The 2023 Texas State Bobcats football team represented

Texas State University Texas State University is a public research university in San Marcos, Texas. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has grown to the second largest university in the Greater Austin metropolitan area and the fifth largest university ...

as a member of the

Sun Belt Conference The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participa ...

during the

2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season is the 154th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). ...

. They were led by first-year head coach

G. J. Kinne Gary Joe "G. J." Kinne III (born December 1, 1988) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently the head coach at Texas State University (TXST) in San Marcos, Texas. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted fr ...

and played their home games at Bobcat Stadium in

San Marcos, Texas San Marcos ( ) is a city and the county seat of Hays County, Texas, United States. The city's limits extend into Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties, as well. San Marcos is within the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan area and on the Interstate 35 ...

. The Bobcats finished the regular season 7–5, going 4–4 in Sun Belt play to finish second in the conference's West Division. Texas State was selected to a bowl game for the first time in program history and played

Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

in the

First Responder Bowl The First Responder Bowl is an NCAA post-season college football bowl game played annually in the Dallas, Texas, area. The bowl was first held on January 1, 2011, and since 2014 has been contested in late December. The bowl was held at the Cot ...

. The Bobcats would win the game 45–21 to finish the season with an overall record of 8–5; the eight wins broke the program record for most wins in a single season as an FBS program. The Bobcats also finished a season with a winning record for the first time since

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

Offseason

Coaching changes

On November 27, 2022 the Bobcats fired their head coach

Jake Spavital Jacob Stephen Spavital (born May 1, 1985) is an American college football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the California Golden Bears. He previously served as the head football coach at Texas State University from 2019 to 2022. Coachi ...

. On December 2, the Bobcats hired G. J. Kinne to be their next head coach. He was formerly the head coach at Incarnate Word. On December 13, the Bobcats hired

Mack Leftwich Mack Hays Leftwich (born November 18, 1994) is an American football coach and former player. He is the offensive coordinator for Texas State Bobcats football team. Early life and playing career Leftwich was born in Denton, Texas and spent most of ...

to be their offensive coordinator. On December 20, they named Kam Martin the running backs coach, Matthew Gregg the cornerbacks coach, and Dexter McCoil Sr. the safeties coach. Two days later, they named Jonathan Patke the defensive coordinator,

Craig Stutzmann Craig Keola Stutzmann (born July 14, 1980) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Texas State Bobcats football, Texas State. He was previously the co-offensive co ...

the receivers coach and pass game coordinator, and Bret Huth as the Assistant Athletic Director, Strength and Conditioning for Football. On December 23,

Daniel Da Prato Daniel Da Prato (born October 2, 1981) is an American football coach and former player. He is the Special Teams Coordinator at Texas State University. He was the interim head football coach at University of South Florida from November to December ...

was hired as the special teams coordinator and associate head coach. They also named Will Bryant as their tight ends coach. On February 23, 2023, the Bobcats hired Chris Buckner as the co-wide receivers coach and Clay Jennings as the defensive back coach.

Recruiting class

Media poll

In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Bobcats were picked to finish in fifth place in the West division. Defensive lineman Jordan Revels was named to the second team.

Transfers

Outgoing

Incoming

Schedule

The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023.

Personnel

Staff

Game summaries

At Baylor

At UTSA

Jackson State

Nevada

The Bobcats' offense struggled in the first half, committing two turnovers, including an interception that was returned 98 yards for a touchdown, and failing to convert on 4th down as they were shutout in the half with the Wolf Pack leading 17–0 at half time. Texas State would comeback in the 2nd half, scoring 35 unanswered points.

At Southern Miss

At Louisiana

Louisiana–Monroe

Troy

Georgia Southern

At Coastal Carolina

At Arkansas State

South Alabama

Vs. Rice (First Responder Bowl)

References

{{Texas State Bobcats football navbox

Texas State Texas State University is a public research university in San Marcos, Texas. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has grown to the second largest university in the Greater Austin metropolitan area and the fifth largest university ...

Texas State Bobcats football seasons First Responder Bowl champion seasons

Texas State Bobcats football The Texas State Bobcats football program Texas State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. They play in the Sun Belt Conference. The program began in 1904 and has an overall winning record. ...