Texas State 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Texas State Bobcats 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Texas State Bobcats roster and what to expect in the Pac-12 this season. Can G.J. Kinne back up a 23-16 record after Texas State went 7-6 and dropped four one-score games in 2025? Was San Marcos really ready for the Pac-12 invite, or is a first-year jump to a tougher league the classic regression trap? Does a top-five total offense travel once the schedule gets real?
Is Brad Jackson (71.3 completion percent, 3,050 yards, 34 total touchdowns) a legit star at any level, and how much does 70 percent returning production mean for Landon Keopple’s attack? Who steps up at receiver with Beau Sparks, Kylen Evans and Chris Dawn Jr. back, and do transfers William Boone and Jaylen Early fix the line? Can new defensive coordinator Will Windham lift a unit that ranked 95th in scoring defense with just 43 percent of its production returning? What is gameday like now that the party town has arrived at UFCU Stadium? How does a brutal 2026 slate that opens at Texas and runs through San Diego State, Boise State and Oregon State shake out? And where’s the betting value on the Texas State Bobcats win total, Pac-12 odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Texas State Trades The Sun Belt For The Pac-12
Texas State is done being a Sun Belt team. The Bobcats join the rebuilt Pac-12 in 2026. First, San Marcos gets a bigger stage, a renovated stadium and a lot more money flowing through the program. It is a huge jump for a school that never even played for a Sun Belt title. Then again, three straight bowl trips, all wins, helped earn the invite in the first place. Because that streak came without a league crown, the committee still had to take a leap of faith on this roster. From there, the pressure shifts to the field. Now the question is whether the roster is truly ready for the climb.
G.J. Kinne And The Hot Seat Debate
G.J. Kinne is one of the hottest young names in the sport. His 23-16 record is the best Texas State has posted in years. Also, the Bobcats went just 7-6 in 2025 and lost four games decided by seven points or less. Consistency has been the knock. Because of that close-game trend, the staff still has real questions to answer before this jump gets any easier. The crew lands Kinne at a 1 out of 10 on the hot seat, so his job is safe. Meanwhile, the real risk is that another program pries him away, the same way Eric Morris got hired up.
Brad Jackson Leads A Loaded Offense
The offense is the reason to buy in. Texas State finished fifth in total offense last season, 12th in scoring and 10th on the ground. First, coordinator Landon Keopple returns star quarterback Brad Jackson, who threw for 3,050 yards with 34 total touchdowns and just seven picks. About 70 percent of the production is back. Also, receivers Beau Sparks, Kylen Evans and Chris Dawn Jr. return with tight end Blake Smith. Then transfers William Boone and Jaylen Early were brought in to shore up the line of scrimmage. Because so much of the skill group returns intact, this unit should not miss a beat in year one of the new league.
A New Coordinator For A Leaky Defense
The defense is the worry. Texas State ranked 95th in scoring defense and 91st against the run in 2025. New coordinator Will Windham arrives from South Alabama with the job of cleaning it up. Only 43 percent of the production returns, led by Bryce Carter up front and Ryan Nolan in the secondary. Also, the portal added edge Phillip Bradford, tackle Kaleb James and corner Dexter Ricks Jr. Because so little of the two-deep is back, year one against Pac-12 lines could still be rough.
Bobcat Stadium And A Party Town On The Rise
San Marcos is a party town, and the guys love it. Bobcat Stadium, now UFCU Stadium, has gotten real upgrades and looks the part. The fan base is on the rise. Also, the Bobcats even won a national title here back in 1982. Meanwhile, that history gives this program a foundation the rest of the Pac-12 newcomers do not have. First, get to the Tap Room Pub and Grub before kickoff. Then watch Kinne’s offense throw points all over the yard.
The Schedule And Where The Value Sits
The 2026 slate is a gauntlet. First, it opens at Texas inside Darrell K Royal Stadium, then rolls into the I-35 Showdown with UTSA, North Texas and Incarnate Word. From there, the Pac-12 grind brings San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State, Boise State, Oregon State, Fresno State and Washington State, plus a flex finale. Vegas set the win total at 6.5, with +550 to win the Pac-12 and +2100 to make the Playoff. Both hosts lock the under. Finally, the talent is real, but the schedule got a lot harder.
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Conference USA
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:27 Bobcats Move To The Pac-12
03:18 Meet The Crew & Mac’s Birthday
08:57 Last Year: 7-6 & The Close-Game Curse
10:44 G.J. Kinne On The Hot Seat
11:59 The Kingsbury Comparison & Phil Steele
17:44 Landon Keopple’s Fire Offense
18:24 Brad Jackson & The Returning Weapons
22:50 New DC Will Windham & The Defense
24:59 San Marcos: A Party Town
25:48 Bobcat Stadium & State Of The Program
30:02 Week 1: Bobcats At Texas
30:59 Non-Con Gauntlet: UTSA, North Texas & Incarnate Word
33:19 The Pac-12 Slate & Flex Finale
39:54 Win Total, Pac-12 & CFP Odds
