SAN MARCOS — After losing its first non-conference game of the season on the road to Nevada, Texas State bounced back with a 41-12 win over Florida International on Saturday.

This is the first time the Bobcats have won a home-opener under head coach Jake Spavital. 

Calvin Hill is indeed “The Real Deal”

Running back Calvin “The Real Deal” Hill was a key player for the Bobcats. Hill had a career night with 28 carries for 195 yards (7 yards per carry). 

“I feel like it’s good to get carries,” he said. “But me, I’m the type of guy that I just want to make something happen with the carries that I get.”

Hill’s speed and small stature allowed him to find holes in the FIU defense. In the fourth quarter, Hatcher handed the ball off to Hill, who sprinted down right field for a 25-yard gain. Later, another handoff from Hatcher allowed Hill to accelerate down the field to inside the Texas State 10-yard line, putting the Bobcats in scoring position.  

His biggest play of the night was, no doubt, in the fourth quarter with five minutes left. Another handoff from Hatcher and Hill weaved in between the FIU defense and rushed for 25-yards straight into the endzone for a Texas State touchdown. 

How about the Bobcats’ game-making abilities … at quarterback?

It’s incredible what a new quarterback can do for a team. Texas State’s Layne Hatcher, a transfer from Arkansas State, threw three touchdowns and connected well with receivers Charles Brown, Javen Banks and Ashtyn Hawkins.

“I thought Layne was pretty patient in what he was doing and took the shots when needed,” Spavital said. “Offensively, we were very inconsistent at times, but we showed some play-making ability that I know we’re capable of doing.”

Hatcher took over for Memphis transfer Brady McBride who entered the transfer portal in the spring. McBride got picked up by Appalachian State.

Unlike McBride, Hatcher has shown patience; he knows when to stay in the pocket and has good depth perception. Hatcher threw a long pass to Brown with four minutes left in the first quarter, and Brown ran for 67-yards into the endzone for a Texas State touchdown. A minute into the second quarter, Hatcher found wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins and threw another long pass down the field. Another outstanding play for Hatcher was when he hit Banks with a long pass for a 52-yard touchdown into the endzone. 

Even when the FIU defense managed to put pressure on Hatcher, he scrambled and was able to make a play or throw the ball away. Just like at the beginning of the fourth quarter, an FIU four-man rush made Hatcher run back, but he managed to find wide receiver Julian Ortega-Jones for a sideline catch. 

Hill thought the chemistry between him and Hatcher was good. 

“I feel like now we’re just getting that confidence and that swagger back that we need to go into next week’s game,” Hill said. 

Strong Defense

The Bobcat defense also had a great night and showcased a roughness Texas State fans have yet to see under Spavital.

Safety Jaron Morris led the Texas State defense in solo tackles, with a total of 12, followed by inside linebacker Sione Tupou totaling 10. The three players with the most tackles were Tupou with 18, Morris with 17 and Levi with 15. 

Overall, the Texas State defense totaled 157 tackles, while FIU had 139.  

The defense placed a lot of pressure on FIU quarterbacks Grayson James and Amari Jones. Outside linebacker Jordan Revels and defensive lineman Davon Sears each sacked James for a seven-yard loss. The Bell brothers, outside linebacker Ben Bell and defensive lineman Levi Bell, also tag-teamed to sack James for another loss of four yards. 

Cornerback Kordell Rodgers also picked off a pass inside the 30-yard line from FIU with five minutes left in the first half, which helped Texas State continue its momentum. And, in the fourth quarter, Rodgers caught the ball for a pick-6 with four minutes left in the game. 

Game Ball

The biggest standout of the night was Hill, who not only earned a career night with 28 carries for 195 yards (7 yards per carry) but also played his fourth career 100-yard game.