One of the key things Texas State had to do this season was look like an improved team and that meant squashing a sub-FBS team like Texas Southern (Unlike the Bobcats did last year against Houston Baptist), or at least making it very clear that there is a talent gap between the two programs. For about 75 percent of Saturday's game, that was true. Although the points didn't come in bunches, Texas State's small 16-0 halftime lead felt comfortable mainly because of the Tigers' inability to move the ball.

Then the second half happened when TSU head coach Michael Haywood utilized his team's best weapon, former Houston and Baylor receiver Tren'davian Dickson who took the top off of Texas State's secondary on nearly every pass he caught. Long story short, he nearly single-handedly upset the Bobcats inside Bobcat Stadium Saturday night in Texas State's 36-20 win.

Here are some things we learned about Texas State and Texas Southern.

Keenan Brown is a real target.
The Oklahoma State transfer picked up where Gabe Scrhade left at the tight end position last season and was the benefit of nearly all of Willie Jones’ throws, especially in the first half and including a high acrobatic snag during the second half. Although probably not as nimble after the catch as Schrade, the 6’3, 250-pound tight end reeled in seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, and it was clear that offensive coordinator Zak Kuhr wanted to make him the focal point of the passing game from the get-go.

One question mark heading into the season was who would step up as a pass-catcher for Texas State this year in that regard and Brown might emerge as that target if Saturday night’s home opener reflects what’s to come this year.

Tren'davian Dickson is back! And he's still really, really good.
Texas State's secondary looked much-improved against Rutgers last weekend forcing three interceptions. This week, the unit surrendered 315 yards through the air to Texas Southern’s backup quarterback Jay Christophe. Granted, Christophe is no newbie to the game and is actually the Tigers’ most seasoned signal-caller whose career has been hampered by injury, but he lost the gig to Glen Coulliette in camp, who didn’t suit up for Saturday’s contest.

But more importantly, he had a true FBS-caliber target to throw to in Tren'davian Dickson, yes that Tren'davian Dickson. 

Dickson, who transferred from Baylor to Houston, landed at Texas Southern and proved to still be the highly-talented player he was originally touted as. He might've been the most talented player on Jim Wacker Field Saturday night too. No one in the Bobcat secondary could match up one-on-one with the former four-star receiver every time Christophe hurled a prayer his way. Dickson finished with a game-high 159 yards and two touchdowns, 154 yards coming in the second half alone.

Texas Southern's offense might be a real danger to the SWAC if this is the start of the big year for Dickson.

Lack of discipline hurts the Texas State offense, not lack of talent.
Are there still a lot of kinks to work out on offense? Absolutely.

Although Willie Jones III played a lot better (17-of-28 for 235 yards, 1 TD, 107 yards rushing), he still has some decision-making issues to sort out, but the way he piloted the run-game (304 total yards rushing) makes you see why Everett Withers gave him the keys to the offense. Granted, he might’ve even had a better game if not for the penalties. Particularly during the third quarter, two drive-crippling flags led to Texas Southern getting the ball back and cutting the lead to a two-score game until Anthony D. Taylor’s one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter put things away.

It culminated in the third-quarter and let TSU back into the game. A 65-yard touchdown run from Jones was negated by a block in the back. Later that same drive, a 23-yard run from Caleb Twyford, that would’ve set the offense up near the redzone, was also brought back for an illegal block. The drive finally ended with a missed 50-yard field goal and Texas Southern scored on its next possession.

Combine this with last week’s penalty riddled performance, this might be more of a habit this season. Any rhythm the offense started to gain was halted by critical holding calls and ruined any chance of making a competitive game out of it. Texas State has now had 24 penalties through two games for 189 yards.