SAN MARCOS, Texas - The University of the Incarnate Word football team struggled to contain a rapid-paced Texas State offense, as the FBS Bobcats gained 658 yards in a 63-10 final on Saturday night.
The offensive onslaught began right away, when on the fourth play of the game, Texas State receiver Beau Sparks got free after a Cardinal defensive back fell down, catching a 63-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brad Jackson.
UIW put together an immediate response, converting a 4th-and-1 into a 32-yard touchdown pass from
Emmett Brown to
Roy Alexander.
Alexander led the Cardinals with 67 yards receiving while Brown finished 24-of-44 for 242 yards a touchdown and interception.
But the Bobcats quickly snatched the momentum back, scoring touchdowns on their first five possessions, four of them coming via Jackson touchdown passes. Texas State was up 28-7 at the end of the first quarter and 42-10 at the end of a first half where it gained 439 yards.
Brown finished the first game with more touchdown passes (five), than incompletions (three), going 17-of-20 for 244 yards before being pulled in the third quarter.
Things were more lopsided in the run game, with Texas State out-rushing Incarnate Word 338-75.
The Cardinals shut out the Bobcats in the third quarter, a stretch highlighted by a
Buddha Garrett forcing a fumble that
Christian Barney recovered at the UIW 1-yard line. But Texas State responded with a 21-point fourth quarter, with Dameon Crow putting a cap on the night with a 77-yard punt return score following the two-minute timeout.
UIW falls to 2-2 on the season. Saturday marked its only matchup with an FBS opponent and its final non-conference game of the season.
The upcoming schedule won't bring much relief, however, as the Cardinals will spend the next two weeks on the road against Stephen F. Austin and Lamar, who are a combined 7-0 against FCS opponents this season.
The Stephen F. Austin game will kick next Saturday at 5 p.m.
