Texas State was 3-6 entering the last three games of the regular season in November after a discouraging 39-42 loss against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Fast forward to January 2nd, 2026, and that same team that was on the brink of failure rallied, won three straight games to clinch bowl eligibility, and then achieved a third straight bowl victory, with this one coming at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, against the Rice Owls. Here’s how they did it.
Defense showcases resilience
The Bobcats started off a bit slow offensively, not scoring a point in the first quarter, but the defense held strong. Redshirt senior Jaden Rios picked off Rice freshman quarterback Patrick Clayton Jr. early in the second quarter to set up redshirt freshman quarterback Brad Jackson with excellent field position.
Thanks to the short field, Texas State marched down Owl territory with relative ease. Later in the third quarter, senior edge rusher Kalil Alexander forced another Rice turnover to set up yet another scoring opportunity for the Bobcats, which they then turned into seven points. Texas State’s defense finished the game with three turnovers. For a unit that struggled to generate turnovers, this game couldn’t have gone better for them.
“I am proud of the way we finished the season… There is a lot to build on,” Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne said regarding his team’s defensive performance. “Going to the Pac-12 with the momentum, we have so much firepower coming back. The sky is the limit and next year has a chance to be really special.”
Big plays galore
Rice was able to get on the board late in the second quarter with a touchdown to narrow Texas State’s lead to three points. However, Brad Jackson and junior wide receiver Beau Sparks finally combined for a big play just seconds into the third quarter.
Jackson connected quickly with Sparks on a short-range pass on the left side of the field. The Bobcats have been one of the most explosive offenses in college football, and that 69-yard TD just proves that this Bobcat offense can hang with the best of the best.
Redshirt senior Lincoln Pare also notched a 63-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter that put the nail in the coffin for Rice and their Armed Forces Bowl hopes, with the final score being 41-10.
Brad Jackson makes history
Jackson concluded a stellar season with yet another solid performance. Although some of his passes missed the mark in the first half, he still provided quality in the running game.
The second half went much better for him, as he threw three touchdowns while protecting the football, something that his Rice counterparts couldn’t do.
Jackson finished the season with 17 rushing touchdowns, passing Claude Mathis for the most by a Bobcat in a single season. It’s apparent that the future is bright for the young signal caller. With Jackson set to return next year, the ceiling for the Texas State is as high as it’s ever been.
