Texas State football bounced back from two straight losses with a dominant 38-17 victory against the University of Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday morning at Malone Stadium in Monroe, Louisiana.
The Bobcats needed to get something going to finish the season strong, and with only 15 passes thrown, they put up nearly 40 points.
Redshirt senior quarterback Jordan McCloud, who was injured in the previous game, made the start recording one touchdown pass. After the Bobcats went up big early, Texas State Head Coach G.J. Kinne decided to take him out, not wanting to re-irritate his injury as the likely reason.
True freshman quarterback Brad Jackson subbed in for McCloud, and he torched the Warhawk’s defense on the ground. Jackson finished the game with 17 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
Redshirt senior running back Deion Hankins broke a 47-yard run up the middle on the Bobcat’s second drive of the game, setting the tone for the dominance that they were going to have on the ground.
Hankins scored his only touchdown on the next play that drive and finished the game with 16 carries for 117 yards, being Texas State’s second 100-yard rusher in this game along with Jackson.
The Bobcats were up 28-0 after the first half, but they have allowed numerous teams to come back from being down multiple scores in the second half this season. ULM did go on a 17-3 run in the third quarter, but Texas State closed it out late with a rushing touchdown from Jackson.
ULM only had 50 yards in the first half, but true freshman running back Ahmad Hardy found his groove and ran all over Texas State’s defense in the second half.
Hardy finished with 20 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns, his longest run going for 48 yards late in the fourth quarter. This put pressure on the Bobcats, who struggle to close out games.
Texas State did not pass the ball much today, but junior wide receiver Kole Wilson did have a 41-yard touchdown catch after McCloud faked out a defender and found him wide-open.
Senior wide receiver Joey Hobert finished the game with only four catches for 13 yards as the Bobcat’s did most of their work on the ground, but the game marked Hobert’s 32nd straight with a catch, dating back three seasons.
With this win, Texas State is now in third place in the Sun Belt Conference West, only behind Louisiana and Arkansas State. They move to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the Sun Belt, with bowl game hopes still very much alive.
Texas State will look to string together back-to-back wins against its next opponent, Southern Mississippi.
Kick-off between Texas State and Southern Miss is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at Jim Wacker Field at UFCU Stadium. The game will be avilable to stream on ESPN+.
