SAN MARCOS– The James Madison Dukes (7-1), riding a six-game winning streak atop the Sun Belt Conference, extinguished the blackout-themed excitement in San Marcos on Tuesday night, leaving the Texas State Bobcats (3-5) reeling in front of the second-largest Tuesday crowd in program history (17,363). What began as a spirited evening quickly turned into a stark reminder of the challenges facing the Bobcats, as James Madison dominated in a 52-20 blowout.
This defeat marks the worst home loss of the G.J. Kinne era and further diminishes the lingering bowl aspirations for Texas State. It is the third consecutive game in which the Bobcats’ defense has surrendered more than 30 points, but don’t expect any wholesale coaching changes to be made. As Kinne said in the press conference following the loss, he’s confident this team can turn it around and “get their swagger back.” While this may seem far-fetched at this point, there is no denying that change is necessary. Something has got to give if the Bobcats want to salvage this season.
Against James Madison, all of Texas State’s scoring came in the second quarter. A 20-point surge brought the Bobcats within eight at halftime (28-20), instilling a brief sense of optimism. Yet the momentum shifted almost instantaneously. Two precise plays from the Dukes in the opening moments of the second half turned the contest into a rout, setting the stage for a lopsided finish.
Brad Jackson struggled, throwing three interceptions, though not all were necessarily his fault, as a few bounced off receivers and into enemy hands. The running game couldn’t seem to get loose at any point, aside from a few improvised quarterback scrambles from Jackson. It was a very deflating second half, especially when Bobby Crosby went down motionless and had to be carted off. The whole stadium fell silent, the few fans remaining at least, and held their breath as the emergency team hauled him away. Crosby was hospitalized and has since been released and is currently “doing well.” There is no further info on the injury or its severity at this time.
That was undoubtedly the lowest point for the Texas State football program since Kinne arrived. The team has lost three straight and is just minutes from four in a row, with one of the leaders on defense down with a serious injury. The times are dark and cloudy for this program right now. Not an ideal look when your head coach is the highest paid in the conference, though that’s neither here nor there.
Thank God Texas State is going to the Pac-12 next year, right? This Sun Belt has been eating them alive. In fact, since joining the conference, Texas State has the worst winning percentage ever. Currently, they are 29-70 (.29). Even if they win their remaining four games — which would be nothing short of a miracle — they would only tie Georgia State; if they lost the rest, they would claim the title for the worst win-loss ratio in Sun Belt history at 34-69.
So yes, bring on the Pac-12. Please. It’s like breaking up with a toxic ex after years. It does suck; however, Texas State can’t ride off into the sunset with a picturesque final season in the Sun Belt as champions — or better yet, maybe even just middle of the pack, a fighting chance. No, that would be too good to be true, as the Bobcats are dead last in the conference. Frustrating is an understatement, but what can you do when the coaching staff is afraid to address the elephant in the room? Nobody wants anyone fired, of course. However, as the losses continue to pile up, it becomes necessary — just a matter of time, unfortunately at the cost of an entire season.
