Bobcat Football Back On Top!

Hopefully your heart has recovered by now if you listened to or were at the game where the Texas State Bobcats came out victorious 48 to 45 in overtime against Sam Houston State. This rivalry has produced some extremely close, exciting finishes the past few years, and this game was no different. Sam Houston State deserves credit for fighting Texas State down to the very end when they really had nothing to play for but pride.

There were a ton of momentum shifts in this game, but none were more important than the successive touchdowns by Karrington Bush and Stan Zwinggi with 10:35 and 6:42 left to go in the 3rd quarter, respectively (K-Bush’s winning touchdown run in OT excluded). The 80-yard Bush kickoff return and the 91-yard Zwinggi reception off of a Bradley George screen cut a 28-13 deficit to 28-28 and arguably hurt the Bearkats’ confidence a bit. But what was most important about those scores was that you could tell on the Bobcat sideline the players knew they could win this game, something that was lacking when Texas State fell into a shocking 21-0 hole early in the 2nd quarter.

Two words that are going to haunt everyone affiliated with the Sam Houston State program: missed opportunities. Texas State was actually outgained on offense 553 yards to 427 and Sam Houston had 34 first downs to Texas State’s 21. Sam Houston State quarterback Rhett Bomar is likely hoping that he’ll be able to throw to receivers in the NFL that will actually catch his passes, as the amount of dropped balls by the Bearkat receivers bordered on the absurd.

Texas State brought the blitz early and often on defense, and you could tell it frustrated the former OU quarterback. The Bobcats picked Bomar off twice (one of those wasn’t his fault, however), and he attempted to force passes between 3-4 Texas State defenders multiple times. Linebacker Joe Bell’s monster sack of Bomar on 4th down in the third quarter stalled a Sam Houston State drive at the Bobcat 25 and likely left Bomar seeing stars looking up at the Huntsville sky.

However, Bomar was still an integral part in keeping Sam Houston State alive as the game wound to a close. His 27-yard touchdown pass to James Madkins with 4 seconds to go in regulation that tied the game at 42 likely gave some Bobcat fans heartburn.

One could tell that former Texas State running back James Aston wanted to take it to his former team. The former Ohio State wrestler left Texas State for Huntsville because of minimal playing time, and he took it to his former team with 179 yards on 33 carries and 1 touchdown. Bomar and Aston ran wild on Texas State’s defense with a simple zone read attack for about 3 and a half quarters, until the Bobcats’ bend but don’t break defense was finally able to shut the Bearkat rushing attack down late in the 4th.

Texas State fans deserve some major kudos for the way they showed up in Huntsville today. There were a few thousand wearing maroon and gold on the far side of Bowers Stadium, and with the band I would be willing to estimate there were about 2-4 thousand Bobcat fans there. It was amazing to see Texas State’s student section larger and louder than the so-called Bearkat “Krazies.” The fans rushing the field and celebrating with the players after Karrington Bush’s 5 yard winning touchdown run was quite a sight to see.

Sam Houston State's crowd, by comparison, was fairly flat. There may have been 2/3 more Bearkat fans than Bobcat fans, but you could tell that their passion for the season had been drained by a soul-crushing loss in overtime to Southeastern Louisiana last week that knocked Sam Houston State out of playoff contention. The Bobcat crowd was often louder than the home crowd, but even when Texas State was down 21-0 the Bearkat fans never really got much louder than those who had made the 4-hour trip to Bowers Stadium.

Texas State is now the official Southland Conference Champion and will receive an automatic bid to the FCS or 1-aa playoffs. The team will learn today who they are playing at 6 pm, and it will likely be a road game at FCS juggernaut Montana or at Weber State. With Texas State’s 8-4 record and the bad loss to Southern Utah earlier this season, the likelihood of a game in San Marcos during the playoffs looks increasingly slim. However, this team has had a fantastic season and as of right now could play with the best teams in the country when firing on all cylinders, so don’t count the Bobcats out in the FCS Championship race.

You can listen to the selection show at 6 pm to find out just who and where Texas State is playing next week on 89.9 KTSW and online at KTSW.net. Our very own Brant Freeman and Bill Culhane will cover all of the playoff matchups and will interview Texas State players and coaches about their thoughts on the playoffs as well as the season in general. Thanks for listening, and Go Bobcats!

Will Butler- KTSW Sports Staff Writer

Title Hopes For Bobcats

The Texas State Athletic Department may have to order some new banners after this weekend because the Bobcat Football and Volleyball teams have high hopes to finish on top of the Southland Conference.

The Texas State Volleyball team had a big victory last weekend to finish the Southland Conference regular season in first place. Although the Bobcats celebrated their victory, the team knows that they can't let down because the ultimate prize is to win the SLC Tournament and make their second straight appearance to the NCAA Tournament. With the Cats finishing the regular season, they will have the number 1 seed and will play against the number 8 seed Northwestern State. The SLC Tournament takes place in Nacogdoches, Texas, and the Bobcats will take the court at 4:00 Friday night.

