(RB Ismail Mahdi – Texas State Athletics)
Key Players Returning:
RB/KR Ismail Mahdi, WR Joey Hobert, WR/RS Kole Wilson, OG Dorion Strawn, OT Nash Jones, OT Jimeto Obigbo, DE Ben Bell, DE Deven Wright, DT Terry Webb, NT Tavian Coleman, NT Dominique Ratcliff, CB Chris Mills, NB Alonzo Edwards Jr., SS Kaleb Culp, and PK Mason Shipley.
Key Players Departing:
QB TJ Finley (Western Kentucky transfer), RB Donerio Davenport, WR Ashtyn Hawkins, OC Caleb Johnson, OG Brey Walker, DE Chance Main, DE Sam Latham, DE Jordan Revels, LB Dan Foster Jr. (Louisville transfer), LB Brian Holloway, CB Kaleb Ford-Dement, SS Shawn Holton, and PT Seamus O’Kelly.
(QB Jordan McCloud – AP Photo)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: QB Jordan McCloud (James Madison transfer), OT Issiah Walker Jr. (El Dorado, Kansas), DT Tunmise Adeleye (Michigan State transfer), QB Jayden de Laura (Arizona transfer), EDGE Steven Parker (Incarnate Word transfer), RB Deion Hawkins (UTEP transfer), WR Kylen Evans (McKinney, Texas), OL Brock Riker (Brock, Texas), LB Treylin Payne (Houston transfer), RB Torrance Burgess Jr. (UTEP transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Baylor W 42-31
G02 @ UTSA L 13-20
G03 JACKSON STATE W 77-34
G04 NEVADA W 35-24
G05 @ Southern Miss W 50-36
G06 @ Louisiana L 30-34
G07 UL-MONROE W 21-20
G08 TROY L 13-31
G09 GEORGIA SOUTHERN W 45-24
G10 @ Coastal Carolina L 23-31
G11 @ Arkansas State L 31-77
G12 SOUTH ALABAMA W 52-44
BOWL vs. Rice W 45-21
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 8-5 (2nd in SBC West)
Home: 5-1
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 1-0
SBC: 4-4
Non-SBC: 4-1
Head Coach: GJ Kinne
Texas State: 8-5
Career: 20-7
Bowls: 1-0
(WR Joey Hobert – Texas State Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Ismail Mahdi (223 car., 1331 yards, 6.0 avg., 10 TD)
Receiving: Joey Hobert (76 rec., 895 yards, 11.8 avg., 8 TD)
TD’s Scored: Ismail Mahdi (12)
Sacks: Ben Bell (10)
Tackles: Kaleb Culp (81)
Interceptions: Bobby Crosby/Tory Spears (1)
Pass Deflections: Joshua Eaton (8)
Tackles For Loss: Ben Bell (16)
Forced Fumbles: Kalil Alexander (2)
Kick Returns: Ismail Mahdi (22 ret., 563 yards, 25.6 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Joey Hobert (9 ret., 32 yards, 3.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Mason Shipley (15-15 fg/fga., 100%, 58-59 xp/xpa., 103 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Jordan McCloud (RS SR/TR)
RB: 21 Ismail Mahdi (JR/TR)
WR: 10 Joey Hobert (SR/TR)
WR: 11 Beau Sparks (SO/TR)
WR: 2 Kole Wilson (JR/TR)
TE: 9 Konner Fox (RS SR/TR)
LT: 76 Nash Jones (SR/TR)
LG: 64 Dorion Strawn (RS JR/TR)
OC: 77 Chayse Todd (RS SR/TR)
RG: 73 Tellek Lockette (JR/TR)
RT: 55 Jimento Obigbo (SR/TR)
KR: 21 Ismail Mahdi (JR/TR)
PK: 36 Mason Shipley (RS JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 0 Steven Parker (RS SR/TR)
NT: 8 Tavian Coleman (SR/TR)
DT: 3 Terry Webb (SR/TR)
DE: 33 Ben Bell (SR/TR)
LB: 13 Mannie Nunnery (RS SR/TR)
LB: 29 Treylin Payne (JR/TR)
NB: 4 Alonzo Edwards Jr. (SR/TR)
CB: 7 Chris Mills (RS SR/TR)
CB: 1 Joshua Eaton (RS JR/TR)
FS: 12 Tory Spears (RS SR/TR)
SS: 20 Kaleb Culp (SR/TR)
PR: 2 Kole Wilson (JR/TR)
PT: 38 David Nunez (RS JR)
(DE Ben Bell – Texas State Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 LAMAR CARDINALS | Texas State won (46-21) the only prior meeting between schools in 2011.
09/07 UTSA ROADRUNNERS | Texas State trails the series 0-5. The Bobcats lost (13-20) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (48-51) the prior meeting in 2020.
09/12 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | First meeting between schools.
09/28 vs. Sam Houston Bearkats | The series is tied 4-4. The Bobcats lost (14-36) the last meeting between schools in 2011.
10/03 @ Troy Trojans | Texas State trails the series 1-13. The Bobcats are 0-8 since restarting the series in 2016, and their last series win (31-17) dates back to 1997.
10/12 ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES | Texas State trails the series 4-7. The Bobcats are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (16-13) was in 2022
10/19 @ Old Dominion Monarchs | First meeting between schools.
10/29 LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS | Texas State trails the series 0-10. The Bobcats are 0-9 since 2014, and they lost (30-34) last season’s meeting between schools.
11/09 @ UL-Monroe Warhawks | Texas State leads the series 13-7. The Bobcats are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (30-31) was in 2022.
11/16 SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES | The series is tied 2-2. The Bobcats won (50-36) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (14-20) the prior meeting in 2022.
11/23 GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS | The series is tied 4-4. The Bobcats are 3-4 since 2014, and they lost (16-28) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/29 @ South Alabama Jaguars | First meeting between schools. The Bobcats are 4-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (21-38) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Away: 4-0
Neutral: 2-0
SBC: 8-0
Non-SBC: 5-0
Overall: 13-0 (1st in SBC West/SBC Champions)
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