It’s homecoming week in San Marcos because the Texas State Bobcats look to succeed in bowl eligibility for the primary time since 2014, as a Dennis Franchione-led Bobcat squad reached seven wins (5 in Solar Belt play) in solely its third 12 months on the FBS degree.
Since then, the Bobcats have seen shedding season after shedding season, as the perfect file they’ve boasted was a disappointing 4-8 (twice) season prior to now 9 years. Â Now, in its first 12 months below head coach GJ Kinne, the Texas State Bobcat soccer group has a chance to succeed in six wins by means of eight video games of the season.
Picture by: Aaron Meullion
Texas State Bobcats Bowl Sure?
How spectacular is that this for the parents down in San Marcos? Â Properly, the Bobcat trustworthy have but to see a 6-2 begin since 2005, 18 years in the past when Texas State reached the semifinals of the Division I-AA (FCS) playoffs.
Earlier than we get forward of ourselves, discovering a sixth win this weekend gained’t be simple.  The Troy Trojans are coming to city, they usually haven’t been crushed in San Marcos in over 25 years (1997).  Not solely do the Bobcats have that monkey on their again, however this Texas State group has not confronted a protection like Troy’s thus far within the 2023 season.
Earlier than this weekend’s matchup, the perfect protection that the Bobcats had seen was towards the UTSA Roadrunners which resulted in a 13-20 loss.
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Protection Wins Championships
On September ninth within the Alamodome, the Roadrunners held Texas State’s explosive offense to a season-low 13 first downs and 177.7 yards lower than the group’s common on the bottom per sport (208.7).  The Roadrunners have been capable of make the Bobcats a one-dimensional offense, and Troy may very properly do the identical.
GJ Kinne and offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich could have their palms full because the Troy protection is the perfect within the Solar Belt, holding groups to only 17.4 factors per sport, and the seventeenth greatest within the nation.
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Texas State Bobcats On the Assault
However, the Bobcat offense is nothing to scoff about both. Â This Texas State squad averages extra factors (38.3) than another group within the Solar Belt in addition to besting 117 (out of 128) different groups within the nation, placing them on the eleventh highest scoring offense on the FBS degree.
To ensure that the Bobcats to finish their homecoming with a win, the Bobcats’ receiving squad might want to proceed the success they’ve had thus far this season.
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The Man. The Fantasy. The Legend?
I can’t point out the Bobcat receiving squad with out mentioning the person, as we all know him in San Marcos, Joe Dust (Joey Hobert).  In simply seven video games, Hobert has put up 612 whole yards this season.
That mark brings him solely seven yards away from having the second-most receiving yards in a season in Texas State’s time on the FBS degree (passing Hutch White with 618 in 2019) and could have 5 extra video games to try to beat the all-time file of 750 whole receiving yards by Elijah King in 2017.
Hobert can also be quantity three on a special Bobcat file record, receiving touchdowns in a season with six. Â The one two gamers in Bobcat historical past to have extra landing catches in a season than Hobert are present teammate Ashtyn Hawkins with seven in 2022, and former Bobcat Marcell Barbee with ten in 2021. Â That is one other file Hobert could have 5 extra pictures at beating this season.
Picture by: Aaron Meullion
Reelin’ Within the Years
The Texas State Bobcats, trying to solidify themselves as first within the West in addition to grow to be bowl-eligible, shall be boasting Southwest Texas State throwback uniforms for homecoming this Saturday, October twenty eighth, at 6 p.m. towards the Troy Trojans.
The rain ought to clear in time for kickoff however count on spooky vibes all through the night with largely cloudy skies (and possibly some thunderstorms) in the course of the Hallo-weekend at Jim Wacker Area.
