SAN MARCOS, Texas (Interstat) — Brad Jackson accounted for four touchdowns and Texas State defeated visiting North Texas 49-35 in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at UFCU Stadium. Texas State improved to 1-2, while North Texas fell to 1-2. The Bobcats overcame a huge passing day from North Texas with a productive ground game and a fast finish. The game produced 84 combined points and featured several long scoring plays. The game was played at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Texas, with North Texas as the visiting team and Texas State as the home team.

Brad Jackson, the Texas State quarterback, was the game’s top star. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns and ran nine times for 30 yards. Chris Dawn Jr. caught four passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, scoring on receptions of 12 and 39 yards. Torrance Burgess Jr. led the Texas State rushing attack with 25 carries for 214 yards and added two receptions for six yards. Davian Jackson ran 10 times for 77 yards and scored three touchdowns, caught one pass for 13 yards, and returned two kickoffs for 33 yards. Kylen Evans had four receptions for 70 yards, Blake Smith caught one pass for 41 yards and a touchdown, and Ty Stamey had an 18-yard reception. Zechariah Sample added two receptions for seven yards, Beau Sparks had one reception for six yards, and Jaylen Jenkins rushed four times for 16 yards and returned two kickoffs for 24 yards. Tom Flintoff punted twice for 62 yards for the Bobcats.

North Texas quarterback Tayven Jackson produced a massive statistical line in the loss. He completed 43 of 57 passes for 483 yards and three touchdowns. Kyle Koch led the Mean Green receivers with five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Josiah Martin caught four passes for 73 yards, Baron Tipton had five receptions for 58 yards, Brec Long made two catches for 21 yards, Max Reese had two receptions for 15 yards, and TJ Chukwurah added one catch for nine yards. North Texas also received a rushing touchdown from B. Haygood and touchdown receptions from Corri Milliner and Jahiem White. Texas State’s Trez Moore intercepted a pass. Dominic De Freitas made extra-point attempts for North Texas. North Texas’s passing attack produced 483 yards and three touchdowns, while the Mean Green also scored on the ground and through the air on multiple occasions.

Texas State’s defense was led by Craig Royal Jr., who recorded 13 tackles. Ryan Nolan added nine tackles, while Ayden Jones and Terrence Cooks II each finished with eight. Trez Moore had seven tackles and one interception, and Jayden Bradley also made seven tackles. Cole Nilles and Michael Patterson III each recorded six tackles, Jayden Lawton had five, and Javante Mackey and Tae Woody each made three. Tymere Jackson, Treylin Payne, and Phillip Bradford each had two tackles. Bryce Carter, Jo’Laison Landry, Amarion Atwood, Dexter Ricks Jr., DonTerry Russell, Malik Willis, and Chancellor Owens each recorded one tackle. Russell also had one quarterback hurry. North Texas’s Brandon Jones led the Mean Green with 11 tackles. CJ Coombes added nine tackles, Zakye Barker had eight, and Jaden Allen, Justin Benton, Aaron Alexander, Cedric Roberts, and Brayden Knox each made four tackles. Texas State’s defense recorded one interception and one quarterback hurry.

Texas State struck first when Brad Jackson found Chris Dawn Jr. for a 12-yard touchdown. Brad Jackson connected with Dawn again for a 39-yard score. North Texas answered with B. Haygood’s 2-yard rushing touchdown. Brad Jackson then hit Blake Smith for a 41-yard touchdown. Tayven Jackson threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Corri Milliner. In the third quarter, Davian Jackson scored on a 1-yard run. The teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 28. In the fourth, Brad Jackson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Davian Jackson. Tayven Jackson responded with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jahiem White. Davian Jackson then broke free for a 57-yard touchdown run. Jacob Bonilla missed a 46-yard field goal attempt for Texas State with 1:52 remaining. Texas State finished with 21 fourth-quarter points and held on for the victory. Jacob Bonilla converted extra points after each of the Bobcats’ first six touchdowns before his missed field goal. Texas State scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, while North Texas scored seven in the final period.

North Texas had entered the game after a 44-6 home win over UNLV on Sept. 12 and a 52-16 loss at Indiana on Sept. 5. The Mean Green next host Houston Christian on Sept. 26, visit Tulsa on Oct. 1, host Charlotte on Oct. 10, visit Navy on Oct. 24, host Florida Atlantic on Oct. 29, host Rice on Nov. 7, visit Texas-San Antonio on Nov. 14, visit Tulane on Nov. 21, and host UAB on Nov. 28. Texas State had opened the season with a 59-7 loss at Texas on Sept. 5 and a 31-26 home loss to Texas-San Antonio on Sept. 12. The Bobcats next host Incarnate Word on Sept. 26, visit San Diego State on Oct. 3, host Colorado State on Oct. 15, host Utah State on Oct. 24, visit Boise State on Oct. 31, visit Oregon State on Nov. 7, host Fresno State on Nov. 14, and host Washington State on Nov. 21. The Bobcats’ win was their first of the season, while the Mean Green’s loss dropped them to 1-2.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Texas State 37, North Texas 34. Interstat’s ELO system gave North Texas a 57.3 percent probability to win. North Texas was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of plus 3. The total score of 84 went under the over/under line of 62.5.