NEW ORLEANS — Fresh off its winningest season at the FBS level and its first Bowl Season appearance in program history, Texas State will kick off its 2024 campaign on Saturday, August 31, when it hosts Lamar at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. 
 
The Bobcats have won six of the last nine meetings against the Cardinals, dating back to 1981, but have not played the in-state foe since joining the Sun Belt. 
 
Texas State’s non-conference slate also includes home dates with in-state rival UTSA (Sept. 7) and Arizona State (Sept. 12) and a visit to in-state foe Sam Houston (Sept. 28). Alongside annual matchups against its West Division brethren, the Bobcats’ conference schedule features a trip to Old Dominion (Oct. 19) and a home fixture against Georgia State (Nov. 23) from the East Division. 
 
The Bobcats were picked to finish atop the Sun Belt West Division, while claiming 9-of-14 first-place votes in last month’s 2024 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll. 
 
In his second season with the program, head coach GJ Kinne will guide a roster that returns six All-Sun Belt honorees from 2023 and had eight players named to the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt teams. Paramount among Texas State’s additions is 2023 Sun Belt Player of the Year redshirt senior quarterback Jordan McCloud, who transferred in from James Madison. The Bobcats trailed only App State with six Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team picks—including dual selection junior running back and all-purpose back Ismail Mahdi, who earned First Team nods on offense and special teams. 
 
Texas State went 8-5 overall in 2023, including a 42-31 win over in-state autonomy five foe Baylor. The Bobcats were also part of the national-best 12-team Sun Belt contingent to participate in Bowl Season, earning 1-of-5 Sun Belt bowl championships with a 45-21 victory over in-state foe Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. 
 
Texas State claimed a bowl championship in its first-ever bowl appearance in 2023. 
 
To listen to head coach GJ Kinne, junior running back Ismail Mahdi and redshirt senior quarterback Jordan McCloud’s comments from the 2024 Sun Belt Football Media Days, visit the Sun Belt Conference YouTube page. 
 


2024 SCHEDULE

8/31	Lamar
9/7	UTSA
9/12	Arizona State
9/28	at Sam Houston
10/3	at Troy*
10/12	Arkansas State*
10/19	at Old Dominion*
10/29	Louisiana*
11/9	at ULM*
11/16	Southern Miss*
11/23	Georgia State*
11/29	at South Alabama*

 
* Sun Belt Conference Game 
 
2023 ALL-SUN BELT RETURNERS
First Team
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State (RS Jr., K – Liberty Hill, Texas)
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., AP – Murphy, Texas) 
 
Second Team
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State (Sr., WR – San Clemente, Calif.) 
DL – Ben Bell, Texas State (Sr., DL – Cedar Park, Texas)
RS – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., RS – Murphy, Texas)
 
Honorable Mention
WR – Kole Wilson, Texas State (Jr., WR – Katy, Texas)
 
2024 PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT SELECTIONS
First Team
QB – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.) 
RB – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., RB – Murphy, Texas)
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State (Sr., WR – San Clemente, Calif.) 
LB – Ben Bell, Texas State (Sr., LB – Cedar Park, Texas)
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State (RS Jr., K – Liberty Hill, Texas)
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State (Jr., AP – Murphy, Texas)
 
Second Team
WR – Kole Wilson, Texas State (Jr., WR – Katy, Texas)
DB – Kaleb Culp, Texas State (Sr., DB – Dallas, Texas)