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Location: Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX
Kickoff: Saturday, November 9th 2:00 p.m. CT
TV/Radio: ESPN+/San Marcos: AM 1300, 930 AM, 89.9 FM. Mobile: WRKH 96.1 FM
Series Record: Series is tied at 2-2.
Last Meeting: USA won 41-31 in 2018
Betting Line: TXST -7 1/2, O/U: 41 1/2
If you are a follower of the South Alabama Jaguars or Texas State Bobcats football teams you’ve probably lost a few years of your life in a matter of minutes. Well, maybe mostly Bobcat fans seeing as the Jags have only been around since 2009.
Winning has been scarce for both squads in the past few years, South Alabama on the verge of their sixth straight losing season and Texas State looking for their first winning season since 2014.
I don’t like starting articles off pointing out the faults of each team like my mom does to me on the phone but I’m not going to pretend that things are going well for both programs. I’m an optimist and yes, both programs can improve greatly.
Bobcats Head Coach Jake Spavital and Jaguars Head Coach Steve Campbell are early in their tenure at their schools and of course we cannot judge or grade until we can see what they can do with multiple recruiting classes.
USA
Sophomore quarterback Cepheus Johnson has had a rough 2019. So far the 6’5” signal caller has completed only 51.6% of his passes for 900 yards and five touchdowns to 7 interceptions.
Johnson started 3/11 for 9 yards versus Appalachian State two weeks ago before getting pulled in he second half for Desmond Trotter. Trotter (a freshman) didn’t fair much better, going 3/8 for 43 yards in a 30-3 spanking at the hands of the Mountaineers.
Running Back Tra Minter has gained 849 total offensive yards and moved into 2nd place on South Alabama’s all-time all-purpose yardage list in the loss to App State .
Along with wide receiver Kawaan Baker, he and Minter have accounted for 56.1% of the Jaguars’ total offense in 2019.
TXST
It’s that time of the year when the wear and tear of a college football season take its toll.
Caleb Twyford will be missing from the backfield and quarterback Gresch Jensen is still in concussion protocol.
Tyler Vitt, who himself was beat up in last week’s loss to Louisiana will again get the start under center.
Vitt had a season high 206 yards last week in the loss.
With Twyford out at running back, the bulk of the carries will fall on Anthony D. Taylor who is second on the team with 134 yards on the ground.
Back at the wack for homecoming! @TXSTATEFOOTBALL is geared up and ready for action against @WeAreSouth_FB!!! Our guy @MasonHays2 putting in the work on and off the field to get the bobcats ready!!! #EATEMUP #TEAM @UNISWAG @UniAuthority @EwaldKubota @adidas @adidasFballUS pic.twitter.com/PLDwEyYeVb
— TXSTATE Equipment (@TXST_FootballEQ) November 7, 2019
Texas State will need to also curb their second half woes. In the past three games the Bobcats have only scored 7 points in the second half and in total have been shut out three times in the second half this year.
Conclusion
With South Alabama averaging 14.6 points per game and Texas State averaging 16.2 a game something has to give. It’s either going to be a 9-6 defensive battle or a 48-41 surprise shootout. Myself, I’m going to trend more to a 21-18, Texas State victory.