Texas State (0-2, 0-0 Pac-12) vs North Texas (1-1, 0-0 AMERICAN)

Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
UFCU Stadium (28,000) | San Marcos, Texas
Kickoff: 11:00 a.m. CT

TV: USA
            Nate Gatter (Play-by-play)
            Ryan Leaf (Analyst)
            Lauren Green (Sideline)

Radio: KTSW 89.9 & Varsity Network (free app)
            Cameron Parker
            Brant Freeman

X/Twitter Updates: @TXSTATEFOOTBALL
Opening Drive...

• Texas State enters its first season as a member of the Pac-12 Conference after spending the past 13 seasons as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. During that span, TXST was the top-performing athletics department six times, including the last 3 consecutive seasons.
  Texas State is coming off its third consecutive bowl win with a 41-10 victory over Rice in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, this came after back-to-back wins in the First Responder Bowl over North Texas (2024) and Rice (2023).
  New Faces: Head Coach GJ Kinne welcomed 4 news faces to the Bobcat coaching staff this past offseason, including Defensive Coordinator Will Windham as well as Chris Gistorb (Defensive Line) and Marcus Patton (Secondary). On offense, Kiel McDonald takes over for TXST-great Barrick Nealy.
  Texas State won 7 games in 2025, the third straight season with 7+. Last time it happened: 1982-1984 (14-0, 9-3, 7-4)
  Today's game is a rematch of the 2024 First Responder Bowl where the Bobcats came away with a 30-28 win.
  GJ Kinne has named the following captains for the 2026 season: Brad Jackson, Beau Sparks, Chris Dawn, Jr., Sully Burns, Ryan Nolan, Terrence Cooks II, Phillip Bradford & Jo'Laison Landry.
  Flex: The Bobcats currently have 11 games on the schedule for 2026, with the final week serving as a non-conference, Pac-12 flex game. Opponents will be determined 6 days out from game day, with TXST scheduled for a road game.

A Win vs North Texas Means...

• Texas State snaps a two-game skid to start the 2026 season.
• The Bobcats move to 8-4 against Texas opponents under GJ Kinne since his arrival in 2023 (2026 0-2, 2025 2-0, 2024 3-1, 2023 2-1).
• TXST moves to 2-0 against UNT since the teams split as conference mates following the 1994 season (Southland).
• GJ Kinne wins his 24th game at the helm for the Bobcats, placing him 4th all-time for DI (FBS/FCS) wins with the program.

Inside the Series... 
All-Time Record: 8-29-3
In San Marcos: 4-14-3
In Denton: 3-15
Neutral: 1-0
Postseason: TXST leads 1-0
Most points scored by TXST: 38 (1927)
Most points scored by UNT: 35 (1993)
Largest margin of victory by TXST: 38 (1927)
Largest margin of victory by UNT: 34 (1949)
Longest win streak by TXST: -
Longest win streak by UNT: 11 (1934-1947)

Last 5 Meetings

Date	S	Res	TXST	UNT
1/2/25	N	W	30	28
10/8/94	H	L	14	27
10/9/93	A	L	28	35
11/14/92	H	L	10	13
11/16/91	A	W	36	8

Last Time Versus...
DALLAS (AP) — Jordan McCloud threw for 307 yards and a touchdown, Lincoln Pare ran for a 73-yard touchdown with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter and Texas State held off North Texas 30-28 in the First Responder Bowl.

Texas State (8-5) head coach GJ Kinne secured eight wins in back-to-back seasons for a head coach at TXST for the first time since 1981-82. North Texas (6-7) was seeking its first bowl win since the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Pare carried 21 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns. His first score, from 1-yard out, capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes to give Texas State a 23-14 lead midway through the third quarter.

Neither team scored again until Makenzie McGill's short TD run got North Texas within 23-21 with 3:20 left. Two plays later, Pare raced for his long score and Texas State made the extra point for a nine-point lead.

North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker answered with a 70-yard run with 1:49 left to get within two points again. The Mean Green got the ball back with 40 seconds left at their 8-yard line. But Texas State defensive end Kalil Alexander made a sack on first down to work down the clock and linebacker Treylin Payne sealed it with an interception over the middle

Complete Notes Packet...