Texas State (1-1) will look to regroup from last week’s loss in its first home game of the season against Jackson State University (2-1) this Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.

The matchup will be the first gameday experience in San Marcos for head coach G.J. Kinne, his coaching staff and the 53 new players added through the transfer portal during the offseason.

“For a lot of these guys, it will be their first time in our home stadium,” Kinne said. “So we need everyone there so these guys can feed off that energy and create that home-field advantage.”

Redshirt sophomore quarterback T.J. Finley will look to bounce back after a rough outing last weekend where he went 16-of-30 with 211 passing yards and an interception in a 20-13 loss against UTSA.

“We have to get T.J. in a rhythm early; that’s something we will continue to focus on. He’s a good quarterback, and we have to protect him,” Kinne said. “Sometimes it’s good to get punched in the mouth, and how you respond shows some of your deficiencies and things you need to focus on.”

The game on Saturday will mark the first meeting between these two teams. Jackson State is led by Virginia Tech transfer and graduate student quarterback Jason Brown, who went 15-of-27 for 140 passing yards and one touchdown in a 27-14 victory over Southern University last weekend.

“[Their offense] is very similar to ours. They like to establish a run but will take what the defense gives them,” Kinne said. “I think their defensive line stands out; they’re very aggressive and had a bunch of sacks last week, so it’s going to be a big-time challenge.” 

A win Saturday will give Texas State two victories through the first three weeks for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Kickoff between Texas State and Jackson State is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.