Texas State Falls Short in Opener as Longhorns Dominate 59-7

A Difficult Start

The Texas State Bobcats faced a steep challenge in their season opener against the No. 5 ranked Texas Longhorns on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Playing as the visiting team at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, the Bobcats struggled to contain the Longhorns' offense from the opening snap, ultimately falling 59-7.

Texas State’s offensive struggles began immediately. The Bobcats failed to score in the first quarter, trailing 14-0 after two Arch Manning touchdown passes to Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo. The deficit widened significantly in the second quarter when Raleek Brown added a rushing touchdown and the Longhorns' defense forced a fumble returned for a score by Graceson Littleton.

Bobcats Find Momentary Success

Texas State managed to get on the board late in the second half of the first half. Davian Jackson broke through for a 4-yard run, and Dylan Cunanan’s extra point made the score 28-7 at halftime. This was the only touchdown scored by the Bobcats all afternoon.

Brad Jackson took over at quarterback for Texas State, completing 15 of 23 passes for 150 yards. Despite his efforts, he also threw an interception. Jaylen Jenkins provided some ground game support with 34 rushing yards on six carries, while Tucker Cusano led the receiving corps with three catches for 58 yards.

Longhorns Pull Away

Texas State did not answer the second-half opening with any points. The Longhorns exploded for 21 third-quarter points, fueled by Manning’s precision passing and Brown’s continued rushing success. Manning connected with Coleman on a 20-yard touchdown pass and Smothers on a 13-yard strike before Brown rumbled in from 21 yards out.

The fourth quarter saw the Longhorns continue their dominance. Gianni Spetic kicked a 48-yard field goal to extend the lead, and James Simon capped the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run. Manning finished his performance with 305 passing yards on 20-of-27 shooting, including four touchdowns and one interception.

Final Outcome

The game concluded with a final score of 59-7 in favor of Texas. The Longhorns' defense held Texas State to just seven points all game, while their offense consistently moved the ball with ease. In attendance at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium was 102,738 fans.

With the loss, Texas State drops to 0-1 on the season. The victory moves Texas to a perfect 1-0 record. Neither team’s playoff status or series standing is affected by this result.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401856667