UTSA Roadrunners (3-5, 2-2) vs. Old Dominion Monarchs (1-8, 0-5)
1 p.m. CT | Nov. 9, 2019
S.B. Ballard Stadium (22,480) | Norfolk, Va.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Opening drive
• This will be the third meeting between UTSA and Old Dominion.
• The Monarchs have won both previous matchups in the series.
• ODU posted a 33-19 victory in the last meeting on Sept. 24, 2016, in Norfolk
• Saturday will mark the first time UTSA will play a game outside the state of Texas this season.
• The game will air on ESPN3, marking the 81st straight UTSA contest to be broadcast.
Setting the scene
UTSA will return to Conference USA play this Saturday, Nov. 9, when it travels to Norfolk, Va., to face Old Dominion. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and the third all-time meeting between the Roadrunners (3-5, 2-2) and Monarchs (1-8, 0-5) will be broadcast on ESPN3. UTSA is leaving the state of Texas this weekend for the first time this season, as the Roadrunners' first eight games all were played in the Lone Star State.
Tuning in
The game will air on ESPN3, which can be viewed on the ESPN app or online at watchespn.com (cable/satellite provider credentials are required). The ESPN3 broadcast will utilize Old Dominion's radio announcers: Ted Alexander (play-by-play), Andy Mashaw (analyst) and Doug Ripley (reporter). The contest will air live on the Roadrunners Sports Network and can be heard in the San Antonio area on Ticket 760 AM. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Jim Goodman (sideline reporter) will call all the action. The pregame show will begin at 11 a.m. CT and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The broadcast also can be heard live online at goUTSA.com and ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app, as well as on Sirius XM Internet channel 978.
Similar startups
Saturday's conference tilt in Norfolk will feature a matchup of two NCAA modern startup programs. After a practice season in 2010, UTSA began playing football as an FCS Independent in 2011. The Roadrunners made the move to the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012 season and then joined Conference USA in 2013. UTSA owns a 44-58 overall record now in its ninth season. Meanwhile, Old Dominion brought back the sport in 2009 as an FCS Independent before joining the FCS Colonial Athletic Association in 2011 for two seasons. The Monarchs transitioned to FBS beginning in 2013 and became a member of C-USA in 2014, and they are 77-53 in 11 seasons since returning to the gridiron. ODU previously was known as Norfolk Division of William and Mary, which fielded its first football team in 1930 and competed until the team was disbanded in 1941.
Scouting Old Dominion
The Monarchs fell to 1-8 overall and 0-5 in Conference USA with a 24-17 setback at FIU on Saturday night. Old Dominion opened the season with a 24-21 home triumph over Norfolk State but has lost eight straight, including a 38-14 defeat at the hands of UAB, the only common opponent with UTSA to date this fall. The Monarchs are scoring 14.8 points and averaging 237.2 yards of offense per game while yielding 28.7 points and 359.1 yards per contest. Junior quarterback Stone Smartt has played in all nine games with 833 yards and a touchdown through the air to go along with 143 yards and five scores on the ground. Freshman quarterback Hayden Wolff saw most of the action under center in the last outing and completed 19 of 35 passes for 169 yards. Senior running back Kesean Strong paces the ground game with 261 yards and three TDs and he also is the top receiver with 22 catches for 165 yards. Junior linebacker Lawrence Garner leads the defense with 83 tackles (52 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack and three quarterback hurries. Sophomore cornerback Kaleb Dement-Ford has picked off a team-best two passes and registered 11 pass breakups. Head coach Bobby Wilder is 77-53 in his 11th season at the helm.
Series history
UTSA and Old Dominion have met twice previously, with the Monarchs winning both contests. ODU scored a 36-31 victory in the inaugural meeting on Nov. 7, 2015, at the Alamodome and posted a 33-19 win over the Roadrunners in the last matchup on Sept. 24, 2016, in Norfolk.
Last meeting
Old Dominion scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions, one right before halftime and three more in the second half, en route to a 33-19 victory against UTSA on Sept. 24, 2016, at Ballard Stadium. The Monarchs were trailing 7-6 late in the first half before a 2-yard touchdown run by quarterback David Washington with 26 seconds left until halftime put them back on top, 13-7. ODU then reached pay dirt on its first three drives of the second half in building a lead that would stand. For UTSA, Jarveon Williams rushed for a season-high 93 yards and a score on 21 carries. Josh Stewart hauled in four catches for 80 yards, while Brady Jones added three receptions for 51 yards and he also threw an 8-yard touchdown to quarterback Jared Johnson late in the third quarter that pulled the Roadrunners to within 25-19. Defensively, Josiah Tauaefa posted a career-high 15 tackles, one shy of the school record.
