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The recent trend that has captured everyone is looking back at the year 2016. Much has changed in the last ten years for both the Bobcats and the Rattlers.
Texas State football in 2016 was one most fans like to forget.
The season started off with tragedy following the passing of defensive end Will Trevillion in January. The Bobcats new weight room facility is named in his honor.
The Bobcats also hired Everett Withers to lead the program following the retirement of Dennis Franchione, making Withers the first black head coach in program history.
After a thrilling 56-64 win over Ohio in triple overtime, the Bobcats followed up their performance with consecutive blowout losses to Arkansas and Houston, the latter being the most-attended game in the history of UFCU Stadium with over 33,000.
Texas State bounced back with a win over Incarnate Word but then the floor came out.
The Bobcats proceeded to go winless in the Sun Belt Conference that featured both Idaho and New Mexico State.
It marked the first time the Bobcats won only two games since 1999 and the first time the Bobcats went winless in conference play since 2001.
2016 marked the start of futility for the Bobcat football program despite the promises of ‘Partying in the Endzone.’ Between 2016-2022, Texas State went 20-64. To put that in perspective, in just three years, the Bobcats have gone 23-16.
2016 can be chalked up to the athletic program trying to find their spot within the Sun Belt Conference. Having moved to the conference in 2013 following the collapse of the WAC as an FBS Conference, Texas State found themselves playing catch up to their fellow peers in the hopes of competing for a conference championship, a feat that wouldn’t be fully realized until the 2020s.
The only program that seemingly bucked the trend was the softball program behind the arm of sophomore pitcher Randi Rupp.
Texas State finished the season with a 40-22 overall record with wins over Oklahoma State, Purdue and No. 24ranked Texas.
The Bobcats finished third in conference play before advancing to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament final where Texas State earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Texas State was invited to the Tuscaloosa Regional where the Bobcats defeated Samford before being eliminated by Cal.
Across the interstate, the Rattlers were building up their football program, returning to Class 6A after two years in Class 5A.
The Rattlers softball team advanced to the regional quarterfinals after defeating San Antonio Harlandale and Cedar Park Vista Ridge in the playoffs. Daily Record archives
Texas State hosted No. 6 Houston which was the most attended game in the history of UFCU Stadium, with over 33,000 in attendance. The Bobcats lost 64-3 to finish the 2016 season at 2-10. Daily Record archives
The Rattlers finished the season with a 6-5 overall record, marking the first time San Marcos completed consecutive winning seasons in over a decade.
San Marcos finished the season with a 6-4 regular season record, marking the first time in over a decade the Rattlers had consecutive winning seasons. San Marcos finished in second place in district play, falling to Bowie in the season finale before qualifying for the playoffs, where the Rattlers faced off against Round Rock Stony Point.
San Marcos lost a heartbreaker, losing to Stony Point 40-35, but the foundation was set for the Rattlers to take the jump in 2017 for their historic season.
All six of the major team sports for the Rattlers qualified for the playoffs in 2016 with baseball and softball making major runs in the postseason.
The Rattlers baseball team finished the season with a 22-13-2 overall record led by senior and future Boston Red Sox David Hamilton and finished in fourth place in one of the toughest districts in the Class 5A.
The Rattlers difficult district schedule propelled the team to defeat San Antonio Highlands in the first round of the playoffs before defeating Hays County rival Dripping Springs in Area, marking the first time the Rattlers advanced to the regional quarterfinals since 2002.
San Marcos fell to Boerne Champion in the regional quarterfinals in a thrilling three-game series.
The Rattlers softball team finished the season with a 24-6 overall record, finishing in second place in district play.
San Marcos defeated San Antonio Harlandale in the Bi-District round of the playoffs, sweeping the three-game series before defeating Cedar Park Vista in the Area round.
The Rattlers fell to Dripping Springs in the regional quarterfinals.
2016 was a memorable year for the Rattlers and the Bobcats, both good and bad. With Texas State set to join the Pac-12 and the Rattlers awaiting their realignment fate, 2026 will look to be a year worth remembering.
