{"id":56802,"date":"2023-12-27T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T14:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=56802"},"modified":"2023-12-26T22:46:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T03:46:36","slug":"stars-are-bright-for-texas-state-in-45-21-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2023\/12\/27\/stars-are-bright-for-texas-state-in-45-21-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Stars Are Bright For Texas State in 45-21 win"},"content":{"rendered":"

The stars are bright for Texas State now that the Bobcats have won the first bowl game in program history, a 45-21 win over Rice in the First Responder Bowl.\u00a0 It was the biggest victory in the program\u2019s history since joining the FBS in 2012. \u00a0The win also secured Texas State Head Coach G.J. Kinne<\/strong> as one of the hottest coaching prospects in the nation.\u00a0 But for now, the Bobcats and their fans are happy to bask in this historical moment.<\/p>\n

Texas State (8-5) signed Kinne to a contract extension through 2028 in the days leading up to the bowl game.\u00a0 In his first year at Texas State since leaving the University of the Incarnate Word, Kinne has already been in the rumor mill since the regular season ended.\u00a0 The contract extension makes him one of highest highest-paid coaches in the Sun Belt with a base salary of about one million. \u00a0He brought TJ Finley<\/a> in at quarterback, and the sophomore transfer from Auburn threw for 3,287 yards and 24 touchdowns in his first year with the Bobcats.\u00a0 Texas State ranked no. 23 nationally in passing yards per game with Finley calling the plays.<\/p>\n

Rice (6-7) scored back-to-back wins over Charlotte and Florida Atlantic to become bowl-eligible.\u00a0 The Owls started the game with a backup quarterback and trailed 24-21 at halftime.\u00a0 Sixth-year Head Coach Mike Bloomgren was without the services of quarterback JT Daniels<\/a> but had his team ready for the upset.\u00a0 But Rice could not overcome the combination of Finley and running back Ismail Mahdi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Opening Game Jitters<\/h3>\n

The Bobcats opened the game with a heavy dose of running behind Mahdi.\u00a0 We told you all about Mahdi in the bowl preview<\/a>.\u00a0 The stars are bright for Texas State whenever he touches the ball.\u00a0 He rushed for 1,209 yards and 10 touchdowns heading into the First Responder Bowl.\u00a0 As potent as Texas State is running the ball, the Bobcats entered the game ranked 23rd in the nation in passing offense for a reason.\u00a0 Texas State fired up its offense and kicked off the First Responder Bowl with a 7-play, 75-yard drive bolstered by Mahdi and capped off with Jahmyl Jeter<\/a>\u2019s 29-yard touchdown run.\u00a0 They went straight through the Rice defense behind the rushing duo of Mahdi and Jeter.\u00a0 Everything seemed set for Texas State as far as the offense was concerned.<\/p>\n

The Owls were in the capable hands of AJ Padgett<\/a>.\u00a0 The redshirt freshman quarterback was in the same position last year when he was called off the bench to start in the Lending Tree Bowl.\u00a0 He was summoned again late this season when Daniels was injured. \u00a0Having started the final three games of the regular season, Padgett was up to the task.\u00a0 He connected with Landon Ransom-Goelz<\/a> on a 12-yard pass to kick-start the Rice offense.\u00a0 Padgett put the finishing touch on the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Luke McCaffrey<\/a> that tied the game, 7-7.<\/p>\n

Finley Catches Fire<\/h3>\n

Raise your hand if you had TJ Finley lighting it up on your betting slip.\u00a0 He heated up fast, going 5-for-5 for 82 yards as Texas State marched down the field.\u00a0 Jeter plunged into the end zone for another score and the Bobcats seemed to have the offense part figured out with a 14-7 lead.<\/p>\n