First trip outside state borders
The 2019 schedule has kept the Roadrunners close to home, as the first eight games on the slate all were played in the state of Texas, a stretch that ended with last Saturday's contest at Texas A&M. The Roadrunners will venture outside of the Lone Star State for this first time this Saturday when they face Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va., and the only other regular season contest outside the state borders will be against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 30 in Ruston.
Last time out
Texas A&M used a balanced offense and a stingy second-half defense to top UTSA, 45-14, on Nov. 2 before 100,635 fans at Kyle Field. The Aggies rushed for 267 yards, including an opponent-record 217 by Isaiah Spiller, and passed for 211 in winning for the second time in as many meetings with the Roadrunners. Texas A&M held UTSA to 231 yards of offense, surrendering just 75 after halftime. Lowell Narcisse led the UTSA offense by rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown and passing for 90 yards. Zakhari Franklin hauled in four passes for a team-high 46 yards, while Sincere McCormick had two grabs for 43 yards to go along with 43 yards on the ground. Defensively, Cassius Grady tallied a career-high nine tackles (seven solo), including a sack in the first quarter. The Roadrunners struck first, driving 67 yards on six plays on their second possession. Narcisse's 2-yard touchdown scamper around left end was set up by a 44-yard reception by McCormick to the Texas A&M 2-yard line. The Aggies quickly answered on a 60-yard TD dash by Spiller on their first play from scrimmage of the ensuing drive and then grabbed the lead late in the first quarter after a 19-yard touchdown run by Cordarrian Richardson. Texas A&M went up by a 21-7 count just before halftime when Kellen Mond found Jalyn Wydermyer open in the end one on a 7-yard pass with 22 seconds on the clock. Dadrian Taylor's 58-yard interception return for a touchdown with a little less than five minutes left to play helped provide the final margin.
Ground attack
UTSA has used a potent ground attack to power its offense this season. The Roadrunners have piled up 1,354 yards through the first eight games, an average of 169.2 per contest, which ranks sixth in Conference USA. They are rushing for 190.5 yards per game in league play, good for third in the circuit. UTSA has recorded two of the top eight team rushing yardage totals in program history this season, as the Roadrunners gained 320 (No. 3) in the 26-16 win over UTEP on Oct. 5 and tallied 284 (No. 8) in the 35-7 triumph over UIW on Aug. 31. UTSA has registered three individual 100-yard rushing performances this fall, two by quarterbacks, and is one of 21 FBS teams to boast at least three 100-yard rushers in 2019. In the season opener versus UIW, sophomore signal caller Frank Harris set a program record for rushing yards by a QB with 123 on 15 carries. A pair of Roadrunners topped the century mark in the C-USA victory at UTEP, as freshman tailback Sincere McCormick gashed the Miners for a school-record 189 yards on 22 totes and sophomore quarterback Lowell Narcisse carried 19 times for 115 yards. McCormick leads the team with 610 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while Narcisse has tallied 412 yards and four scores on the ground.
Sincere success
UTSA tailback Sincere McCormick has enjoyed a record-breaking start to his collegiate career and he recently was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Midseason Watch List for his performance this fall. Through eight games, the 5-9, 200-pounder has rushed 109 times for 610 yards and six touchdowns — all team highs — and is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, which ranks fifth in C-USA. He is posting 76.2 rushing yards per contest, good for seventh overall in the league and first among freshmen. In fact, the Converse Judson High School product stands third among all FBS freshmen in rushing yards per game and fourth in rushing yards (second among freshmen who have played eight-or-fewer games). On Oct. 5, he gashed UTEP for 189 yards on 22 carries to eclipse by three yards the school record for single-game rushing yardage previously held by Jarveon Williams, also a former Judson Rocket. As the first true freshman to start at tailback in a season opener since the inaugural game in 2011, McCormick gained 74 yards on 12 totes with a long of 47 in the 35-7 victory over UIW. He followed that performance with 87 yards and two scores on 12 rushes, including a season-long 54-yard TD scamper, against Baylor. McCormick, who rushed for 3,407 yards and 43 touchdowns during his prep career, posted 53 total yards and scored his third rushing TD of the season versus Army. He added 62 rushing yards on 16 carries against North Texas before his record-setting night in El Paso that featured a 51-yard TD dash in the fourth quarter. He nearly notched his second 100-yard game of the season with 94 yards and a TD on 14 carries in the 31-27 victory over Rice and he added 43 rushing yards to go along with a 44-yard reception against Texas A&M in his last outing. McCormick, who leads the Roadrunners with 759 all-purpose yards, is chasing Williams' single-season rushing yardage standard of 1,042 set in 2015.
