TXST FOOTBALL
All eyes will be on Texas State tonight as the Bobcats will host Arizona State at 6:30 p.m. from UFCU Stadium, which will be broadcast on ESPN.
Head Coach G.J. Kinne praised the Arizona State coaches for their work on turning around the Sun Devils program that hit rock bottom following the tenure of Herm Edwards.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for [Kenny] Dillingham and his staff,” Kinne said. “You can see on film the buy-in. They play with great energy and effort. They have dominated for most of the two games [they played]. It’s a really good opponent that is coming here, and [I] love the challenge.”
Both Kinne and Dillingham come from the Gus Malzahn coaching tree with Dillingham being the offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2019, and Kinne both played under Malzahn at Tulsa, before becoming offensive coordinator, and at Central Florida for his former coach in 2021.
Being the underdog in a matchup between a Power Four and a Group Five team, a focus for the Bobcats is playing with nothing to lose.
“[We have] a Big 12 opponent coming to Texas, and they recruit Texas like their hair is on fire,” Kinne said. “They are going to be fired up, and it is a big game for them as far as the big picture with Big 12, playoffs and all that. We are just going to go out there and play with nothing to lose.”
One of the keys to the Sun Devils success during the early part of the season is running back Cam Skattebo.
A former player from Sacramento State that played Kinne’s Incarnate Word team in the 2022 FCS playoffs, rushing for 101 yards on 18 carries and touchdowns, the Arizona State running back has been the focal point for the Sun Devil offense.
“It starts with the physicality and [Cam] Skattebo,” Kinne said. “Unfortunately, it’s my second time playing him. He was at [Sacramento] State, and we played him at UIW. As soon as he entered the portal, I [was] his first offer.”
In last week’s game against Mississippi State, Skattebo rushed for 262 yards on 33 carries in the Sun Devils 30-23 win over the Bulldogs for the program’s first ever win against an opponent from the SEC.
“I think the world of that guy and the way he plays the game,” Kinne said. “[He has] tremendous balance, power and you can tell he has been in a big time weight and nutrition program. He definitely changed his body, and he didn’t look tired at all against Mississippi State.”
This will be the first ever meeting between Texas State and Arizona State while being just the third time the Bobcats have hosted a member of a Power 4 Conference at UFCU Stadium. Texas State hosted Texas Tech in 2012 during the team’s first season at FBS, which set a then attendance record of 33,006 at UFCU Stadium then Baylor during the 2021 season.
Texas State defeated their first P4 opponent last season in the Bobcats stunning victory of the Baylor Bears 42-31, which set the tone for the ‘Cats’ historic 2023 season.
Kickoff for Texas State-Arizona is currently set for tonight at 6:30 p.m. from UFCU Stadium. The game will also be broadcasted on ESPN.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