The Bobcat Football team on the other hand still has one final game to win in order to clinch the FCS Playoffs and it comes on the last week of the regular season on the road against rival Sam Houston State. With the Central Arkansas Bears being non-eligible to capture the crown of the SLC, due to their probationary period for moving up to FCS, and McNeese State beating Northwestern State last week, it puts the Bobcats in the driver seat to control their own destiny; which is something the Bobcats have not been able to do since the 2005 season.

Even though the Bearkats have had a disappointing season, the game between the Bobcats and Bearkats always throws any previous records of either team off the field as the Bearkats would love nothing more than to ruin the Bobcats playoff aspirations. Last year the Bobcats hosted the Bearkats in one of the most exciting games of the year. The Bobcats had a lead within the last two minutes of the game when Sam Houston State came roaring back on offense and scored a touchdown in the final tics in the ball game ending the Bobcats 2007 season on a bad note.

This year the Bearkats had a rough start due to Hurricane Ike causing them to miss some pre-conference match- ups and had a couple of disappointing losses at the beginning of Conference play. The Bobcats young defense will have to step up once again as they are coming off one of their better performances of the year only allowing the Nicholls State Colonels to put up 10 points which is their lowest point total of the year. The Bobcat defense will be facing a number of talented play-makers for the Bearkats including ex Oklahoma Sooner Rhett Bomar, who has a great arm and can read defenses very well. The Bobcat Offense will hopefully continue push their way into the end-zone as the Bobcats haven't had any trouble putting up points all season long. The Bobcats lowest point total for a game this year came on opening day against Angelo State where the Bobcats only put up 21 points in a victory. Bobcat fans can count on the Bobcats continuing the trend on putting up a lot points and hopefully heading home from the piney woods of East Texas with a SLC regular season Championship title.

With the Bobcat Football, Volleyball and Soccer teams rising straight to the top of the Southland Conference standings, and hopes that the Men's and Women's Basketball teams will do the same, Bobcat fans have to start believing in the drive to FBS. With the success of these programs and with all the money and hard work that is being put into improving facilities for future Bobcats, the only thing that can be said that needs to improve with Bobcat Athletics is the fan support. Something that all loyal Bobcat fans would love to see improve.

That is your Sports Editor Weekly Preview in Bobcat Sports.

James McNeal- KTSW Sports Director/Blog Editor

Vote KTSW on Austin 360

This week's Austin 360 poll is none other than best radio station. After Orange Juice and Biscuits was voted one of Austin's best morning talk shows, KTSW is now in the running to be named best Radio Station in the local area. Vote online and join the KTSW craze.

Sarah White- KTSW Program Director

Win at Home Shows Talent

The Texas State Bobcat Men's Basketball team played their first home game of the 2008/ 2009 season with a 104- 81 victory against the Huston Tillotson Rams last night in Strahan Coliseum. The Cats had a good showing in last nights game displaying a number of familiar faces but also a number of new Cats who will be in the maroon and gold this season.

The game started off with some fireworks as the Junior newcomer John Rybak went four- for - four from three point land to get the Cats a comfortable lead in the opening minutes of the game. The Cats kept the lead throughout the first half as fans saw Senior Guard Brandon Bush make his presence felt by putting up some tough acrobatic shots. Bush finished the night with 16 points and 4 rebounds. At the half the Bobcats had a sizable lead but still gave up more points on defense than the Cats would have liked.

The second half may have been a step back for the Cats as it seemed like there was no flow to the game due to turnovers and fouls. The Cats finished the game with 26 fouls and 23 turnovers as it seemed like the last 2 minutes of game time took thirty minutes. Some of the Bobcats that will be seen in the starting line up for the next couple of games are Guard Corey Jefferson, Guard Brent Benson, Guard Brandon Bush, Forward John Rybak and Center Ty Gough.

Some of the newcomers that will definitely see significant minutes are Freshman Center Emmanuel Bidias A' Moute, who has great awareness on the court in finding position on the post position and has a good first move to the basket. Also, returners Ryan White, Dylan Moseley, Cameroon Johnson, Jonathan Sloan and Gordon Taylor will be coming in to play significant minutes for the Cats and are capable of stepping up in to the starting line up with their experience.

Overall the Bobcats improve on the seasons record at 2-1 and will continue to find out who is going to step up for the team as they head back on the road to take on Wyoming and Northern Colorado over the Thanksgiving break.

James McNeal- KTSW Sports Director/Blog Editor

Bobcats Win- Playoff Hopes Become Real

This could be called Texas State’s biggest win of the year, or at least the biggest win behind the defeat of previously #4 McNeese State in Lake Charles 45-42. Either way, it’s a huge win for a number of reasons: The Bobcats will be in the driver’s seat for the playoffs and conference championship with a McNeese win over Northwestern State tonight, Texas State has proven to the fans and most importantly themselves that they can play well at home as well as on the road, and this win is going to give the Bobcats some major momentum going into the Huntsville.

Props to the fans for showing up in much better numbers today. Hopefully they’ll keep the momentum going for the Southland Conference regular season champion Texas State volleyball team when they play Texas A&M – Corpus Christi tonight at Strahan Coliseum.

