For a sequel or a re-adaptation to be successful in Hollywood, you’ve got to have the right elements to win the audience’s hearts. In college football, a similar arc is likely to follow. The long-dormant Pac-12 conference is kicking up a storm in college football with its opening-soon notice, which is set for 2026. The second edition of the league welcomed its newest member, Texas State, in June this year. Head Coach G.J. Kinne already has plans for their big debut next year.
The Pac-12 lost big time when it lost its marquee programs, USC, Oregon, Washington, and UCLA, to the Big 10. The rest of the conference followed suit, and the conference disbanded. However, being in the shadows of the bigger programs, some smaller ones have begun to thrive. They will now join hands for what will be the new Pac-12. Kinne’s Texas State joins programs like Oregon State, Boise State, and more as a refreshed program after losing in eight straight seasons.
With 16 wins in the bag over two years and two bowl game appearances, Texas State is all fired up to continue this uptick in their Pac-12 future as well. GJ Kinne address the press and said, “Us going to the Pac is obviously, that was a huge victory for us… I think for us the thing that the forefront of my mind is, let’s just not be happy going there. Let’s go be able to compete,” he said, setting the tone of the program’s arrival into the conference. “I have to continue to push to make sure we’re able to compete,” he added.
Texas State head coach GJ Kinne talked about the Pac-12 and it’s impact on the Bobcats program. @TXSTATEFOOTBALL @EatEmUp #TXST pic.twitter.com/w5GdNBP1HW
— Austin Sports Journal (@ASJSportsATX) July 20, 2025
Now that they have moved on from the Sun Belt Conference after paying a $5 million buyout, the stakes for them have gone higher than before. “But now going into the new conference, we got to be able to compete and do it at a high level,” Kinne said. And he hopes for a better future for the program when it comes to talent spotting. “I think that opens up, you know, some more doors for us as far as recruiting [is concerned]. But I think you’re just recruiting to a higher caliber University,” the HC noted.
“It’s not just the football. It’s the universities that you’re playing against,” Kinne added further, acknowledging the standards of football being brought in by other member programs. The Pac-12 will hopefully bring more attention to Texas State, which can lead Kinne to play games against some marquee teams someday, as a formidable opponent. G.J. Kinne is reconstructing this program from the inside out to ensure the future of its football for good. But before leaving for the Pac-12, the HC has some unfinished business to wrap up.
G.J. Kinne eyeing championship title in last Sun Belt season
This will be the last year Kinne and the Bobcats play in the Sun Belt conference. He has two consecutive seasons with an 8-5 score, and two bowl wins over First Responder. And this momentum now has him thinking about more plans for the program. Now that Texas State’s time with the Sun Belt is ending, he made a go for the big prize of the conference championship title. It’s a feat that was awaited by fans for 14 years now.
“That’s the goal,” he told a reporter. “That’s the message every day. We have two really good seasons and back-to-back bowl victories, so we’ve accomplished a lot of good things. But for us, winning a championship is our goal. And, I think we got the team to do it.” Texas State will have some key games in its schedule this year. One will be against Louisiana, where Kinne would hope to finally register a win against the Ragin’ Cajuns’ 11-0 record. Then there are also the James Madison and Southern Miss games, where Charles Huff’s hiring has made the latter a program ready to pull some upsets.
There’s no reason why G.J. Kinne and Texas State can’t end their Sun Belt run on a big note, if they increase the momentum and win these important games. That would set them up for the new avenue of Pac-12 2.0, making the Bobcats a more recognizable name in college football from next year onwards.
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