Texas State vs. Eastern Michigan: Bobcats coast to 52-27 win in season opener

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas State Bobcats picked up where they left off with a bowl win last year, thumping Eastern Michigan 52-27 on Saturday at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos.

Texas State didn’t waste time, striking in the first quarter. Quarterback Brad Jackson found Beau Sparks for a 16-yard touchdown to get things going, and Sparks played a huge role in the offense, ending his night with 82 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Jackson ended the game 18-for-26 passing with 214 yards and all four of his touchdown passes to Sparks.

It was a team effort in all phases of the game. With less than four minutes in the second quarter, running back Lincoln Pare broke loose for 22 of his 170 total yards and his lone touchdown. The Bobcats averaged 10.1 yards per carry, racking up 392 yards with three scores on the ground.

Offensively, the Bobcats totaled 606 yards and seven touchdowns in an impressive win and start to the season for Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne.

Next on the schedule for the Bobcats is a trip to UTSA, which fell short on the road to Texas A&M 42-24, for the I-35 Showdown at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 6.