Sophomore signal caller steps up
Sophomore quarterback Lowell Narcisse has stepped up in his role as UTSA's starter after an injury to Frank Harris on the second snap of the North Texas game on Sept. 21. The 6-3, 230-pound lefthander has passed for 575 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 412 yards and four TDs this fall. He saw limited action in the first three games but did score his first touchdown in a UTSA uniform on a 2-yard keeper against Army. A native of St. James, La., Narcisse entered the North Texas contest off the bench and carried the ball 15 times for 98 yards and completed 16 passes for 124 yards. In his first start as a Roadrunner, he rushed for 115 yards and a TD on 19 attempts to become the second QB this season and third in UTSA history to top the century mark on the ground. He also provided a highlight-reel play in the third quarter of that contest when he scrambled to his left and tiptoed near the sideline before tossing an off-balance throw to Blaze Moorhead for an 18-yard scoring connection. He added a game-high 86 rushing yards and his third TD of the season in the UAB contest and followed that with his best passing performance of the season by completing 19 of 29 for 212 yards and a pair of TDs in the 31-27 victory over Rice on Oct. 19. He added 32 rushing yards against the Owls and 54 versus Texas A&M and with at least four games left on the fall slate, he is only 133 yards shy of UTSA's single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback of 545 set by Dalton Sturm in 2017. Narcisse, who redshirted in 2017 at LSU before transferring to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for the 2018 season, was a four-star recruit and rated as the fifth-best dual-threat QB in the nation as a prep senior in 2016.
Sure-handed Strickland
UTSA junior tight end Carlos Strickland II has emerged as the top target for the passing game this fall. A transfer from Kansas State who began his collegiate career at California, he leads the Roadrunners with 22 receptions and 232 receiving yards through eight games. A former four-star recruit out of Dallas Skyline High School, he posted his best game of the season in the 31-27 triumph over Rice, hauling in six passes for 86 yards on Oct. 19. Strickland, registered four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening triumph over UIW and also was on the receiving end of four passes for 38 yards versus Army West Point. Listed at 6-4, 230, Strickland joined UTSA as a walk-on for the spring semester before earning a scholarship this summer.
Experience up front
UTSA boasted one of the most-experienced offensive lines in the nation entering the 2019 campaign. The Roadrunners returned a combined 46 starts from the 2018 season, which ranked 14th among FBS teams going into this fall. Three of the returnees started all 12 contests last fall: Kevin Davis at center, preseason all-conference selection Josh Dunlop at right guard and right tackle and Trevion Shannon at left tackle. Additionally, 2018 Conference USA All-Freshman Team honoree Spencer Burford made starts at left guard in all 10 games he was cleared to play, while Jalyn Galmore drew the starting assignment at right tackle in the first five contests before suffering a season-ending injury. Jacob Graner also is back after starting three games at guard. The experience up front is part of nine total offensive starters back this fall, which is tied for fourth among all FBS teams.
Veteran defensive line boasts depth, experience
Much like the offensive side of the ball, big men lead the defense, especially when it comes to experience. UTSA welcomed back this season 11 defensive linemen who have seen previous action for the Roadrunners. Leading the way and now owning 34 starts in 41 games played is senior defensive tackle Baylen Baker. Fellow senior Jarrod Carter-McLin, who boasts 43 career appearances, started all 12 contests at defensive end last fall and has drawn the start in seven of the first eight games this season. The senior duo of end Eric Banks and tackle King Newton has played in 44 and 36 career games, respectively, giving that senior quartet a combined 164 games of experience.
