Game #9
Lights Out
UTSA Roadrunners (3-5, 1-3)
vs.
Memphis Tigers (7-1, 3-1)
11 a.m. | Saturday, Nov. 2
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
TV: ESPN2
Radio: UTSA Sports Media Network / Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket
Live Stats: goUTSA.com/fbstats
Series History: UTSA leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: UTSA 31, Memphis 28 (9/25/21 • Memphis, Tenn.)
OPENING DRIVE
- UTSA and Memphis will meet for the second time on Saturday.
- The Roadrunners rallied from a 21-0 deficit for a 31-28 road triumph in the only previous meeting with the Tigers on Sept. 25, 2021.
- This will mark the first of three consecutive ESPN2 broadcasts of UTSA home games in the month of November.
- Jeff Traylor boasts a 42-19 overall record at UTSA, the most wins and best winning percentage (.688) in program history.
- The Roadrunners are 26-3 (.896) at the Alamodome under Jeff Traylor and 52-30 all-time in home games.
- UTSA has won seven straight and 14 of its last 15 home contests.
- In the Jeff Traylor era, UTSA is 28-7 (.800) in regular season conference games and 30-7 (.810) against league competition when including the 2021 and 2022 Conference USA Championship Games.
- UTSA is 13-2 (.867) in the month of November with Jeff Traylor at the helm.
- The Roadrunners are riding a streak of 18 consecutive games with both a takeaway and a sack.
- UTSA broke the school record with 15 tackles for loss and tied the program standard for the second straight game with seven sacks versus Tulsa.
SETTING THE SCENE
UTSA will look to bounce back from a heartbreaking 46-45 road setback to Tulsa when it hosts Memphis for the Lights Out and Salute to Local Businesses game on Saturday, Nov. 2. Kickoff in the American Athletic Conference matchup is slated for 11 a.m. at the Alamodome and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. The Roadrunners (3-5, 1-3 AAC) have won seven straight home games and are 26-3 in the Alamodome under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor, who has guided UTSA to a 13-2 record in the month of November. The AAC preseason favorite Tigers rallied for a 33-28 home victory over Charlotte last Saturday to run their record to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the league.
TUNING IN
Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and can be viewed online at espn.com/watch and via the ESPN mobile app. Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst) and Taylor Davis (reporter) will call the action. UTSA Sports Media Network will air the game live in the San Antonio area on Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket, online at ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Ed Suarez (reporter) have the call. There will be a two-hour pregame show hosted by Pat Evans and a 45-minute postgame show.
UTSA TO WEAR BLACK UNIFORMS FOR LIGHTS OUT
The Roadrunners will wear black uniforms for just the second time in program history when they take the field for UTSA’s Lights Out game on Saturday versus Memphis. This week’s combination features black jerseys and pants that have white numbers and trim to go with white helmets that feature black decals. The only other time UTSA wore black was on Oct. 29, 2016, in a 31-17 home triumph over North Texas. Those “Black Bird” uniforms consisted of black jerseys and pants with orange chrome numbers and trim along with black helmets that featured orange chrome decals. Fans are encouraged to wear black and can order their Lights Out gear online.
EARLY KICKS
With Saturday’s kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m., UTSA will be competing in a game that begins in the morning for the first time since an 11:30 a.m. local kickoff at UAB on Oct. 3, 2020. This will mark the Roadrunners’ 10th all-time game that starts at 11 a.m. local time and the first since a visit to Texas A&M on Nov. 2, 2019. UTSA last played a game that kicked off at 11 a.m. Central time when it had a noon Eastern start to the overtime win at Army on Sept. 10, 2022.
UTSA’s Earliest Kickoffs
11 a.m.
|
9/8/13 |
vs. Oklahoma State |
L, 35-56 |
|
10/18/14 |
at Louisiana Tech |
L, 20-27 |
|
11/8/14 |
at Rice |
L, 7-17 |
|
11/22/14 |
at Western Kentucky |
L, 7-45 |
|
11/29/14 |
vs. North Texas |
W, 34-27 |
|
9/12/15 |
vs. Kansas State |
L, 3-30 |
|
10/8/16 |
vs. Southern Miss |
W, 55-32 |
|
11/19/16 |
at Texas A&M |
L, 10-23 |
|
11/2/19 |
at Texas A&M |
L, 14-45 |
11:30 a.m.
|
10/3/20 |
at UAB |
L, 13-21 |
12 p.m.
|
12/17/16 |
at New Mexico* |
L, 20-23 |
|
10/31/20 |
at Florida Atlantic^ |
L, 3-24 |
|
9/10/22 |
at Army^ |
W, 41-38 (OT) |
|
11/19/22 |
at Rice |
W, 41-7 |
* New Mexico Bowl
^ Eastern time
REMEMBER NOVEMBER
With the calendar turning to November on Friday, the Roadrunners will look to continue their success in the 11th month of the year under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. UTSA boasts a 13-2 record (.867) in November during the Traylor era.
