SAN MARCOS– The 2024 football season kicks off at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos as the Texas State Bobcats host the Lamar Cardinals.
This matchup marks only the second meeting between the two teams, with Texas State having won the previous encounter in 2011. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Central and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Texas State enters as a significant favorite, with betting odds placing them 31.5 points ahead. Fans are encouraged to support the team by wearing maroon.
Lamar is expected to focus heavily on the ground game, supported by a strong offensive line that could be one of the toughest Texas State faces this season. In 2023, Lamar finished with a 6-5 record under head coach Pete Rossomando, with quarterback Robert Coleman leading the offense. Coleman, who started every game last season, threw for 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions, accumulating 1,956 yards. He also contributed on the ground, rushing for 170 yards on 98 carries and adding one touchdown.
Senior running back Khalan Griffin will be another key player for the Cardinals. Griffin, who also started every game last season, led the Southland Conference with 823 rushing yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, and scored five touchdowns. A second-team All-Southland Conference selection, Griffin posted three games with 100 or more rushing yards.
Junior wide receiver Andre Dennis led the Cardinals last season with 482 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He finished the 2023 season ranked in the top 10 in the conference for both total receiving yards and receptions.
The Cardinals’ defense is led by senior defensive end Jaymond Jackson, who finished the 2023 season in the top 10 in the league with 7.0 tackles for loss and led the team in sacks with 3.5, also ranking him among the top 10 in the league.
The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, senior Jordan McCloud, who transferred from James Madison this past spring, will start as quarterback for the Texas State Bobcats against Lamar. McCloud posted 3,657 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions last season at James Madison. He also contributed 276 rushing yards on 96 carries, scoring eight touchdowns. His season high was 457 passing yards in a game against UConn, where he also recorded six touchdowns.
At tailback, junior Ismail Mahdi will lead the Bobcats. Last season, Mahdi rushed for 1,331 yards, averaging 6.0 yards per carry, and scored 10 touchdowns. He led the nation in all-purpose yards with 2,169, and also recorded 275 receiving yards on 20 receptions and 563 kick return yards on 22 attempts. Mahdi totaled 12 touchdowns (10 rushing, 1 receiving, 1 kick return) and ranked 12th in the country in rushing yards, 13th in rushing yards per game, and 14th in kick returns (25.6 yards per return).
Senior wide receiver Joey Hobert is expected to be a key contributor this year. Last season, he recorded 895 yards on 76 receptions and scored eight touchdowns, with his longest reception covering 83 yards. Hobert led the team in both receptions and receiving yards and set program FBS records for most receptions and receiving yards in a season.
The Texas State defensive line, led by Ben Bell, Tavian Coleman, and Stephen Parker aims to continue its strong performance in pressuring opposing quarterbacks. Last season, Bell recorded 10 sacks, tying for ninth nationally and fourth in the Sun Belt. He was also tied for 20th in the country in tackles for loss (TFLs) and seventh in the conference. Bell led the team in sacks, was tied for the team lead in TFLs, set the program’s FBS record for most sacks in a single season, and was the second-highest rated edge rusher in the country according to PFF pass rush grades.
Seniors Kaleb “Kuga” Kulp and Tory Spears are set to start at safety for Texas State. Kulp tied for the national lead in fumble recoveries last season and averaged 6.2 tackles per game, ranking third on the team in tackles and tying for third in pass breakups. Spears started the first three games before suffering a season-ending lower-body injury during practice before the Week 4 game against Nevada. He was granted a medical redshirt after recording 19 tackles (16 solo) and an interception in those games.
I anticipate the Texas State Bobcats will start strong, with Jordan McCloud and the offense poised for a high-scoring performance. Despite facing a solid offensive line from Lamar, I expect Texas State’s defensive line to apply significant pressure on the quarterback, resulting in multiple sacks. My prediction is a Texas State win over Lamar, with a final score of 45-14.
