Texas State was unable to overcome a 31-10 hole as the Bobcats fell to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 31-23.
In a game that saw the Bobcats commit 12 penalties for 122 yards and being held to just 280 yards of offense, it was not the Bobcats night for Head Coach G.J. Kinne.
“It didn’t go our way tonight,” Kinne said. “We have to do a better job of being disciplined.”
The game started off well for the Bobcats who received the opening kickoff before going on a nine play, 75-yard drive as running back Jahmyl Jeter punched it in from one yard out, as the Bobcats went up 7-0.
Coastal Carolina answered back two drives later as quarterback Ethan Vasko hit Kendall Karr for the score to tie the game up at 7-7.
The Bobcats took the lead back late in the first quarter as kicker Mason Shipley booted a 23-yard field goal to put Texas State backup, 10-7.
The field goal was the last time the Bobcats put points up on the scoreboard until the fourth quarter, as the Chanticleers scored 24 unanswered points to take a commanding 31-10 lead.
The Bobcat offense was stagnated throughout the game, as quarterback T.J. Finley was held to just 49 passing yards on 11 attempts.
Backup quarterback Malik Hornsby subbed in for Finley during the second half.
Despite the insertion of Hornsby at quarterback, Kinne confirmed that Finley was still the starter and that the offense needed a jolt.
“T.J. is the quarterback,” Kinne said. “We just needed a spark on offense. [Finley] was getting hit too many hits in the first half so we needed a spark. I thought Malik did a good job considering the situation. But, yeah, T.J. is that [starting] quarterback.”
As the Bobcats trailed 31-10 following a Coastal Carolina field goal, Texas State found their first points of the second half on a 14 play, 75-yard drive as Hornsby scored on the eight yard touchdown run to cut the lead down to 31-17.
Texas State immediately got the ball on the ensuing kickoff as Shipley successfully made the onside kick allowing the Bobcats to recover.
The Bobcats responded with another touchdown as Hornsby scored on the four-yard run.
A missed PAT kick by Texas State made it a 3123 game before Coastal Carolina recovered the onside kick and kneeling out the game for the win.
Texas State returns to play this Saturday against arch rival Arkansas State. [email protected] Twitter: @ColtonBMc