UTSA’s November Games Under Jeff Traylor
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
11/14/20 |
UTEP |
W, 52-21 |
|
11/21/20 |
at Southern Miss |
W, 23-20 |
|
11/28/20 |
North Texas |
W, 49-17 |
|
11/6/21 |
at UTEP |
W, 44-23 |
|
11/13/21 |
Southern Miss |
W, 27-17 |
|
11/20/21 |
UAB |
W, 34-31 |
|
11/27/21 |
at North Texas |
L, 23-45 |
|
11/5/22 |
at UAB |
W, 44-38 (2OT) |
|
11/12/22 |
Louisiana Tech |
W, 51-7 |
|
11/19/22 |
at Rice |
W, 41-7 |
|
11/26/22 |
UTEP |
W, 34-31 |
|
11/4/23 |
at North Texas |
W, 37-29 |
|
11/11/23 |
Rice |
W, 34-14 |
|
11/17/23 |
South Florida |
W, 49-21 |
|
11/24/23 |
at Tulane |
L, 16-29 |
HOME SWEET DOME
UTSA has been tough to beat at the Alamodome during the Jeff Traylor era, boasting a 26-3 (.896) at the facility since his arrival prior to the 2020 season. The Roadrunners have won seven straight and 14 of the last 15 at home entering Saturday’s matchup against Memphis. UTSA reeled off a school-record 10-game win streak at home that started with a 27-26 victory over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24, 2020, and ran through the 49-41 win against WKU in the 2021 Conference USA Championship Game before it was snapped in triple overtime against No. 24 Houston in the 2022 season opener. The Roadrunners have been victorious in 24 of their last 26 home contests and are 52-30 (.634) all-time in the Alamodome.
PACKING THE DOME
UTSA fans have packed the Alamodome over the past four seasons, as five of the program’s nine-largest home crowds have been recorded during that span. Two of the more recent home games now rank second and fourth on the all-time chart, as 49,342 fans watched UTSA beat Texas State in the 2023 home opener to mark the second-largest crowd in program history. In 2022’s final home contest, the Roadrunners raced past North Texas, 48-27, to capture their second straight Conference USA Championship in front of 41,412 fans, which now ranks fourth on the list of largest home crowds. That figure edged the 41,148 fans who watched UTSA outlast WKU, 49-41, in the 2021 CUSA Championship Game, now the fifth-largest home attendance. The 2022 season opener against 24th-ranked Houston drew 37,526 fans, which ranks eighth all-time, just ahead of the thrilling triumph over UAB in front 35,147 fans in 2021. UTSA led CUSA in average home attendance in back-to-back seasons, averaging 28,917 per game in 2022 and 26,643 the previous year. A total of 629,864 fans have filed into the Alamodome to watch the Roadrunners since the return from COVID-19 protocols for the 2021 season. In the 2024 season opener against Kennesaw State, the program eclipsed the two-million mark, as 2,056,117 fans now have watched the Roadrunners at the Alamodome, an average of 25,075 over 82 home contests. UTSA set NCAA modern startup program records in its first season by drawing 56,743 fans to the inaugural game against Northeastern State on Sept. 3, 2011, and by averaging 35,521 fans for six home contests.
