The Aztecs begin a new chapter Saturday night, hosting their first-ever Pac-12 Conference game at Snapdragon Stadium, when Texas State featuring a hot offense take on SDSU in their first meeting.
WEEK 5: Texas State Bobcats at San Diego State Aztecs
WHEN: Saturday, October 3, 2026, 7:30 PM PST | 10:30 PM EST
WHERE: Snapdragon Stadium; San Diego, CA (35,000)
TV: The CW
RADIO: San Diego Sports 760
SERIES RECORD: First meeting
LAST MATCH: None
ODDS: Texas State -4.5 (O/U 59.5)
San Diego, CA — The SDSU Aztecs (1-3, 0-0 Pac-12) come home to open conference play against the Texas State Bobcats (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12). The Aztecs enter on a three-game losing streak, while the Bobcats are riding a two-game winning streak and a scoring surge.
San Diego State officially joined the Pac-12 on July 1, alongside holdovers Oregon State and Washington State, as well as Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Texas State and Utah State, with Gonzaga joining for men’s basketball only. All eight Pac-12 football teams begin conference play on Saturday.
This is the first time these programs have ever met. SDSU spent the previous 27 years as a founding member of the Mountain West, while Texas State spent the last 13 in the Sun Belt. The Aztecs have had success against the Lone Star State over the years, going 30-15 all-time against teams from Texas.
SDSU will also honor its 2016 Mountain West Championship team during the game, a squad that went 11-3 and finished the season ranked 25th.
Now, let’s take a closer look at Texas State.
Get to Know the 2026 Bobcats
Texas State is in its fourth season under head coach GJ Kinne, the former Texas and Tulsa quarterback who came to San Marcos from Incarnate Word. The Bobcats started the season slowly. They opened with a 59-7 loss at No. 5 Texas, then dropped a 31-26 decision to in-state rival UTSA.
Since then, the offense has taken off. Texas State beat North Texas 49-35 for its first win of the season, then closed non-conference play by routing Incarnate Word 63-10, jumping out to a 21-point lead in the first quarter. The Bobcats have won their last two games by a combined 112-45.
One trend worth watching: Texas State has struggled in October under Kinne, going 3-9 over the past three seasons. This is also a long trip west for a late-night kickoff.
Offensive Leaders Sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson is the star here. He has thrown for 854 yards and 10 touchdowns, and last week he threw five touchdown passes, all in the first half and each to a different receiver, tying a single-game program record. He finished 17-of-20 for 244 yards before being pulled in the third quarter along with most of the starters.
Running back Torrance Burgess Jr. is the explosive threat on the ground; he ran for 140 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries in the first half against UIW. Running Back Davian Jackson is another big-play target both on the ground but also as a receiver. He scored four touchdowns against North Texas, including a 57-yarder late in the fourth quarter that put the game away.
Overall, Texas State is averaging 523.3 yards per game, seventh in the country, and 36.3 points per game.
Defensive Standouts The Bobcat defense is the true question mark. In the North Texas win, Mean Green quarterback Tayven Jackson went 43-of-57 for 483 yards and three touchdowns against them.
Last week was their best effort of the season. Texas State held Incarnate Word to 10 points with eight tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions.
Edge rushers Tymere Jackson and Jo’Laison Landry both got home for a sack in that game, and that pass rush will be one to watch against an Aztec offensive line that has already undergone three different starting combinations.
Your 2026 Pac-12 Aztecs
San Diego State enters Pac-12 play at 1-3 after a brutal non-conference schedule. After losing 26-13 to James Madison, the Aztecs traveled to Toledo and fell 41-16 to a Rockets team that has now won nine straight at home. The context matters, though. SDSU’s three FBS opponents have combined to go 11-1, including 8-1 in games not involving the Aztecs.
The bigger concern is health. SDSU’s top running back, 1,000-yard rusher Lucky Sutton is out. Breakout transfer Javion Kinnard, is questionable after injuries suffered at Toledo. The offensive line hasn’t been stable either. After starting the same five linemen in every regular-season game last year, the Aztecs have already used three different offensive line combinations in four games.
Key Offensive Players Everything starts with the backfield, if it’s healthy. Sutton has 1,647 career rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, ranking 21st all-time at SDSU, and Kinnard showed against JMU that he can carry the load.
QB1 Jayden Denegal has disappointed and needs a bounce-back game. He is 10-6 as a starter and has completed 55 of 98 passes this season for 597 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions. SDSU has started five different wide receivers, with Nathan Acevedo leading the group at 12 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Key Defensive Players The defense has held up better than the scoreboard suggests. SDSU is allowing 28.8 points per game, while its opponents are averaging 40.5 in their other games.
Linebacker Sione Hala has been a tackling machine; he leads the Pac-12 in total tackles (39) and solo stops (20), with three-time captain Tano Letuli right behind him at 32.
Djibril Rahman leads the team with two sacks, and DT Malachi Finau is the lone returning starter from last year’s defense. The weak spot has been the run defense: SDSU has given up 690 rushing yards, an average of 172.5 per game.
Keys to a San Diego State Victory
1. Take Away the Big Play
Texas State lives on explosive plays. Beau Sparks‘ 63-yard touchdown opened the UIW game, and Davian Jackson’s 57-yarder sealed the North Texas win. The Aztec secondary has to keep everything in front of it and let Hala and Letuli rally to the ball. If SDSU can make Brad Jackson put together long drives, it’s going to be really hard for Texas State to sustain that kind of offensive production.
2. Attack Through the Air
North Texas showed the blueprint, throwing for 483 yards against this secondary. If Sutton and Kinnard can’t go, Denegal doesn’t need to throw for 483 yards- he just needs to consistently exploit the matchup when Texas State tries to stop the run, and SDSU’s freshman rushers might make good decoys. SDSU’s receivers can carry more of the load, and a few early completions to Acevedo and the outside receivers can open things up against the Bobcats.
3. Stay Ahead of the Chains
SDSU can’t afford to consistently put itself in third-and-long situations on offense, especially against a Bobcat pass rush that has shown it can create pressure. The Aztecs need to establish a run game to create manageable down-and-distance situations to give Denegal easier throws. On the other side of the ball, SDSU needs force Texas State into second- and third-and-long situations.
Prediction
Vegas likes the Bobcats, but ESPN Analytics gives the Aztecs the upper hand. Texas State’s offense is legit, but its two big scoring nights came against North Texas and an FCS opponent, and the defense has been vulnerable to air assaults.
SDSU has been battle-tested by one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, and a Pac-12 debut at home in front of the 2016 championship team will bring plenty of energy. The Aztecs will be in front of a home crowd. If at least one of the top two running backs suits up, the Aztecs might open the new era with a win.
*Editors note: Just confirmed a big twist to the matchup is the latest Pac-12 availability report. It has been confirmed that at least 12 SDSU players have been dealing with a breakout of the mumps and should be very unlikely to play. Included in that group listed as doubtful are all five tight-ends. These reports do not disclose the specifics of injury or reasons, but one can read between the lines.
Final Score
San Diego State 28, Texas State 24
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
