TXST FOOTBALL
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF
The Countdown to Kickoff Series takes a look at the upcoming 2025 season for the Texas State Bobcats during their final season in the Sun Belt Conference.
This week will preview the Bobcats home conference game against one of their longest played rivals in the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks.
ULM finished the 2024 season with a 5-7 overall record under new head coach Bryant Vincent. The Warhawks started off hot, going 5-1 in their first six games including a win over James Madison before losing six straight games. However, the Warhawks won five games for the first time since 2019.
In the Bobcats game against the Warhawks last season, Texas State defeated ULM 38-17 after rushing for 326 yards. Freshman quarterback Brad Jackson rushed for 119 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns while senior running back Deion Hankins rushed for 117 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown.
ULM returns several starters from last year’s team as the Warhawks will look to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2018 and qualify for just their second bowl game in program history.
Looking to lead the offense for the 2025 season is sophomore quarterback Aidan Armenta. Armenta passed for 1,292 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 58 yards and one touchdown.
The Warhawks will have to replace leading rusher Ahmad Hardy, who rushed for a team-high 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, after transferring to Missouri. However, ULM will look to lean on several transfers for their rushing attack including senior Zach Palmer-Smith who rushed for 1,433 yards and 11 touchdowns at Richmond.
On defense, ULM returns several starters from last year’s team and will look to be a strength for the Warhawks this season. Returning for the Warhawks is defensive end Kevontay Wells. Wells was one of the top tacklers from last season for ULM, making 50 total tackles along with 18 solo and three sacks.
The series history between Texas State and ULM dates back to 1986 when both schools were playing at the FCS level. The Bobcats and the Warhawks became conference bunkmates when Texas State, along with Northwestern State, Sam Houston, and Stephen F. Austin joined the Southland Conference.
From 1986 through 1993, the Bobcats and the Warhawks played eight consecutive times with ULM going 7-1 against Texas State. The Bobcats lone win over the Warhawks during that time span came during the 1989 season when Texas State defeated ULM for the first time in a 26-7 victory.
The series went on hiatus after the 1993 season when ULM made the transition to FBS from FCS where the teams would not play again until the 2000 season.
There the Bobcats pulled off the upset when Texas State, still playing in the FCS, defeated ULM 27-7 for the ‘Cats’ first ever win in Monroe.
Texas State and ULM would reunite as conference rivals in 2013 when the Bobcats made the move to join the Sun Belt Conference.
Since 2013, both the Bobcats and the Warhawks have been consistent opponents for one another due to their geographical locations.
The series became more even in the Sun Belt Conference with both Texas State and ULM winning six games against each other with seven of the 12 games coming within one possession.
One of the most thrilling wins for the Bobcats in the series came during the 2023 season when Texas State trailed 20-9 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game after the Warhawks scored on a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown.
The Bobcats on the next possession scored on a 11-yard touchdown pass from T.J. Finley to Joey Hobert, making it a one-possession game at 20-15 after a failed two-point conversion.
The Texas State defense forced a three-and-out as the Bobcats got the ball back at their own 24-yard line with less than four minutes remaining in the game.
The Bobcats took their first lead of the game when Finley found Hobert again for a 22-yard touchdown pass to put Texas State up 21-20 before the Bobcat defense made one final stop to preserve the win.
Kickoff for Texas State-ULM is set for Saturday, Nov. 22 at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos.
