MOBILE, Ala. — In a thrilling contest on Friday, Mannie Nunnery’s 60-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter secured a decisive lead for Texas State, leading them to a 45-38 victory over South Alabama.

The win allowed the Bobcats (7-5, 5-3 in the Sun Belt Conference) to thwart South Alabama’s slim chances of capturing the conference title. The Jaguars needed to not only defeat Texas State but also rely on UL Monroe (5-6, 3-4) to upset Louisiana (9-2, 6-1) on Saturday to seize the Sun Belt Conference West Division championship.
Nunnery’s pick-6 extended Texas State’s lead to 45-35, marking the largest margin of the entire game. Prior to this pivotal moment, Texas State regained control of the match when Jordan McCloud connected with Joey Hobart for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 11:39 remaining. The Bobcats orchestrated a lengthy 12-play, 90-yard drive that consumed five minutes to take the lead decisively.
Ismail Mahdi was a standout performer for Texas State, amassing 147 rushing yards on 20 carries, including one touchdown. McCloud contributed significantly as well, passing for 248 yards and throwing one touchdown while being intercepted twice.
On the other side, South Alabama (6-6, 5-3) saw Lopez throwing for 190 yards with one touchdown, although he too faced two interceptions. Fluff Bothwell had a strong performance as a runner, racking up 81 yards on six carries and attaining two touchdowns.