It was recently announced that the Bobcats, who went 4-8 last season, will play at Illinois in 2014. No return trip is set, so it looks to be a pay day for Texas State.

That gives the Bobcats two non-conference opponents for 2014. Navy is set for a trip to Bobcat Stadium that same year.

It will also be the first year in which the Sun Belt Conference, Texas State’s new home, will look completely different in 2014. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern will step up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, while Idaho and New Mexico State become football-only members.

Well, you might as well add two more to that tally after the women added an outdoor crown to their haul and the men followed suit.

“Once the women got a taste of it, I knew the men wanted it too,” Boone said. “It’s just that competitive nature that I love so much about this team.”

Texas State’s women held a comfortable lead from early on in the meet, while the men rallied on the last day.

“It was a total team effort from each team,” said Boone, a second-year head coach. “We couldn’t have been in that position if it weren’t for our throwers, our jumpers, our sprinters, our middle-distance runners or the long-distance guys.”

Once the Bobcats clinched both titles, all that was left to do was douse Boone in Gatorade. Boone never saw it coming.

“They really did get me on that one,” Boone said. “You see it on TV all the time and you think you’d need it coming, but I didn’t.”

Are you curious about how Texas State did compared to others? Well, you’re in luck.

Texas State hauled in a revenue stream of $26.8 million in 2012, good enough for 84th in the nation. That number put the Bobcats second among teams in the Western Athletic Conference (New Mexico State fell in at 77th) and first in the Sun Belt Conference (their new league come July 1).

Nearly half of the Bobcats’ revenue came from student fees ($13 million).

Ticket sales amassed $682,454, compared to $509,629 from the previous calendar year. That amount was the largest since 2006, when the Bobcats sold $557,796 worth of game passes.

On Thursday, Texas State President Denise M. Trauth announced in her newsletter “From The Hill” that the university signed Franchione to a new five-year contract. Franchione is now under contract until 2017, which is two years longer than his previous contract that he signed when he took over following former head coach Brad Wright’s dismissal. Terms of the new contract weren’t disclosed, but a raise is expected. Franchione had been earning $350,000 per year under his old contract.

Franchione is 10-14 in two seasons with the Bobcats.

Texas State opens the 2013 season Aug. 31 at Southern Mississippi.

Edit: Franchione’s new deal will pay him $50K more annually, beginning Feb. 2014.

Rest assured, you’ll have plenty of time to tailgate before watching the Bobcats.

Sept. 7 — Prairie View A&M — 6 p.m.
Sept. 21 — Wyoming — 6 p.m.
Oct. 12 — Louisiana-Monroe — 6 p.m.
Oct. 19 — Georgia State — 6 p.m.
Oct. 26 — South Alabama — 6 p.m.
Nov. 23 — Western Kentucky — TBA

Note: Texas State has sold 3,646 season tickets thus far.

Texas State should have three players sign as free agents: former linebacker Joplo Bartu (1), former tight end Chase Harper and former defensive back Darryl Morris (2). Bartu led the Bobcats with 95 tackles in 2012, Harper caught 28 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns, while Morris hauled in four interceptions.

Don’t be surprised if a few players from Texas State get drafted in 2015 and 2016. If sophomore offensive lineman Adrian Bellard, junior cornerback Craig Mager, junior linebacker Michael Orakpo and sophomore wide receiver Brandon Smith all put in the work, there’s a good chance NFL scouts would salivate over their potential.

Edit (1): About 15 minutes after this was posted, Bartu signed a free-agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Last year, Atlanta fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

Bartu on the feeling of signing: “It felt big to me, kind of like a ‘Mission Accomplished.’ But it’s not accomplished until I make the 53-man roster.”

Bartu on what led him to signing with the Falcons: “It was between the Packers and Falcons. Green Bay wanted me at fullback. Atlanta wanted me at linebacker and that’s my natural position. I wouldn’t mind playing fullback if that’s what someone needed, but linebacker is where I feel best.”

Edit (2): Soon after Bartu signed, Morris inked a deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Last year, San Francisco lost to Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl.

Morris on why he chose the 49ers: “They wanted me a whole lot and they have a lot of older cornerbacks. San Francisco told me that it ‘looks intimidating’ that they have a lot of corners, but they want to get some young talent in there. I can compete and if it’s not my year to be a starter, I can still learn from some really good guys.”

Morris on his immediate plans: “I just want to make the team first, then everything will sort itself out.”

Morris on how a strong work ethic kept him on pace: “I wish I could have partied or gone out more, but instead I had to work out and that helped me stay focused and stay out of trouble. You don’t know how nice it was — when the scouts asked me if I’d ever been in trouble or arrested — to say, ‘No, sir.’”

Fans packed Bobcat Ballpark to watch Tuesday’s game between Texas State and Texas A&M (Photo by Tyler Mayforth).

When it was announced that Tuesday’s game between Texas State and Texas A&M was sold out, Ty Harrington’s team had to like its chances. Something about big crowds at home often pushes the Bobcats to victory.

“Our kids were really excited to come back (after batting practice) and see a nice crowd,” Harrington said after his team’s 4-1 win. “It probably added an extra step, some giddy-up and I was proud for them.”

With its win against the Aggies, Texas State improved to 4-1 in games played in front of the five best crowds in Bobcat Ballpark history.

Rank – Opponent – Attendance – Date – Result
1st – Texas A&M – 2,603 – March 30, 2010 – Won, 6-5
2nd – Texas – 2,593 – March 3, 2009 – Lost, 6-5
3rd – Texas A&M – 2,512 – April 23, 2013 – Won, 4-1
4th – Nebraska – 2,386 – Feb. 18, 2011 – Won, 7-2
5th – Notre Dame – 2,181 – March 3, 2012 – Won, 6-0

Texas State has nine of its 15 remaining games at home.

Texas State senior defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey sets a school record in the power clean (Photo by Gerald Castillo).

Texas State head coach Dennis Franchione wanted his team to get bigger, faster and stronger this offseason.

It seems as if the Bobcats met two of those requirements as they recently shattered four school records in the weight room, one of which was set at Friday’s “Night of Champions.”

Earlier last week, it seemed as if junior linebacker Michael Orakpo would own two school records after he put up 540 pounds in the flat bench and 500 pounds on the incline press. Well, that was until senior defensive end Jamie Clavell-Head stepped up and took back his flat-bench record with a 560-pound lift.

Last Thursday, senior defensive end Prestin Brown squatted 800 pounds for a school record. Then on Friday, senior defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey hoisted 386 pounds in the power clean.

Texas State had 40 players put up more than 400 pounds on the flat bench this offseason. That number grew from only 10 last season.

On Aug. 31, the Bobcats open the 2013 season at Southern Mississippi.

Are you ready to see Bobcat Stadium in NCAA Football 14?

Are you a fan of Texas State?

Do you like playing NCAA Football, as produced by EA Sports?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to both of those questions, you’re going to like our next sentence. EA Sports announced that Jim Wacker Field at Bobcat Stadium will be “accurately recreated” by its game designers.

Representatives from EA Sports toured Bobcat Stadium several times last season and captured game sounds from Texas State’s 38-7 win over Idaho.

Source: EA Sports blog

Want to know which quarterback is listed first on the depth chart?

You don’t need to wait any longer, as here is the official post-spring two-deep.

A few thoughts…

1. Surprised there’s not an ‘or’ between Arndt and Moore. For the last two seasons, head coach Dennis Franchione put one between Arndt and Rutherford until Rutherford won the job outright.

2. Youth is served with redshirt freshman Felix Romero owning the top rank at one guard spot, with fellow redshirt freshman Ryan Melton right behind him.