Terrance Franks became the first Bobcat player to rush for more than 200 yards since 2003 but it wasn’t enough as the ‘Cats lost for the first time in more than a month. Texas State fell to 5-3 on the season with the loss. (Photo Courtesy of Texas State football)
STAFF REPORTS
Freshman running back Terrence Franks became the first Texas State running back to rush over 200 yards since 2003, but Brian Young threw for 349 yards and LaTruan Weary ran for two touchdowns in the second half to lead Southeastern Louisiana to a 38-28 decision on Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.
The loss snapped Texas State’s five-game winning streak.
Franks finished the game with 234 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries to become the first Bobcat to run for 200 yards since Terrell Harris ran for 246 yards against Sam Houston State in 2003.
Young completed 26 of 44 passes and ran six times for 22 yards and another touchdown. Sam Fairley led the Lions with 94 yards rushing and scored a TD on 24 carries while Weary finished the game with 33 yards on seven carries.
Texas State’s Shaun Rutherford completed 12 of his 21 passes for 172 yards and a TD and gained 54 yards on 10 carries.
The game opened with each team scoring 21 points in the first half, but Weary’s two touchdowns combined with a career-best 45-yard field goal by Seth Sebastian allowed the Lions to outscore Texas State 17-7 in the second half en route to the victory.
The scoring in the game began when Southeastern Louisiana scored the first touchdown of the game on a 17-yard run by Young. Sebastian kicked the extra point to give the Lions an early 7-0 lead.
Texas State came right back and answered with a five-yard touchdown run by Marcus Curry on its next possession. Will Johnson kicked the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 with 2:02 left in the first quarter.
After the Bobcats were called for a personal foul following the touchdown run, Johnson’s kickoff sailed out of bounds to give the Lions possession on Texas State’s 45-yard line. SLU regained the lead when Sam Fairley scored a touchdown on a seven-yard run. Sebastian kicked the extra point to give the Lions a 14-7 lead.
Texas State answered quickly again when Shaun Rutherford hit Darius Bolden for a 75-yard touchdown pass. That was the longest pass caught by a Bobcat since Stan Zwinggi set a school record with a 91-yard catch against Sam Houston State in 2008. Johnson kicked the extra point to tie the score at 14-14.
Southeastern Louisiana scored its third touchdown in the opening half with a seven-yard run by Weary. Sebastian’s extra point made the score 21-14.
After both teams missed field goal attempts, Franks ran for a four-yard touchdown after he recorded the longest run by a Bobcat this season with a 58-yard gallop. Johnson kicked the extra point and the first half ended with the teams tied at 21-21.
The Lions opened the second half with another touchdown drive as Weary scored on a one-yard run. Sebastian kicked the extra point to give Lions a 28-21 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Derek Lopez fumbled the ball on Texas State’s 20-yard line, but the Bobcat defense held the Lions and forced Sebastian to kick a career-best 45-yard field goal to give SLU a 31-21 lead.
In the fourth quarter, SLU extended its lead to 38-21 when Leary scored his third touchdown of the game on a nine-yard run and Sebastian kicked the extra point with 12:46 left to play.
The Bobcats scored their first points in the second half when Franks scored on a 74-yard touchdown run and Johnson added the extra point to pull Texas State to within 38-28 with 12:27 left to play.
That was as close as Texas State could get as their last possession ended with Rutherford fumbling the ball on a quarterback run at SLU’s 32-yard line after gaining 17 yards. Following the fumble, the Lions ran out the clock to win their second game of the season.
The Bobcats return home to play host to Northwestern State Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