UTSA’s Top 10 Home Crowds
|
Attendance |
Date |
Opponent |
|
56,743 |
9/3/11 |
Northeastern State |
|
49,342 |
9/9/23 |
Texas State |
|
42,071 |
9/8/18 |
Baylor |
|
41,412 |
12/2/22 |
North Texas |
|
41,148 |
12/3/21 |
Western Kentucky |
|
40,977 |
9/7/13 |
Oklahoma State |
|
39,032 |
11/24/12 |
Texas State |
|
37,526 |
9/3/22 |
Houston |
|
35,147 |
11/20/21 |
UAB |
|
33,517 |
9/24/11 |
Bacone |
SCOUTING MEMPHIS
The Tigers rallied for a 33-28 home victory over Charlotte last Saturday to run their record to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the American Athletic Conference. Memphis is averaging 34.0 points and 434.4 yards per game while allowing 20.9 points and 345.8 yards per contest. Seth Henigan has completed 197 of 305 passes for 2,078 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead the offense. Mario Anderson Jr. leads the ground attack with 780 yards and 13 TDs on 136 carries, while Roc Taylor is the top receiver with 547 yards and a pair of scores on 38 catches. Defensively, Chandler Martin has team highs of 63 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks, five quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries. Head coach Ryan Silverfield is 38-20 since taking over the helm prior to the 2019 Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
ROADRUNNERS VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
The Roadrunners will play their 16th game against a nationally ranked opponent when they face Memphis on Saturday at the Alamodome. The Tigers check in at No. 25 in this week’s AFCA Coaches Poll and they are receiving 34 votes in the latest AP Top 25. UTSA is 0-15 all-time against ranked foes, including 0-14 versus top-25 FBS teams.
UTSA vs. Ranked Teams (0-15)
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
10/1/11 |
at #16 Sam Houston* |
L, 7-22 |
|
11/3/12 |
at #22 Louisiana Tech |
L, 27-51 |
|
9/7/13 |
#13 Oklahoma State |
L, 35-56 |
|
9/3/15 |
at #22 Arizona |
L, 32-42 |
|
9/19/15 |
at #25 Oklahoma State |
L, 14-69 |
|
11/19/16 |
at #22 Texas A&M |
L, 10-23 |
|
10/10/20 |
at #15 BYU |
L, 20-27 |
|
12/26/20 |
vs. #16 Louisiana |
L, 24-31 |
|
12/21/21 |
vs. #24 San Diego State |
L, 24-38 |
|
9/3/22 |
#24 Houston |
L, 35-37 (3OT) |
|
9/17/22 |
at #20 Texas |
L, 20-41 |
|
12/16/22 |
vs. #23 Troy |
L, 12-18 |
|
9/23/23 |
at #20 Tennessee |
L, 14-45 |
|
11/24/23 |
at #18 Tulane |
L, 16-29 |
|
9/14/24 |
at #2 Texas |
L, 7-56 |
* FCS
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will mark the second meeting between UTSA and Memphis. The Roadrunners rallied from a 21-0 first-half deficit for a 31-28 road triumph in the only previous matchup on Sept. 25, 2021.
LAST MEETING
Sincere McCormick piled up 217 all-purpose yards, Clarence Hicks posted a pair of sacks and Hunter Duplessis kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to help UTSA rally from a 21-point deficit for a 31-28 victory over Memphis on Sept. 25, 2021, snapping the Tigers’ 17-game winning streak at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The Roadrunners found themselves down 21-0 a little more than nine minutes into their first meeting with the Tigers. UTSA stormed back to tie the score at 28-all with 10 and a half minutes left to play before completing the rally with Duplessis’ game winner, sending Memphis to its first home non-conference loss in 23 games. McCormick rushed 42 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns and added 33 receiving yards, while Frank Harris completed 18 of 28 passes for 186 yards and a score. Zakhari Franklin had a team-high seven receptions for 51 yards and a TD and Joshua Cephus caught six passes for 82 yards. UTSA finished the first quarter with zero total yards, but outgained the Tigers 399-230 over the final 45 minutes in the school-record comeback. The Roadrunners also finished the game with a 35:42-24:18 advantage in time of possession. Meanwhile, Hicks tallied a team-high six tackles, including three tackles for loss and his pair of sacks. The super senior’s strip sack of Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan with a little more than 10 minutes left resulted in a Lorenzo Dantzler fumble recovery and 12-yard return to the Tigers 7-yard line. Four plays later on fourth-down-and-goal from the 1, McCormick found the end zone for the third time to help the Roadrunners knot the score at 28-28. UTSA’s defense forced a punt and with 2:46 remaining the Roadrunners began their game-winning drive. McCormick carried seven times on the possession, including a 22-yard dash to the Memphis 24 for a first down. From there, UTSA used McCormick to run the clock down to two seconds for Duplessis’ game winner from 42 yards.
WHO’S COUNTING?
Now in their 14th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 168th game in program history on Saturday when they face Memphis. UTSA is 87-80 (.521) all-time and 52-30 (.634) at home. By comparison, Memphis has been playing football since 1912 and owns an all-time record of 539-540-33.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will have their second idle week of the season before hosting North Texas on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Alamodome. Kickoff has been moved to one hour earlier at 7 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
-UTSA-