Texas State Bobcats cornerback Craig Royal Jr. (18) celebrates after the Bobcats 49-26 win over the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
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Texas State Bobcats running back Greg Burrell (9) keeps possession of the ball as South Alabama Jaguars defense shuts him down in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats running back Lincoln Pare (7) runs the ball in the fourth quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025. The Bobcats beat the Jags 49-26 to clinch eligibility for a bowl game.
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The Texas State defense celebrates a play in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats running back Greg Burrell (9) keeps possession of the ball as South Alabama Jaguars defense shuts him down in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats cornerback Craig Royal Jr. (18) leads his team during the school song as the Bobcats celebrate their 49-26 win over the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) celebrates after running the ball into the end zone to score in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) is bought down by South Alabama Jaguars linebacker William Felton IV (44) in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) celebrates with running back Lincoln Pare (7) after running the ball into the end zone to score in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) celebrates with teammates after running the ball into the end zone to score in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) runs the ball into the end zone to score in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) celebrates with running back Lincoln Pare (7) after running the ball into the end zone to score in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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South Alabama Jaguars wide receiver Devin Voisin (1) catches a pass as Texas State Bobcats center back Malik Willis (20) runs to defend in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. (1) carries the ball in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson (8) sends a pass in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. (1) catches a pass for a first down in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats linebacker Treylin Payne (29) and defensive tackle Amipeleasi Langi Jr. (99) celebrate a play in the first quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats running back Lincoln Pare (7) carries the ball in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats running back Greg Burrell (9) runs the ball in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025. in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. (1) carries the ball as South Alabama Jaguars safety Dallas Young (17) arrives to defend in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats place kicker Tyler Robles (95) kicks a field goal in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Bobcats wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. (1) celebrates a first down in the second quarter as the Texas State Bobcats take on the South Alabama Jaguars at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
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Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse takes the plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate the Bobcats’ 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
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Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas State Football players take the traditional plunge into the river at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025 to celebrate their 49-26 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars to earn bowl eligibility.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
SAN MARCOS — Texas State football coach GJ Kinne walked into Strahan Arena with his white T-shirt still dripping from his splashes in the San Marcos River. The Bobcats earned bowl eligibility Saturday after defeating South Alabama 49-26, and he had jumped in twice — once each for his sons Cooper and Lincoln.
It’s the third year in a row Texas State has celebrated the mark, and the significance of the moment was not lost on Kinne. He said he remembers where the program was three years ago when he arrived. The river celebration didn’t even exist then because the Bobcats had never been to a bowl game.
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“It’s one of those deals where anytime you get this opportunity, don’t take it for granted,” Kinne said.
Although the overall record says this is Kinne’s worst season yet at Texas State, the late-season rally to six wins might’ve been the coach’s most impressive feat to date.
MORE: Texas State earns bowl eligibility in win over South Alabama
The difficulty of this season wasn’t just the five-game losing streak. It was how Texas State lost those games. The coaching mistakes, the defensive failings, the fight against Louisiana that led to six players being suspended for a matchup with then-Sun Belt West leader Southern Miss. A lesser leader might’ve been flummoxed by the distractions.
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Through it all, Kinne stayed true to who he is as a person, he said. And with a 3-6 record staring him in the face, Kinne didn’t blink, instead making the necessary tweaks to get his team out of the funk and into the San Marcos River. He doled out credit he could’ve taken to his coaching staff and players.
Texas State players and staff jump into the river to celebrate their 49-26 win over the South Alabama Jaguars at Sewell Park in San Marcos, Nov. 29, 2025.
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“Just really proud of everyone in the building for staying consistent and going to work and really blocking out anything that could have affected them,” Kinne said.
A locker room’s culture is a hard thing to measure. It’s tested most when teams are at their lowest, and when Texas State lost to Louisiana 42-39, it looked like the season might be over.
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Kinne said Saturday that who he is every day carries over to the team. When Texas State running back Lincoln Pare spoke to the American-Statesman days after losing to Louisiana, he said that no matter the result, there was only one thing left to do the next day.
“The only thing you can do is go to work. And that’s a big thing that he (Kinne) preaches,” Pare said. “I just try to come in and go to work today, and be the same guy every day.”
Pare is part of a group of seniors who have led Kinne to call this team one of his favorite groups ever. But after they depart, there will still be more to come for the Bobcats. Kinne called this season a learning experience, leaving room for growth as Texas State enters the Pac-12 in 2026.
Kinne reiterated his commitment to Texas State after defeating South Alabama. He said he’s happy where he’s at, and that Texas State has a group of guys coming back next year. It starts with quarterback Brad Jackson and wide receiver Beau Sparks. If Kinne can retain the most important pieces of his young, developing roster, Texas State will be set up for a successful conference debut.
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But first comes a potential bowl game. After he dries off, Kinne will return to work and enjoy the few weeks he has left with this team.
“Look around the country, and what we’ve done here is special,” Kinne said.