Texas State Outgained UTSA By 83 Yards, Still Fell Apart: The Real Gut Punch Was The ‘Chip’

Texas State football coach GJ Kinne saw something he called “one of the weirdest games he’s ever experienced” on Saturday, a brutal 31-26 loss to UTSA in the I-35 rivalry. The Bobcats, now sitting at 0-2, somehow outgained the Roadrunners by a shocking 83 yards and converted nine of 17 third downs, completely crushing UTSA’s three of 15 mark. But hey, who needs stats when you have a rivalry game, right? UTSA clearly rolled onto the field with a chip on their shoulder, and that intensity just ate the Bobcats alive.

The Numbers Screamed Win, The Score Yelled Loss

You read those stats and you’d think Texas State walked away with an easy W. Their running backs were absolutely feasting, averaging a wild 7.15 yards per carry on 35 attempts. Even UTSA coach Jeff Traylor admitted his defensive line matched up poorly against Texas State’s offensive line for most of the game! And the Bobcats’ defense, usually a punching bag, held UTSA to a mere 17 points through three quarters. Roadrunners quarterback Owen McCown was facing pressure all afternoon. But when the clock hit zero, it was Texas State tossing desperate laterals, praying for a miracle that never came. UTSA was the team storming the field, whooping and hollering. What the heck happened?!

Special Teams Nightmares and QB Catastrophes

Here’s the cold, hard truth: Texas State shot themselves in the foot, big time. Kicker Dylan Cunanan had a nightmare outing, missing both a 26-yard field goal AND an extra point attempt. That’s a four point swing, people, in a four point loss! You can’t make that up. Quarterback Brad Jackson had one of the worst halves of his career, completing just 10 of 20 passes for 140 yards and an interception. He finished the game with 192 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on 17 of 30 passing. The passing attack was just plain dysfunctional, and they even failed on a fourth down after an eight minute drive. These unforced errors were the actual game changers, not just some bad luck.

UTSA’s Grit and Why It Meant More

Kinne tried to downplay the loss, saying “We can’t let this one define us,” and “It’s not the end-all, be-all.” But you gotta wonder if the intangible factor was really eating at him. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor put it plainly: “It just means so much. To our fans, to our alumni, our city.” You saw it in McCown’s play, too. He wasn’t blowing anyone away with his 28 of 42 for 214 yards stat line, but in the fourth quarter, he went nine of 11 for 53 yards and three first downs, converting two crucial fourth and five plays. UTSA’s offense looked more creative, like that second-half swing pass from David Amador III that turned into a 44-yard touchdown heave to Mekhi Anderson. This wasn’t just a loss; it was losing to a team that just wanted it more.

This 0-2 start hurts, and Kinne’s message that “we can’t let this one define us” needs to land hard. Losing a rivalry game where you statistically dominate feels awful, especially with those key mistakes. Texas State has gotta regroup and find that chip UTSA clearly had, because the season is already underway.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.