After just 3 minutes into the second half of Saturday’s contest between Texas State and Louisiana Tech University, a familiar scene unfolded.

Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech freshman running back, reaches out for a touchdown Nov. 10 at Bobcat Stadium. The Bobcats fell to the Bulldogs 62-55.

Texas State was in striking distance in a game against a formidable opponent at the start of the third quarter, but this time it was the 19th ranked team in the country, Louisiana Tech.

After trailing by a touchdown going into halftime, the Bobcats needed this game to play out differently. The Bobcats let multiple games slip away from them in the third and fourth quarters this season: University of Nevada-Reno, University of New Mexico and San Jose State University.

A twenty point favorite in the Louisiana Tech University football team had to nervously wait out an attempted Texas State onside kick with a little over a minute to go in order to beat the Bobcats 62-55.

The Bobcats were tied with the No. 19 team in the country after the start of the fourth quarter when tight end Bradley Miller caught his second touchdown of the night to notch the game up at 48. The Bulldogs responded with a Ray Holley six yard run for a touchdown to take the lead for good.

Texas State had a lead three times in the first half and only trailed by seven at halftime, 41-37. Louisiana Tech scored quickly on their first drive of the second half to increase their lead 48-34. The Bobcats responded with two back to back touchdowns of their own, including a 22 yard scamper by Terrence Franks and Miller’s second touchdown grab.

The Bobcat football team will continue its streak of playing tough opponents as it takes on the 8-1 Louisiana Tech University team on Saturday.

Texas State’s opponents have earned a total record of 23-5 overall and 10-1 in conference counting this week and the two previous. Louisiana Tech is ranked 20th in the nation.

Louisiana Tech’s Coach Sonny Dykes will bring his first-ranked offensive unit to San Marcos and will hope to continue its 52 points per game average. The team’s one loss came to Texas A&M University in a 59-57 shootout that came down to the last few seconds.

The Bulldogs have cruised through their three conference games with a combined score of 149-69 over the University of Idaho, New Mexico State University and University of Texas-San Antonio. 

In the second quarter against San Jose State University, junior wide receiver Andy Erickson fielded a punt inside his own five-yard line, normally considered a risk by a punt returner.

Andy Erickson, wide receiver, leads the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns

After making several Spartans miss, Erickson dazzled the crowd with a 54-yard return. The Bobcats ultimately lost the game that day, but what won’t be lost is the memory of the playmaking ability of Erickson.

Texas State had their struggles last Saturday, giving up 593 total yards in their 38-7 loss to Utah State’s quick-striking offense.

The Aggies had two touchdown drives that lasted less than two minutes and had more than 250 yards on the ground and through the air.

The recent loss to the Aggies was just another chapter in the same story for the Bobcats who have faced four of the top 16 offensive units in the country. San Jose State University sits at 42 nationally in yards per game, while University of Nevada-Reno is eighth with 523.2 yards per game. The nation’s No. 1 ranked offense, Louisiana Tech University, is next on the Bobcats’ schedule.

“I think it’s a good thing that we get tested every week,” said linebacker Damion McMiller. “It shows where we are as a defense. As a player you evaluate yourself each week, and it’s a great tool that you can use when you go against a good offense to see where you are at.”

The Bobcat football team will try to put their most recent loss to San Jose State University behind them as they travel to battle Utah State University.

“We played a good first half, played hard,” said Coach Dennis Franchione about last weekend’s game against San Jose State. “Defensively, we couldn’t get enough stops. Offensively, we could not reestablish field position and make enough happen.”

The Aggies (7-2, 3-0) are currently on a three-game winning streak and have won five of their last six with a lone loss coming to rival Brigham Young University. BYU defeated the Aggies 6-3 in front of a national television audience.

Sophomore quarterback Chuckie Keeton leads Utah State’s offense. He was just named WAC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. Keeton is already 10th on the school’s all-time list in total offense with 4,206 yards through two years of play.

The Bobcats continued their theme of getting shutout in the second half of games in their Saturday 31-20 loss to San Jose State University.

“It’s frustrating because we had chances to win that game,” said Coach Dennis Franchione. “We had a lead at halftime, and as you know I’m really proud of my kids. They’re disgusted, dejected, down, (and) they’ll bounce back.”

The Bobcats were led by junior wide receiver Andy Erickson, who contributed 53 receiving yards. Additionally, he made a 54-yard punt return. Texas State allowed 571 yards of total offense, the second most the team has conceded this season. The Bobcats allowed 591 to Texas Tech University.

Penalties plagued the Bobcats, totaling seven for 65 yards. A majority of the setbacks came in the second half, while a large percentage of those came on critical downs when Texas State forced down and distance for the Spartans.

The Bobcats used a 48 yard run by freshman running back Tim Gay right before the end of the first half to put the offense in position to ultimately kick a 42-yard field goal by Will Johnson. Texas State went into halftime with a 20-17 lead, and a majority of the yardage came from the arm and legs of Shaun Rutherford.

The Bobcat football team is fresh off a bye week and are getting closer to making their trip to Spartan Stadium Saturday to face San Jose State University.

The Spartans will give the Bobcats a test in every phase of the game: offense, defense and special teams. All have been influential thus far in 2012 in San Jose State’s games. San Jose State is sitting at 5-2 overall with a 1-1 WAC record, beating UTSA most recently, 52-24, and losing 49-27 to Utah State.

San Jose State’s offense averages 33 points a game and uses a variety of different formations to give opposing defense a lot to consider. Spartan quarterback David Fales has the second highest completion rate in the nation with 74 percent and ranks 10th in efficiency. Fales has only thrown three interceptions in seven outings.

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