Honestly, if you haven't been paying attention to San Marcos lately, you’re missing the wildest ride in college football. The 2025 season just wrapped up with a dominant bowl win, and looking at the Texas State Bobcats football schedule for the upcoming 2026 cycle, things are getting even more intense. We aren't just talking about a "scrappy underdog" anymore. Under GJ Kinne, this program has basically undergone a total personality transplant.
They’ve gone from "happy to be here" to "we might actually win the conference." It’s a weird, exciting time to be a Bobcat.
Breaking Down the Texas State Bobcats Football Schedule
The 2026 slate is a brutal, beautiful mix of high-stakes non-conference games and the usual Sun Belt chaos. If you’re planning your Saturdays around the Bobcats, you’ve got to look at that opening stretch. It is... well, it’s a lot.
The season kicks off with a massive trip to Austin on September 5th. Yes, they’re playing Texas at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. It’s the kind of game that defines a program’s trajectory. One week later, the I-35 Showdown returns to San Marcos on September 12th as UTSA comes to UFCU Stadium. Think about that for a second. You go from the Longhorns to your bitterest rival in the span of seven days.
Then comes North Texas on September 19th and UIW on September 26th. It’s four straight weeks of "Texas-only" football to start the year. That is basically a month-long referendum on who owns the state’s recruiting trails.
The 2025 Hangover? Not Exactly.
A lot of people looked at the 2025 results and saw a rollercoaster. They started hot, beating Eastern Michigan 52-27 and taking down UTSA in a 43-36 thriller at the Alamodome. But then the mid-season slump hit. Hard.
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- Arizona State: A 15-34 loss that felt closer than the score but exposed some depth issues.
- The Heartbreakers: Back-to-back overtime losses to Troy (41-48) and Marshall (37-40).
- The Turning Point: A tough 20-52 blowout against James Madison on a Tuesday night.
Most teams would have folded after a stretch like that. Instead, Kinne’s crew rallied to win their last three regular-season games against Southern Miss, ULM, and South Alabama. They capped it all off with a 41-10 shellacking of Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl on January 2, 2026.
That bowl win wasn't just a trophy; it was a statement. It showed that even when the defense was struggling—and let's be real, ranking 111th in scoring defense is a problem—this team could still outscore almost anyone when the pressure was on.
Why the 2026 Schedule Hits Different
When you look at the Texas State Bobcats football schedule, you have to account for the coaching turnover. Kinne realized he couldn’t keep winning shootouts forever. After the 2025 regular season, he made the tough call to move on from defensive coordinator Dexter McCoil Sr.
Enter Will Windham and Marcus Patton. These are the guys tasked with making sure the 2026 schedule doesn't feature another 52-point collapse against JMU. The logic is simple: if the offense stays explosive and the defense moves from "terrible" to "average," this is a 10-win team.
Key Matchups to Circle
- At Texas (Sept 5): The "money game" that actually matters. If the Bobcats can even keep this within two scores, the national hype will be deafening.
- VS UTSA (Sept 12): This is the game San Marcos cares about most. After winning the last two matchups, the Bobcats have the chance to officially claim the I-35 trophy as a permanent resident.
- The Sun Belt Gauntlet: We don't have the exact dates for the conference games yet, but we know the opponents. Traveling to places like Huntington, West Virginia (Marshall) or Lafayette (Louisiana) is never easy.
The roster is in a weird spot, too. They lost center Brock Riker to Penn State—which sucks, honestly—but they kept the core of their playmakers. Quarterback Brad Jackson is back. Wide receivers Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. are still there. When you have that much continuity in the "skill positions," the schedule looks a lot less intimidating.
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The Kinne Factor and the Transfer Portal
GJ Kinne is currently the third-youngest coach in the FBS, and he plays like it. He’s aggressive. He goes for it on fourth down. He treats the transfer portal like a personal shopping mall. In the 2025-2026 cycle, he brought in nearly 20 new players to plug holes.
Most people don't realize how much of a "transfer u" Texas State has become. It’s a double-edged sword. You get instant talent, but you lose chemistry. The 2026 Texas State Bobcats football schedule will test whether Kinne’s "plug and play" philosophy can withstand a Power Four schedule.
The defense is the real question mark. Last year, Jordan Sanders was a beast in the trenches, but he’s gone. Now, the Bobcats are leaning on guys like Ezra Dotson-Oyetade to anchor the line. If the new defensive staff can’t find a pass rush, that September game in Austin is going to be a very long afternoon for the Maroon and Gold.
What to Expect as a Fan
If you're heading to UFCU Stadium (formerly Jim Wacker Field), the atmosphere has changed. It's louder. The "Take Back Texas" mantra actually means something now.
Expect high-scoring games. Expect a few heart attacks in the fourth quarter. Kinne’s offense is designed to go fast—like, "don't look away to grab a beer" fast. They averaged over 35 points a game last year, and there's no reason to think that'll change in 2026.
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Your Move: How to Follow the Bobcats
If you want to stay on top of the Texas State Bobcats football schedule, don't just wait for the ESPN ticker.
- Download the TXST Athletics App: It’s the fastest way to get kickoff times, which often change because of the Sun Belt's TV deal with ESPN+.
- Watch the "Midweek Madness": The Sun Belt loves Tuesday and Wednesday night games. Clear your calendar for those late October slots.
- Get Tickets Early: San Marcos is a destination now. The UTSA game will sell out fast.
The bottom line is that Texas State is no longer the team everyone overlooks. They are a program with a massive chip on their shoulder and a coach who isn't afraid to gamble. Whether they crash and burn against the big boys or pull off a historic upset, it’s going to be one of the most interesting schedules in the country to watch.
Keep an eye on the injury reports coming out of spring camp. If Brad Jackson stays healthy, the sky is the limit. If not? Well, it’s going to be a very interesting test of Kinne’s portal-building skills. Either way, San Marcos is the place to be this fall.
To get the most out of the upcoming season, start by securing your season tickets through the Texas State University ticket office, as the home opener against UTSA is projected to be the highest-attended game in stadium history. Additionally, make sure to sync your digital calendar with the official Sun Belt schedule once the final midweek kickoff times are announced in May 2026 to avoid missing any of those unique "Tuesday Night Lights" matchups.