San Marcos – In their first win against regional rival UTSA (1-1), the Texas State Bobcats (2-0) defeated the Roadrunners 49-10.
The Roadrunners had previously won five consecutive games against the Bobcats, but that streak ended on September 7, 2024, as Texas State delivered a convincing victory led by head coach GJ Kinne. This is the first time since 2013 Texas State has started 2-0. The atmosphere at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos was electric, with a crowd of 28,000, the fifth largest in the stadium’s history.
“That was a big-time atmosphere. The student section was rocking,” Kinnie said. “That was a lot of fun.”
As part of Kinne’s philosophy to “Take Back Texas,” succeeding against in-state rivals is crucial. Securing the I-35 Showdown trophy for the first time represents a major achievement in that effort.
“Really excited to get one in the win column versus those guys. It was important,” Kinne said. “These coaches have been grinding on UTSA for a really long time. Every recruiting move we made, every personnel decision we made, was, ‘Hey, does this allow us to beat UTSA?’ It was a big game for us.”
Texas State rushed for 195 yards and passed for 309, while holding UTSA to 82 rushing yards and 252 passing yards. The Bobcats also improved their discipline, committing only three penalties, a significant drop from 16 penalties the previous week.
Quarterback Jordan McCloud was 18-of-27 for 309 yards, with two rushing and two passing touchdowns, and was sacked just once.
“Jordan did an outstanding job of getting the ball where it needed to be,” Kinne said. “In this offense, if you can be a point guard and get the guys the rock, good things are going to happen.”
Wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. was a standout, recording 150 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. Running back Lincoln Pare, who missed last season with an ACL injury, added 109 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
“I’m super proud of Lincoln,” Kinne said. “I know last year was tough on him not getting to play. It couldn’t have been any better him closing out the game on that touchdown run.”
The game started with both teams showing early jitters, leading to four turnovers in the first quarter. Bobcats quarterback Jordan McCloud contributed two touchdown runs of 17 and 2 yards in the first quarter, then teamed up with Chris Dawn Jr. for a 46-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
“We needed this win, and we needed it bad, in the fashion that we did it,” McCloud said. “Now we know how good we are. We knew, but we had to go out and prove it.”
The Bobcats continued to capitalize on their opportunities. McCloud connected with Ismail Mahdi for a 37-yard gain, setting up a two-yard touchdown run by Deion Rush, making it 28-3. After another UTSA punt, Pare broke through for a 45-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-inches, giving Texas State a 35-3 halftime lead.
The 32-point deficit and the 35 points allowed in a single half are the largest margins the Roadrunners have faced under coach Jeff Traylor. His tenure started with UTSA’s previous game in San Marcos at the beginning of the 2020 season. The 39-point final margin also marked the most lopsided loss of Traylor’s tenure.
“This is a big loss, obviously, because I know how much our community wanted it,” Traylor said. “The trophy has been in my office the entire time I’ve been here, and it’s not there anymore. So, there’s no doubt, this will be a real sour taste in our mouth.”
Texas State’s dominance continued into the second half. The defense forced multiple three-and-outs, and an interception by Bobby Crosby led to McCloud’s third touchdown pass, a 21-yarder to Dawn Jr., extending the lead to 42-3.
UTSA managed to score a late touchdown on a fourth-and-goal pass from Marburger to McCoy, making it 42-10. In the fourth quarter, Pare added his second touchdown with a 33-yard run. The game concluded with a final score of 49-10 in favor of Texas State.
The success on Saturday reflected nearly a year of preparation, as Kinne mentioned that last season’s 20-13 loss to UTSA was scrutinized more than any other game from the previous year.
The Bobcats will look to build on this performance when they face Arizona State on Thursday, September 12, at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the game set to be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
