Between Ohio State, Penn State and Texas State, only one begins the 2012 football season knowing it can end the year playing in a bowl game. Low and behold, it's the Bobcats. Earlier this month, the NCAA ruled that teams reclassifying from FCS to FBS competition, like Texas State, can qualify for post-season play.

As you can imagine, that news was met with some excitement in San Marcos.

"After going through last year when there was no postseason available, that put a smile on their face," said Bobcats head coach Dennis Franchione.

Thirty-five postseason bowl games are the goal of every team in FBS and for the first time ever that includes Texas State. As the Bobcats began camp news arrived of the waiver allowing Texas State into the pool of teams that can qualify for a postseason bowl.

"With the new rule they say we can go to a bowl game so that's definitely the goal. We're reaching for the stars. We would love to go to a bowl game," said Bobcats cornerback Darryl Morris.

Easier said then done. Qualifying for a spot starts with winning at least six games. No small task considering it's the Bobcats first year in the Western Athletic Conference and they're picked to finish near the bottom of the league.

"You've got to use every ounce of motivation you can and to know right now that if you can win six games you might get to go to a bowl, that's pretty big," said Franchione.

With many new challenges facing the Bobcats, landing a bowl game is on a long list of goals for a groundbreaking season.

"First off I think [a goal] for our fans would be beating UTSA, but other than that I think it would be going to a bowl game," said Bobcats quarterback Shaun Rutherford.

For a Texas State program committed to FBS football it's not a question of if the Bobcats will earn a bowl game, the question is how soon will they do it?

"I think we actually kind of like being the underdogs cause we get to go out there and surprise the world," said Bobcats running back Marcus Curry.