Texas State ends season on positive notes, holds off Arkansas State in finale

A missed Arkansas State field goal as time expired Saturday allowed Texas State to end its season on a winning note for the first time in seven years.

The missed 48-yarder gave Texas State a 24-22 win in Jonesboro, Ark. The Bobcats (4-8, 3-5 Sun Belt) led for most of the game, but the Red Wolves made a late push, coming back from a 24-13 deficit in the third quarter.

“What a wild game today with all the penalties and momentum swings, and then to end it on a missed field goal,” Texas State coach Jake Spavital said. “It was good to see everyone still playing and fighting until the end. I have to give a lot of credit to this group.

"Today was just a great way to send those seniors off. That’s a great way to end the season and build momentum going into the offseason for our kids who are coming back next season.”

The Bobcats finished second in the Sun Belt West Division. This is the first season Texas State has won more than three games since it went 7-5 in 2014.

Spavital, who is 9-27 in his three years with the Bobcats, said he sees growth in the program; in 10 of the 12 games this season, Texas State was within one possession of the lead in the fourth quarter.

“I think the culture we have here is great,” Spavital said. “I think (our players) play for each other, show up to fight and play the game the way it should be. We still have to work on not beating ourselves and putting ourselves in positions to win, but we are competitive in every game. We just need to keep showing up and keep going.”

The Bobcats scored on their opening drive, which ended with a 4-yard run by Jahmyl Jeter, the sophomore transfer from Oklahoma State. The Red Wolves tied it with a 39-yard pass from Layne Hatcher to Dahu Green.

The Bobcats retook the lead on their ensuing drive when Tyler Vitt found TJ Graham for a 31-yard touchdown pass; a fake punt kept the drive alive when linebacker Sione Tupou threw to running back Caleb Twyford on the play before Vitt's touchdown pass.

Texas State led 17-10 at halftime. Arkansas State cut it to 17-13 on Blake Grupe's 22-yard field goal, but the Bobcats extended their lead on Calvin Hill's 6-yard run, which was set up by his 78-yard gain. Hill, a redshirt freshman, finished the season as Texas State's rushing leader.

The Bobcats didn't have a 100-yard rusher through the first 10 games before Hill had 100 last week. He finished with 123 against the Red Wolves, a career high.

Grupe added a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Hatcher's 26-yard touchdown pass to Corey Rucker cut Texas State's lead to 24-22 with 2 minutes, 12 seconds left in the game. The Red Wolves' two-point attempt to tie it failed.

The Bobcats went three-and-out, and Arkansas State got the ball back with 55 seconds left at its own 37-yard line. The Red Wolves gained 32 yards in six plays to set up the 48-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: College football: Texas State ends 4-8 season with a victory