TXST FOOTBALL
Texas State snapped a two-game losing streak with a 38-17 win over the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks.
The Bobcats and Head Coach G.J. Kinne were led by their rushing offense with freshman quarterback Brad Jackson leading the team in rushing with 17 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns followed by running back Deion Hankins with 16 carries for 117 yards. In total, the Bobcats rushed for 326 yards under the monsoon-like conditions.
“Just a gutty win under these conditions, on the road, and we found a way to win,” Kinne said. “You know, you got a quarterback who has never played in college before. You got running backs that don’t have a lot of carries, and it is one of those deals where we just found a way to win. And the defense played really well.”
Texas State improves their record to 5-4 for the season and are now one win away from bowl eligibility.
Kinne was proud of his team for not only winning on the road but also their ability to adjust towards a different gameplan with the torrent rainfall coming down all game.
“I think it shows a sign of a mature team that’s growing,” Kinne said. “Late in the second half, you kind of felt [ULM] coming, and we were able to gather them up and stop the surge and get a big turn over there by Trez. Just love the way we finished. It took the whole backfield. I think all those running backs carried the ball, and it was just a real team win.”
The Bobcats got on the board first when Hankins ran free for a 47-yard run before punching it in from three yards out, giving Texas State a 7-0 lead.
After both teams traded punts, the Bobcats were able to strike again. After just one play, the Bobcats suckered in the Warhawk defense on the fake halfback draw before quarterback Jordan McCloud pulled the ball and rolled out to find Kole Wilson for the 41-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 14-0.
The Bobcat defense stuffed ULM on the fake punt on the Warhawks next possession, allowing the Texas State offense to take advantage with the ball on the ULM 38-yard line.
Texas State extended their lead when McCloud scored on the read option play from six yards out to make it 21-0.
With less than five minutes to go in the second quarter before halftime, Jackson took over the offense and led the Bobcats on a 83-yard drive, ending with the freshman scoring a two-yard touchdown to put Texas State up 28-0.
ULM answered back with two touchdowns in the third quarter to make it a 28-14 game. After forcing the Bobcats to punt for the third time in the quarter, the Warhawks looked to cut the lead down to one possession.
But the Bobcat defense came up with their biggest turnover of the game. Defensive back Trez Moore took advantage of the Warhawk wide receiver falling to the ground after slipping on the turf to come up with an interception to put the Bobcat offense at the ULM 33yard line.
Texas State pushed their lead back to three possessions when kicker Mason Shipley booted a 32-yard field goal, extending the lead to 31-14.
ULM added a field goal of their own to cut the lead back to 31-17 as the Bobcats looked to close out the game with the ball at their own 25-yard line.
The Bobcats rushing attack was too much for the Warhawks. Texas State drove down the field on a 75-yard, 10-play drive before Jackson scored his second rushing touchdown of the game to seal the win at 38-17.
Texas State returns to San Marcos this Saturday for homecoming in a showdown with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
