Texas State Preview 2025: GJ Kinne's Bobcats About to Keep Winning
No offense to Texas State University, but it's a minor miracle that GJ Kinne remains in San Marcos.The 36-year-old is making significantly less than a top college quarterback - under a million a year - and all he's accomplished is a 12-2 record with Incarnate Word, finishing No. 3 in the FCS in 2022, before coming to Texas State and elevating the program several notches.The Bobcats have only been in the FBS since 2012, achieving three winning seasons over 13 years. Kinne is responsible for two of those seasons with 16 wins at a place that managed just 16 victories in the six years before his arrival.
The defense improved dramatically last season, the offense remained roughly the same, and … there was a shocking lack of consistency.Now the Bobcats have to beat all of the teams they're supposed to.Last year, they lost to a Georgia State squad that went 3-9 and to an Old Dominion squad that didn't go bowling. Win those types of games, and a Sun Belt title will be in play.It's time to get greedy and ask for a little bit more in Year Three under Kinne.
Texas State Bobcats Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN
Texas State Bobcats Preview 2025: Offense
- There's been no problem fining quarterbacks in the portal who want to lead the attack. This year, the Bobcats have three options ready to give it a try.Gevani McCoy (Oregon State) has the most upside if he can cut down on the picks, Nate Yarnell saw plenty of work last year at Pitt, and Holden Geriner is an interesting option from Auburn.Chris Dawn is a dangerous threat on the outside - he caught six touchdown throws as part of the rotation - and transfers Mavin Anderson (Cal) and Tyrin Smith (UTEP and then Cincinnati) have the experience to fit in immediately.
- Losing all-around running back star Ismail Mahdi to Arizona hurts. Lincoln Pare is back after finishing second on the team with 554 yards and with a team-high eight scores, and Torrance Burgess added over six yards per carry on his chances.- The offensive front might be making some big changes, but it's more than solid. It's also relatively homegrown around the tackle Dorion Strawn and 327-pound guard Tellek Lockette.
Texas State Bobcats Preview 2025: Defense
- The defense was good, but when it missed, it missed big. Few teams in college football were better at coming up with tackles for loss, the pass rush was great, and the run defense was terrific at times. But when the run D was bad, it was a struggle going 1-4 when allowing 170 yards or more.- Top pass rusher Kalil Alexander is back along with fellow end Jo'Lauson Landry. These two are great on the outside, and the tackles will be okay if Syracuse transfer Michael Nwokoacha can hold up right away. The back seven is loaded up with transfers around safety Ryan Nolan, the team's second-leading tackler. The cornerbacks are a bit green, but Khamari Terrell (Oregon) will help.The linebacking corps is all about the transfers, starting with TCU's Terrence Cooks - be shocked if he's not one of the team's leading tacklers.
Texas State Bobcats Key to the Season
Score a whole lot of points.The defense was and should be better, but Texas State will still need the offense to keep its foot on the gas. In two seasons under GJ Kinne, the Bobcats are 15-2 when they score more than 31 points and 1-8 when they don't. Expect every game to be a shootout again.
Texas State Bobcats Key Player
Gevani McCoy, QB Sr.Jordan McCloud was terrific last season hitting 70% of his passes with 30 touchdown throws. He was a good runner and scored seven times, but he wasn't as dangerous on the ground as McCoy will be.Again, McCoy isn't a sure thing to grab the gig, but he can move - he ran for 328 yards and five scores in his limited time with the Beavers last year - and showed flashes with the passing game.
Texas State Bobcats Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: Tyrin Smith, WR Sr.The fifth-year senior had a fantastic 2022 at UTEP - 71 catches for 1,039 yards and five scores - but he missed most of the following year and most of last year at Cincinnati. The veteran has a shot to be a No. 1 target if he can stay healthy.Top Transfer Out: Joshua Eaton, CB Sr.After starting as a three-year reserve at Oklahoma, Eaton turned into a strong playmaking corner for Texas State over the last two seasons. He has yet to pick off a pass, but he made 49 tackles with 13 broken-up passes for the Bobcats. Now he'll be part of the Michigan State secondary.
Texas State Bobcats Key Game
at Arkansas State, Oct. 4James Madison will be a problem, and going to Louisiana will be dangerous, but starting out the Sun Belt season on the road against the Red Wolves will be the big test case. Pull this off, and the Bobcats will be players in the conference chase. Lose, even early on, and it'll be an uphill battle in the strong West division.- 2025 Texas State Bobcats Schedule Breakdown
Texas State Bobcats Top 10 Players
1. Kalil Alexander, EDGE Sr.2. Ryan Nolan, S Jr.3. Lincoln Pare, RB Sr.4. Chris Dawn, WR Jr.5. Gevani McCoy, QB Sr.6. Jo'Lauson Landry, EDGE Soph.7. Nate Yarnell, QB Sr.8. Tyrin Smith, WR Sr.9. Dorion Strawn, OT Sr.10. Kamren Washington, DT Jr.
Texas State Bobcats 2024 Fun Stats
- 1st Quarter Scoring: Texas State 161, Opponents 62- Sacks: Texas State 36 for 281 yards, Opponents 19 for 99 yards- Passing Touchdowns: Texas State 31, Opponents 13
Texas State Bobcats 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
The team will be just fine with all the new parts and changes across the starting 22, but the schedule will be far, far more of a challenge.The trip to Arizona State is bad enough, but having to go to UTSA, Arkansas State, and Louisiana will be challenging.
But just like the last two seasons, the Bobcats will crank up enough offense to win most shootouts, but there will be just enough duds - watch out for the trip to Southern Miss - to keep this from being a Sun Belt title campaign.Set The Texas State Bobcats Win Total At … 7.5Likely Wins: Eastern Michigan, Nicholls50/50 Games: at Arkansas State, James Madison, at Louisiana, at Marshall, South Alabama, at Southern Miss, Troy, ULM, at UTSALikely Losses: at Arizona State
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