Steve Sarkisian isn’t treating Texas State like a warmup, even if the betting line and the talent gap say otherwise.
Texas opens its season Saturday at home against the Bobcats, and while the Longhorns’ bigger showdown waits just around the corner against No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12, Sarkisian spent part of the week making sure his team didn’t drift ahead to next week too soon.
“I'll tell you what, I know everyone's wanting to talk about next week, this team we're playing this week, don't be surprised in the end of November if they're not in the talk of making the College Football Playoff," Sarkisian said Wednesday, via Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com. "I think Texas State's a really good team, so they got our attention."
Texas State enters the opener coming off a 7-6 season in 2025 and looking to keep climbing in its fourth year under coach GJ Kinne. The Bobcats have a proven trigger man in sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson, who threw for 3,224 yards last season and ranked No. 24 in FBS. They also carry the third-best preseason odds to win the conference at +475, behind San Diego State at +425 and Boise State at +134, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kinne has leaned into the idea that his offense can stress Texas if it gets rolling. Texas State finished ninth nationally in scoring last season at 36.6 points per game, and Kinne said Monday that the system keeps evolving.
"We've really built this offense the way we want to, and every year it's evolved," Kinne said Monday (h/t Field Level Media). "Feel like it puts a lot of pressure on the defense.
'What are you trying to take away? How can we attack you?'
Combine that with tempo and some different wrinkles and it's been a pretty good offense, top-five offense, the last four years."
Still, the matchup points heavily toward Texas. The Longhorns bring a defense loaded with talent, including preseason first-team All-American edge-rusher Colin Simmons, and DraftKings Sportsbook had them as a 29.5-point favorite as of Wednesday.
That’s the reality Sarkisian is trying to manage: respect the opponent, keep the room locked in, and avoid any Week 1 wobble before the Ohio State trip. The Buckeyes and Longhorns meet in prime time on ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Texas lost its last two games to Ohio State in 2024 and 2025.
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