Nicholls State brought the blitz against Texas State numerous times today, and it's clear that after the 1st quarter jitters that OC Travis Bush and the Texas State offense made some adjustments and exploited the Nicholls secondary with quick dump-off passes and sharp routes over the middle. Colonel Head Coach Jay Thomas and Defensive Coordinator Steve Ellis will likely be tearing their hair out wondering how Cameron Luke and Karrington Bush got so wide open on their touchdown passes while watching film this week.

For those who have noted the Bobcats' legendary road woes coming into this year, the team's recent string of road wins as well as some shaky performances at home has to be making some scratch their heads. Coach Wright apparently decided to try and translate this road success to the previously friendly confines of Bobcat Stadium with an innovative idea. He reportedly had the team stay in a San Marcos hotel last night, presumably to simulate a road atmosphere as well as cut out any extracurricular distractions that could take the players’ minds off of the game. Given the focused, inspired performance by the team today perhaps we’ll see a trend for future home games?

Given Texas State’s woes on run defense against Southern Utah and mostly recently Northwestern State, today's performance has to be a huge confidence boost for the defensive unit. They’re going to need it against a dangerous mobile quarterback in Rhett Bomar next week.

The wind was a somewhat important factor in today’s game by keeping Nicholls from scoring 6 points in two missed field goals. However, it wasn’t nearly as crucial as it could have been.

Texas State improves their overall record to 7-4 and 4-2 in the Southland Conference. They will travel to Huntsville next week to play rival Sam Houston State next week. The game will start at 2 pm and you can listen to the game on 89.9 KTSW and online at KTSW.net. Just a reminder that there will also be another blog entry for next week’s game. Thanks for reading the KTSW blog, and go Bobcats!

Will Butler- KTSW Sports Staff Writer

Big Week for Bobcat Fans

This weekend is big for the Bobcats as some of the most heated games are going to take place and a lot on the line for the Football team and Women's Soccer team. Also, tonight the Women's Basketball team will be taking on Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Texas State Football team will be taking on the Nicholls State Colonels for what will be the last home game of the regular season for the maroon and gold. The Texas State Bobcats desperately need this win in order to stay in good position for entering into the playoffs. If the Bobcats win tomorrow and McNeese State beats Northwestern State then the Bobcats will be in second place in the SLC behind Central Arkansas. Although Central Arkansas has sole position of the SLC first place spot, the Bears were notified earlier this week that they are not allowed to capture first place due to the probationary period that they face for moving up to FCS a few seasons ago. This would mean that the Bobcats would be the team selected by the SLC to represent the conference in the 2008 FCS Playoffs.

Of recent weeks Bobcat fans have been able to see the great duo of Bradley George to Cameron Luke hooking up for TD's and this week will probably be Cameron Luke's toughest challenge as he will go against an NFL prospect Lardarius Webb who is an outstanding defensive back for the Colonels. Bobcat fans will also salute 19 seniors which will possibly be the last home game for them in maroon and gold.

The Bobcats haven't played well at home this season but will need all the support they can get to cheer them on as they march toward the playoffs. It was a disappointing site for the Bobcats last home game against Northwestern State where a mere 600 students showed up to the game. As the alumni and other fans looked on to cheer their Bobcats, they couldn't help but wonder if the student body is ready for the drive to FBS. With all of the support that the athletic department got last year with the push to FBS you would have expected the students to show up to the games. With the Bobcats on the verge of going to the playoffs and the recent efforts by the athletic department to promote the Nicholls State game, you can expect for there to be more students cheering on the Cats.

The Texas State Women's Soccer team will be taking on the Texas A&M Aggies tonight at 7:00. This is a big match-up for the Cats in the first Regional of the NCAA Tournament and it will be a tough but huge win if the Cats can pull it off. The Texas A&M Aggies are one of the best Soccer teams in the Tournament and will try to stop Lauren Lewis and other Bobcats from putting the ball in the net. You can catch Lauren on Monday's edition of Bobcat Radio on 89.9 KTSW for the reaction to the big Cats game. The game takes place in College Station so for Bobcat fans it shouldn't be too far of a drive to see the Cats try and move on to the next round.

Tonight as well, the Texas State Bobcat Women's Basketball team will take the court for the first time of the 2008- 2009 season against Drake University. The Bobcats will make the road their home for a while as they are taking part in two road games in Iowa this week and then will head to New York City to participate in the Tyler Ugolyn Columbia Classic. Then on Thanksgiving they head to El Paso to participate in the UTEP Thanksgiving Tournament and will finally take the court in Strahan Coliseum on December 3 against Paul Quinn. The Bobcats did lose their leading point scorer Joyce Ekworomadu due to her graduation last year, but have a slew of players back that had a lot of playing time in last years great season. Victoria Davis, Ashley Cole, Aimee Hilburn, Kim Cessna and Chika Ofoegbe are some of the faces that Bobcat fans will find familiar to them as well as long tenured Head Coach Suzanne Fox who will try to lead the Bobcats to their first back-to-back regular season conference title.

It should be a fantastic weekend in the world of sports for Bobcat fans with some major implications on the line for Football and Soccer. That is your Sports Editor Weekly Preview in Bobcat Sports.

James McNeal- Sports Director/Blog Editor

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