Final Score: Texas State 49, North Texas 35
Location: Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Attendance: Not found in available sources
Conferences: Texas State (Pac-12 Conference) vs. North Texas (American Conference)
Game Recap: Alfredo Vazquez
Version en ESPANOL, AQUI
Texas State Survives an Offensive Shootout to Beat North Texas 49-35
Texas State 49, North Texas 35 — Week 3, 2026 Season
If you were looking for a low-scoring, defensive slugfest, this wasn’t your game. Texas State and North Texas put on a genuine shootout at Bobcat Stadium, with both offenses clicking from start to finish in a game that felt tight all the way into the final minutes of the fourth quarter, despite the 49-35 final score in the Bobcats’ favor.
The setup: two offenses that refused to stop
It was clear from the first quarter that both defenses were in for a long afternoon. Texas State jumped ahead 21-7 early, but North Texas answered right back to tie the game 28-28 at halftime. The second half kept the same breakneck pace, and although the Bobcats never lost the lead after the break, the Mean Green refused to go away.
Offensive lines and running backs stole the show
If one group deserved the spotlight in this game, it was the offensive lines, which opened huge lanes for both teams’ running backs. Torrance Burgess Jr. had a monster night with 214 yards on 25 carries, and Davian Jackson added 77 yards and scored 4 total touchdowns (3 on the ground plus one more), leading Texas State’s 337-yard rushing attack as a team. On North Texas’s side, Brendon Haygood (50 yards) and Jahiem White (45 yards) also found running lanes against a Texas State defense that gave everything but couldn’t fully shut the door.
Through the air, Texas State quarterback Brad Jackson had an efficient afternoon: 16-of-22 for 268 yards and 4 touchdowns. But the real star of the quarterback duel was North Texas’s Tayven Jackson, who put together a career night: 43-of-57 passing for 483 yards and 3 touchdowns (with 1 interception) — the fifth-most passing yards in a single game by a Mean Green quarterback. His favorite target, Justin Stevenson, also had a career night with 10 catches for 122 yards, while Jahiem White topped 100 all-purpose yards for a third straight game.
The finish that kept it close
North Texas closed to within seven points (42-35) with 5:24 remaining on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Tayven Jackson to Jahiem White. The drama didn’t last long: Davian Jackson answered with a 57-yard run and sealed the game with another rushing touchdown with 3:07 left, setting the final score at 49-35.
A note for Texas State fans: Beau Sparks saw action on some plays again after his recent injury absence, good news for the Bobcats’ passing attack heading into the coming weeks.
The numbers behind the story
Texas State: Brad Jackson — 16-of-22, 268 yards, 4 TD. Torrance Burgess Jr. — 214 yards (25 carries). Davian Jackson — 77 rushing yards, 4 total TDs.
North Texas: Tayven Jackson — 43-of-57, 483 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT. Justin Stevenson — 10 receptions, 122 yards. Jahiem White — 45 rushing yards, over 100 all-purpose yards. Brendon Haygood — 50 yards (11 carries).
Looking ahead
Texas State racks up another high-voltage win and keeps showing off an offense capable of scoring against anybody, while North Texas leaves frustrated at how close it came without completing the comeback.
FAQs
What was the final score of the Texas State vs. North Texas game on September 19, 2026? Texas State defeated North Texas 49-35 at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas.
What was the biggest play of the game? Davian Jackson’s 57-yard touchdown run that sealed the game with 3:07 left.
Did Beau Sparks play in this game? Yes, the Texas State receiver saw action on some plays again after his recent injury absence.
What conferences do both teams play in? Texas State competes in the Pac-12 Conference and North Texas in the American Conference.
