College Football: Do or die doesn’t bother Bobcats

State plays off pressure with 28-7 win over SFA

By Tyler Mayforth

Texas State isn’t afraid of do-or-die games in the Southland Conference.

The Bobcats have made a habit of putting themselves into situations for those to occur.

Last year, Texas State had to beat McNeese State on the road in order to make a name for itself in the SLC. The Bobcats needed to stop Stephen F. Austin’s six-game win streak Saturday afternoon to keep pace in the SLC title hunt.

Texas State steamrolled the Cowboys last year and then manhandled the Lumberjacks last weekend.

“Any time a team is backed up against the wall like Texas State,” SFA head coach J.C. Harper said, “you know you’re going to get their best game.”

The Bobcats limited the Lumberjacks’ potent offense to seven points (SFA averaged 44.8 per game coming into the game) and made SFA quarterback Jeremy Moses look downright pedestrian. Texas State rattled Moses and didn’t allow him to get into a rhythm.

Travis Houston led the Bobcats’ defense with five tackles, four quarterback hurries and an interception, but didn’t battle the Lumberjacks by himself. Texas State got impressive performances by all three linebackers (Joe Bell, Marcus Clark and Joplo Bartu) and its defensive line (Adley Eshraghipour, Garrett Hood and Ron Jackson).

The Bobcats’ offense clicked as Bradley George tossed four touchdown passes and Mishak Rivas looked close to full strength, reeling in two of George’s bombs.

“It was one of those days where offensively and defensively, we kept swinging,” Texas State head coach Brad Wright said. “It was like a heavyweight fight and some of the punches were landing there in the end.” 

Improved defensive performance

It’s amazing what Texas State can do on defense once its defensive line gets pressure on the quarterback. The Bobcats were able to fully utilize defensive coordinator Fred Bleil’s system Saturday afternoon.

Texas State didn’t need to blitz its linebackers, which allowed Bell (the SLC Defensive Player of the Week), Clark and Bartu to drop back into coverage where they could stop the drag routes. Bell, Clark and Bartu combined for 26.5 tackles (three for a loss of 14 yards) and a forced fumble.

The Bobcats also could get the most out of their secondary since they weren’t stranded in coverage. Will Thompson, Derek Lopez, Kenneth Hampton and T.P. Miller were able to play off SFA’s receivers, which forced Moses to try to complete short passes and not go for the deep ball.

“The defense did a good job,” George, the SLC Offensive Player of the Week, said. “We take our hats off to them. It was the best game of the season for our defense.”

Bobcats finally out of the woods?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

Texas State has three games left in the 2009 regular season and they won’t be cakewalks. The Bobcats travel to Central Arkansas this Saturday and then host McNeese State and Sam Houston State in consecutive weeks.

If Texas State beats the Bears in Conway, Ark., this Saturday (which is a difficult task in itself), the Bobcats return home for a Titanic-sized showdown with the Cowboys.

Don’t expect Southeastern Louisiana (at Northwestern State), SFA (vs. Nicholls State) or McNeese State (vs. Sam Houston State) to lose this weekend. So, in order to keep up at 4-1, Texas State needs to win in Conway.

“The only thing (beating SFA) means is that the next game is more important,” Houston said. “It’s going to be that way for the rest of the year.”