TXST Release
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Lincoln Pare rushed for a career-high 221 yards, Seth Keller became the program’s all-time leading field goal kicker, but Texas State dropped its season finale 41-13 to Louisiana on Senior Day on Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.
The loss for the Bobcats (4-8, 2-6 Sun Belt) was their 10th straight to Louisiana (6-6, 4-4 Sun Belt).
Pare’s 221 yards were the most by a Bobcat since 2015. He scored a 64-yard rushing touchdown early in the third quarter for the longest rush for Texas State this season, helping him become only the third different Bobcat to have a 200-yard game on the ground in the program’s FBS history.
Keller broke an eight-year-old record by nailing both of his two field attempts on the night as he finished the year with 37 career field goals made. He capped the game’s opening drive with a 38-yard make to tie the record and then added a 40-yarder early in the second to break the mark held by Will Johnson and Ray Whitehead (36).
The field goal pulled Texas State within one at 7-6 early with 10 minutes to go in the second quarter, but the Ragin’ Cajuns scored 34 of the game’s next 41 points. Louisiana, which finished with 436 total yards, scored on seven of its 11 non-garbage time drives.
The Bobcats had 223 rushing yards, falling three short of their season-high.
Louisiana was 6-of-7 in the red zone, with the one stop by Texas State being with the score at 7-3 to end the first quarter. The Bobcats held the Ragin’ Cajuns to 16 yards on nine carries in the opening stanza and stood up the Louisiana offense at the goal line to force a turnover on downs.
Texas State used the stop and parlayed a field goal on a 10-play, 74-yard drive to start the second quarter to pull within 7-6.
However, Louisiana scored on four straight drives, including two touchdowns and a pair of fields to make it 27-6 early in the third quarter. Chris Smith, who had the game’s first touchdown, capped the run with a one-yard rush after an eight-play, 61-yard drive three minutes into the second half.
Pare attempted to get the Bobcats back in the game with the 64-yard scamper, which bested his previous game-high run of 56 yards in the second quarter. Pare’s big play helped make it 27-13 with 10 minutes remaining in the third.
Peter LeBlanc and Lance LeGendre ended the game’s scoring, though, with a receiving touchdown each in the fourth quarter.
Postgame Notes
Lincoln Pare’s 64-yard run in the third quarter was the longest rush by a Bobcat this season. It was the longest by a Bobcat since Calvin Hill had a 78-yarder against Arkansas State in the 2021 season finale.
The effort by Pare was the third time in his career he ran for more than 100 yards in a game and second this season.
Pare is the first 200-yard rusher for Texas State since Robert Lowe on Oct. 24, 2015 (248 yards vs. South Alabama).
Pare finished the season with a career-high 772 yards, which were the most since Lowe in 2015. Pare is only the second Bobcat in the program’s FBS history to run for more than 750 yards in a season (other: Robert Lowe, three times).
Keller finished the season 14-of-16 in field goals. He fell one field goal shy of matching the program record for the most in a season, a record he set last season. His 87.5 success rate in field goals is third-best ever by a Bobcat in a season.
Tory Spears finished the game with a team-high 13 tackles and a career-high 77 tackles.
Levi Bell had 2.0 tackles for loss, giving him a team-best 13.5 this season. He set the program’s FBS record for most in a single-season and is ninth all-time in program history.
Nelson Mbanasor had a sack, giving him a team-high six this season.
The Bobcats honored 21 seniors and Bobcats completing their eligibility prior to the game.
Texas State finished the year with a 4-2 record at home.
– Eat ‘Em Up –
