News: Opener for 2012

BobcatReport has confirmed with sources at Texas Tech University that the home opener at the newly renovated Bobcat Stadium will be against the Red Raiders on September 8^th, 2012.  This will be the first appearance by a Bowl Championship Subdivision team in San Marcos, followed three weeks later by Mountain West (and former WAC) school Nevada on September 29^th.  Texas State will also travel to play the University of Houston and the Naval Academy in their first year of WAC participation.

Texas Tech, a member of the Big 12, is led by former Auburn and Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville.  The Red Raiders were 8-5 in 2010 and beat Northwestern in the inaugural TicketCity Bowl January 1^st, 2011.  Their legendary high powered offense is maintained by former Troy offensive coordinator Neal Brown, who at age 30 has firmly planted himself among the rising stars of the sport.

Led by longtime commissioner Karl Benson, the 2012 WAC will be home to the Bobcats, longtime rival Texas-San Antonio, the University of Denver, San Jose State, Utah State, Idaho, New Mexico State, and Louisiana Tech.  Denver does not field a football team.  The conference is still looking at further expansion after the defection of Boise State, Nevada, and Fresno State to the Mountain West.

Texas State’s transition starts in 2011 as a postseason-ineligible member of the Southland Conference and will continue as a bowl-ineligible member of the Western Athletic Conference in 2012.  

Bobcat Stadium’s renovation is slated to begin at the conclusion of the 2011 football season, adding 13,500 seats to the north end of the complex.  This will increase total capacity to 29,500 – and eventually with additional planned construction, the facility could hold 35,000 spectators.  The estimated cost of the project is $32 million dollars, raised by donations plus the sales of luxury suites and club seats.

An annual game hosting current Southland Conference foes Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, or WAC expansion hopeful Lamar is likely once Texas State transitions into the Bowl Championship Subdivision.