Just when Padgett got Rice back on the field, Texas State linebacker Brian Holloway<\/a> stepped in front of a pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 Bobcats advantage.\u00a0 Finley looked comfortable operating the offense with a 2-touchdown lead in his pocket.\u00a0 He looked like the final piece of the program\u2019s first bowl season falling into place.\u00a0 Having made earlier stops at Auburn and LSU, Finley was the veteran signal-caller called upon to orchestrate Offensive Coordinator Mack Leftwich\u2019s<\/strong> scheme.<\/p>\n

Owls Claw Back<\/h3>\n

Rice let an opportunity slip through its fingers last season when they lost to Southern Miss in the Lending Tree Bowl.\u00a0 The Owls were not going to let it happen again without a fight.\u00a0 Thanks in part to a trio of penalties on the Texas State defense, Rice was able to scratch and claw its way back to within 21-14. \u00a0Padgett guided the Owls 77 yards on 11 plays as the backup quarterback warmed up to the game.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Rice defense was holding Texas State to 3-and-out possessions on three straight drives.\u00a0 The Owls used the extra possessions to work running back Dean Connors<\/a> into the game.\u00a0 The surprising junior continued his run of strong performances, rushing nine times for 60 yards and two scores in the first half.\u00a0 Connors finished the regular season as the team leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and all-purpose yards.\u00a0 His 28-yard scoring romp tied the game at 21-21 late in the second quarter.\u00a0 As he has all season, Connors was able to shoulder the load under Offensive Coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo\u2019s<\/strong> system.<\/p>\n

Second Half Breakout<\/h3>\n

What Texas State really needed was a sustained drive to start the second half.\u00a0 It got exactly that with a 10-play drive that finished with a flair.\u00a0 Offensive lineman Nash Jones<\/a> took a lateral and rumbled into the end zone from the 3-yard line to open a 31-21 lead.<\/p>\n

Holloway broke open the game with his second pick-six of the game when he reeled in a Padgett pass and returned it 48 yards for the score.\u00a0 Holloway\u2019s touchdown made it 38-21.\u00a0 His two scores occurred in a homecoming game for Holloway, who transferred to Texas State from SMU after the 2021 season.\u00a0 Playing at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas again, he spearheaded a Bobcats defense that limited Padgett to 85 yards on 10-of-21 passing.\u00a0 Texas State also picked off three Padgett passes.\u00a0 Even the rushing exploits of Connors would not be enough to offset Rice\u2019s inability to throw the ball.<\/p>\n

How It Ended<\/h3>\n

Desperate for offense, Bloomgren inserted freshman quarterback Chase Jenkins<\/a> into the game.\u00a0 Texas State defensive linemen Dominique Ratcliff<\/a> and Jordan Revels<\/a> converged on Jenkins for a sack on the freshman\u2019s first drive.\u00a0 Bloomgren pulled Jenkins in the fourth quarter for sophomore Shawqi Itraish<\/a>, who promptly threw an interception to Kaleb Ford-Dement<\/a>.\u00a0 No matter who was running the Rice offense, the Bobcats had all the answers.<\/p>\n

The stars are bright for Texas State now that it has its first bowl win under its belt.\u00a0 The Bobcats open 2024 with Lamar, UTSA, Arizona State, and Sam Houston.\u00a0 With their historical 2023 behind them and their red-hot coach under contract, Texas State seems poised for further success.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Stars
Photo courtesy:\u00a0 Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The stars are bright for Texas State now that the Bobcats have won the first bowl game in program history, a 45-21 win over Rice in the First Responder Bowl.\u00a0 It was the biggest victory in the program\u2019s history since joining the FBS in 2012. \u00a0The win also secured Texas State Head Coach G.J. Kinne […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4486,"featured_media":56810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7361,10906,8,14],"tags":[8625,33039,33040,33041,2894,32846,662],"class_list":["post-56802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bowl-games","category-cfb","category-fbs","category-sunbelt","tag-first-responder-bowl","tag-g-j-kinne","tag-mack-leftwich","tag-marques-tuiasosopo","tag-rice-owls","tag-sun-belt-football","tag-texas-state-bobcats"],"modified_by":"Tony Siracusa, CFB Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4486"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56802\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}