Previewing Texas State Offense - How Will ASU Attack?

The Bobcats' offense will pose several challenges to the Sun Devils.

Sep 6, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) reacts after tackling Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Arizona State football is now just a day away from facing the Texas State Bobcats to close out non-conference play.

The team is coming off a 24-20 loss to Mississippi State last week - and is a year removed from a dramatic 31-28 victory over the same Bobcats squad.

The Bobcats now have a different quarterback and the Sun Devils have a potential issue when it comes to giving up the 'big play' - defensive coordinator Brian Ward addressed the former in the context of the offense as a whole earlier in the week.

What Ward had to say below:

• "Just an offensive scheme that is really designed around strictly the players that they're very well thought out. You just look at everything they do on offense, from every situation that they play that they're literally marrying around the personnel that they have. They're not, you know, hard-headed coaches that just want to run their system and run their scheme the way they see fit.

• They literally know, hey, here's the skill set of our offensive line, here's the skill set of our quarterbacks, here's the skill set of our receivers, and this is what we're going to do in these situations. And, you know, they do things, they do things differently, and it's, it's gonna be a no change for us."

Texas State runs through quarterback Brad Jackson, who has a dynamic arm and has run for four touchdowns as well. Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham praised Jackson for the throws he has made to start the season. The run game has also averaged 6.6 yards per carry and Beau Sparks has seen five of his 12 receptions go for touchdowns.

How does Ward and his defense contain this potent attack?

The most obvious manner is to stall the run game on early downs and to force Sparks to beat the secondary in coverage on long down-and-distance scenarios - containing Jackson on the run is potentially vital as well.

Expect C.J. Fite, Xavion Alford, and Keith Abney II to be extremely active in Ward's aggressive/opportunistic defensive scheme.

Arizona State-Texas State is set to kick off at 7:30 P.M. Arizona time from Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.

Read more on major takeaways from Arizona State's week two loss here, and on taking a dive into coach Dillingham's comments after the game here.

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