A season full of history and records ended with a victory in a place Texas State football had never been: in a bowl game.
Texas State forced a season-high seven turnovers – including two interceptions returned for a touchdown by linebacker Brian Holloway – and Jahmyl Jeter scored three rushing touchdowns to lift the Bobcats to a 45-21 win over Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Tuesday.
The Bobcats (8-5) set a new FBS program record for wins in a season by registering their sixth double-digit victory of the year.
Texas State, which was playing in its first ever FBS bowl game, limited Rice to 197 yards of offense. Holloway, Shawn Holton, Kaleb Ford-Dement and Bobby Crosby all had interceptions to give the Bobcats their most interceptions ever in an FBS game and one shy of the program's overall record.
Holloway, who became the first Bobcat to ever return two interceptions for a touchdown in a single game, was named the bowl MVP in a stadium he once called home as an SMU Mustang.
Texas State's defense forced five turnovers and six total punts – along with four three-and-outs – in Rice's 14 total drives. The Bobcats grabbed the two other takeaways on fumbles on a pooch kick and a muffed punt.
In his final game as a Bobcat, Jeter had a career-high three rushing touchdowns on his eight carries.
Offensive lineman Nash Jones also scored a rushing touchdown with a pass backwards by TJ Finley early in the third quarter to help give Texas State four total rushing scores.