State Spooks SFA in Halloween Homecoming Thriller

The Texas State Bobcats put on a scary showing on Saturday afternoon, holding the number one ranked offense of Stephen F. Austin to only seven points. The game was the best game the team had played all year and looks as if the team is off to a good ending to the year. The Bobcats won the game with a final score of 28-7. They move to 3-1 in Southland Conference play. Bradley George threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns, with two of those touchdown passes coming to Mishak Rivas.

George broke his own school record with 31 completions as he completed 31 of his 42 passes for 324 yards and a season-best four touchdowns to lead the Bobcats. Texas State took an early 7-0 lead with 8:43 left to play in the first quarter when George hit Mishak Rivas in the back of the end zone from nine yards away. It was the first touchdown reception of the season for Rivas and it capped a nine-play, 67-yard drive. Ryan Batchelor added the extra point.

The Lumberjacks had a few chances to make the score closer but two missed field goals in the first half really hurt SFA. In the second quarter a huge goal line stop fueled by Travis Houston gave the Bobcats the ball back and kept the Lumberjacks off the board. The Lumberjacks entered the game having converted 28-of-its 30 red-zone scoring opportunities this season.

The first half ended with a score of 7-0 Texas State.

Stephen F. Austin tied the score at 7-7 with 7:58 left to play in the third quarter when Jeremy Moses hit Duane Brooks in the right corner of the end zone from 11 yards away to cap an eight-play, 65-yard drive.

From then on out it was all Bobcats. George hit Alvaro Garcia to make it 14-7 after a pass to Mishak Rivas got Texas State down inside the 10-yard line of SFA.

In the fourth quarter, probably the play of the game, as Bradley George scrambled outside the pocket on a 3rd and 31 he hit Mishak Rivas in the back of the endzone to make the score 21-7.

The Bobcats closed out the scoring with 1:08 left when George hit Da’Marcus Griggs for a 17-yard pass to make the final score 28-7.

The game all together was an impressive showing from Texas State, especially the defense. The Homecoming Halloween game turned out to be quite a Treat for the home crowd.

The victory improves Texas State’s record to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in Southland Conference play. Stephen F. Austin falls to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the SLC standings. But the biggest thing about the win was that it places Texas State atop the leaderboard in the SLC. Very impressive showing from the students, alumnus, fans, and team on a beautiful Halloween, Homecoming day.

-Will McGinnis, KTSW Sports Staff Writer