OP/ED
It’s been a roller coaster ride for the Bobcats, who have seen more downs than ups.
Texas State has lost their last three games by a combined 11 points, two of those losses coming in overtime.
The Bobcats now sit at a 3-4 overall record and are in danger of missing a bowl game, needing three wins in the final five games of the regular season.
While everything is not lost for Texas State, the three losses are a frustration for many of the fanbase watching their Sun Belt opponents take pleasure in handing the Bobcats a defeat in their last year in the conference.
With the blame game afoot, here are some of the critical issues affecting the Bobcats during their three-game skid.
Defense
During the offseason, both the Bobcat offense and defense returned three starters on each side of the ball as Texas State was hit by both graduation and the portal.
The Bobcat offense hasn’t missed a beat, leading the conference in total points scored and is ranked ninth in the FBS in total offense. The Bobcats rank 46th overall in passing offense and 11th overall in rushing offense.
But the defense has taken a significant step back. After ranking 61st in total defense last season, the Bobcats currently sit tied for 103rd, allowing 31.29 points per game. The Bobcats allowed an average of 242.1 passing yards per game [101st overall] and 162.7 rushing yards per game [96th overall].
Despite the offense performing at a high level, the stats show the defense has been unable to catch up, leading to some of the high-scoring games the Bobcats have seen over the past three games. Injuries have also played havoc with the defense with starters Jo’Laison Landry and Will Mitchell II out for the season while Jaden Rios and Ryan Nolan have missed multiple games.
High Risk Coaching Decisions When one side of the ball is significantly outplaying the other, coaches must do their best to limit the damage. In the Bobcats’ case, the team must find ways to overcome the defensive woes.
Over the past three games, Texas State has taken high-risk chances in ways to overcome their deficiencies.
Against Marshall, the Bobcats went for it on fourth down from the Thundering Herd 7-yard line instead of taking the three points, only for the play to end in an interception. Marshall capitalized on the turnover and turned it into three points. Later in the game, the Bobcats executed a fake punt from their 26-yard line. Despite gaining enough for the first down, the Bobcats fumbled the ball, allowing Marshall to kick a field goal.
A similar situation occurred in the Bobcats game against Arkansas State where Texas State went for it on fourth down at the Red Wolves 16-yard line instead of kicking the field goal only to come up short.
In one-possession games, coaching decisions are magnified to the nth degree.
Bad Luck
But also in one-possession games, sometimes luck is all you need. But whatever superior beings the Bobcats have angered, whether it be the football gods, the blind salamander king living under the Square, or the school of mermaids that protect the San Marcos River, luck has not been on the side of the Bobcats.
Football is a weird game where the outcome can be determined by one single bounce or play. If the big doink on the field goal attempt was just a little more to the left against Troy, the Bobcats would be celebrating a great homecoming win. If the replay showed a better angle to prove the ball carrier was down before the fumble on the Bobcats’ fake punt, Texas State returns home from West Virginia with the win.
Sometimes the ball just needs to bounce the right way and for the Bobcats, it just so happens the ball is bouncing everywhere and inbetween.
The Bobcats struggles can’t be pinned on one single player or coach. It’s a multiple of factors that decide who the winners and losers are. As coach speak goes, ‘We win and lose as a team’. But right now everything is just not going the Bobcats way and the pressure is now to figure out how to stop the snowball of losing from gathering more speed.
The road doesn’t get any easier for Texas State with the upcoming Tuesday night showdown with James Madison, who come to San Marcos as the East Division leaders. If the Bobcats want to continue their streak of consecutive bowl trips, Texas State has to get their act together or leave the Sun Belt with a whimper.
