The Texas season is just four days away, with a Texas State team waiting for them on Saturday. While it should be a game Texas handles rather easily, there are things the Bobcats provide that could be helpful for the Longhorns
moving forward. From specific abilities of their stars to the overall offensive philosophy, GJ Kinne and company present multiple problems Texas will have to find answers for.Here are the four things that could serve Texas against Ohio State and beyond:
QB Mobility & “Ad-Libbing”
There are very few things Texas State QB Brad Jackson is bad at. He’s a prolific thrower of the football, very comfortable in the offense and has a great rapport with his top two WRs. However, his best attribute, in my eyes, is his legs. He has a unique ability to extend
plays, either to create positive scrambles or buy time for a big pass play.
This will challenge the Texas DL to play with more patience and not in all-out attack mode from start to finish. It’ll also require the Texas secondary to play sticky coverage beyond what’ll be required by normal QBs. Considering Texas will face QBs like John Mateer, Kamario Taylor, Sam Leavitt and Marcel Reed this season, this is a great opening QB to face.
Brad Jackson with a hurdle touchdown THROW 🤯
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) October 29, 2025
pic.twitter.com/bqoeETVPAA
Fast & Shifty Playmakers
Texas State is the sole team in FBS that is returning two 1,000-yard WRs from a season ago. Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. are an elite WR duo and both fit similar physical mold. Sparks measures in at 5’11”, 181lbs, while Dawn comes in at 5' 9”, 175lbs. Both do a remarkable job after the catch, making defenders miss and creating explosives on a consistent basis. That will require great coverage from the Texas CBs and then elite tackling once these two get the ball. It’s no secret the Texas schedule is littered with smaller, shifty, explosive playmakers. This is a great duo to test those needed skills.
Texas State has a SCARY Passing Attack this upcoming season with Chris Dawn Jr, Beau Sparks, and Brad Jackson 😤👀
— The College Sports Company (@CollegeSportsCo) June 30, 2026
The Bobcats are looking to make some noise in the PAC-12 this year 🙌 pic.twitter.com/yPfYpEHA7E
Fast Pace Offense
This is the biggest piece to me. One of the concerns Texas fans have entering the season is depth, especially at linebacker and safety. Last season, Texas State was 19th in the pace of play, averaging one play every 23.83 seconds. For comparison, Texas averaged one play every 25.31 seconds last season. That means more players will need to rotate in to help keep the defense fresh. The pace, combined with the heat, will test this team’s conditioning, while also getting many younger players early snaps.
Texas State could have one of the most potent offenses in CFB.
— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) July 16, 2026
They returns from last season:
QB1 Brad Jackson 3,224 passing yards & 21 TDs
WR1/WR2 Beau Sparks & Chris Dawn Jr both 1,000 yard WRs + 14 TDs
RB1 Greg Burrell 671 rushing yards & 6.7 YPC pic.twitter.com/yL93Lf4Ynb
New Look Defense
This is a wildcard to this game. Texas State, after a terrible defensive performance last season, hired Will Windham from South Alabama as their new DC. He’ll bring a new approach to the Texas State defense. While there is tape from his South Alabama time, the personnel often informs approach, so it won’t be a carbon copy of his time with the Jaguars. This will force Sarkisian and company to possibly alter minor gameplan pieces throughout the game. With new play callers at Ohio State, Tennessee, Florida, Texas A&M and much more, this will be a requirement all season. This is a good chance to test those muscles, without major danger of losing the game.
Sources: Texas State is set to hire South Alabama defensive coordinator Will Windham as the school's new defensive coordinator. South Alabama ranked No. 3 in total defense in the Sun Belt last year and had the top scoring defense in the league in conference games. pic.twitter.com/JQbEjVEaV8
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 19, 2025
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Why Texas State is a perfect Week One opponent for Texas
