receiving TDs in a bowl game
Lincoln Pare | RB | R-Sr.
Rushing: 11-106 yards, TD
Receiving: 1-6 yards
Finishes the season with 1,128 rushing yards - 1st career 1,000-yard season
5th 100-yard rushing game of 2025
Has 100-yard rushing games in both of his TXST bowls
Tyler Robles | K | R-So.
FG: 2-2 (30, 29)
PAT: 5-5
Extends the TXST program record for single-season FGs made with 21
53-54 on PAT in 2025, 7th time perfect at 5-5+
Single-season record holder for total points - 116
Jaden Rios | CB | R-Sr.
1 tackle, 1 INT-44 yards
4th INT of 2025 - team best (only Bobcat with multiple)
Kenard Snyder | DE | R-Sr.
5 tackles, 3.0 TFLs-11 yards
TFLs - 2nd time with 3+ in 2025
2nd Bobcat to record 3.0+ TFLs in a bowl game (Ben Bell 3.0, 2023) - 11 yards also tied a TXST bowl best