Creating havoc
The UTSA defense has become known for its attacking style during the Frank Wilson era, as the Roadrunners have posted a combined 283 tackles for loss, 89 sacks and 102 quarterback hurries in three-plus seasons. In surrendering just 209 yards of offense in the season-opening win against UIW, the Roadrunners recorded seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage — including four sacks — and pressured the quarterback seven times. UTSA tallied five stops for loss, including a sack by Rashad Wisdom, against Baylor and totaled five TFL and a pair of sacks, to go along with three forced fumbles — two of which were recovered — against the run-happy Army offense. Seven different players had a hand in a stop behind the line against North Texas and UTSA registered a season-high nine tackles for loss — including a season-best-tying four sacks — in the 26-16 triumph over UTEP. The Roadrunners added seven stops behind the line against UAB and matched their season high with nine TFL and a pair of sacks — which came on the final two defensive snaps — in the 31-27 victory over Rice. UTSA tackled Texas A&M players in the backfield six times, including a trio of sacks. Eighteen different Roadrunners have had a hand in a TFL and UTSA now is averaging 6.9 tackles for loss, which ranks third in C-USA and 33rd nationally, and 2.0 sacks per game this season.
No-fly zone
The Roadrunners have emerged as one of the top defenses in the nation when it comes to fewest passing yards allowed. UTSA ranks third in Conference USA and 24th among all FBS teams in passing yards allowed per game. Through eight games, the Roadrunners have surrendered a total of 1,736 yards through the air, an average of 190.5 yards per contest. UTSA limited the high-flying UIW passing attack to 181 yards through the air and followed that effort by holding Baylor to 178 passing yards. Army West Point completed only two passes for 18 yards — a school record for fewest passing yards allowed in a game — before North Texas posted 211. On Oct. 5, UTEP did not complete a pass until the final minute of the first half and managed just 181 passing yards for the game, while UAB, Rice and Texas A&M combined for 755 over the last two outings. Rashad Wisdom and Dadrian Taylor have returned interceptions for touchdowns in the last two games, while cornerbacks Cassius Grady's five pass breakups and Corey Mayfield Jr.'s four PBUs pace a unit that has batted away 22 passes this fall. The program record for fewest passing yards allowed per game is 160.1 set in 2017.
D-line depth on display
UTSA has used a heavy rotation on the defensive line this season, playing as many as three players at each position. That strategy keeps the unit fresh and spreads the wealth of stats among a dozen players. Of the 55 tackles for loss and 16 sacks recorded by the Roadrunners so far this season, the defensive line has been responsible for 33 TFL and 11 sacks. Leading the way is senior defensive end Jarrod Carter-McLin, who owns 25 total tackles, six tackles for loss and a pair of sacks to go along with one interception and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, a trio of juniors is right on his heels. DE DeQuarius Henry has registered 24 tackles, including team highs of 6.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks. Defensive tackle Jaylon Haynes paces all D-linemen with 26 tackles and the Wharton native has turned in six tackles for loss, one sack, three QB hurries, one batted pass and a fumble recovery. DE Lorenzo Dantzler has made the most of his 14 stops, with 4.5 coming behind the line, including 2.5 sacks, to go along with three quarterback pressures.
Senior bookends leaving their mark
UTSA's senior defensive end tandem of Eric Banks and Jarrod Carter-McLin forms one of the most disruptive d-line duos in Conference USA. A former high school quarterback in Memphis, Tenn., who weighed 230 pounds as a freshman at UTSA, Banks has turned in 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry. The 6-5 former two-sport East High School star now weighs 270 pounds and is the most experienced player on the roster in terms of games played with 44, three shy of the school record. Banks has totaled 71 tackles, 19.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, five forced fumbles — fifth in school history — and three PBUs during his career. Meanwhile, Carter-McLin has posted 25 tackles, six tackles for loss and a pair of sacks to go along with an interception against UAB and a forced fumble against Army West Point. A product of perennial prep powerhouse Carthage High School, he has appeared in 43 career contests and owns 68 tackles, 11.5 TFL, three sacks, seven PBUs, two forced fumbles, one interception and a fumble recovery. The former prep tight end was on the receiving end of a 30-yard pass on UTSA's first fake field-goal attempt in 2016 against UTEP.
Martel makes most of position switch
UTSA senior Andrew Martel spent his first three seasons as a safety and special teams standout for the Roadrunners. Prior to spring practice this year, he made the move to linebacker to help fill a void left by departed 2018 starters Josiah Tauaefa and Les Maruo. The Richmond, Texas, native has flourished in his new role this season, as he leads the team with 54 total tackles and ranks second with 33 solo stops. After registering four tackles in each of the first two contests, he posted 10 in back-to-back outings to close out the September slate. His 10 tackles against Army included eight solo stops and he added seven unassisted tackles at North Texas. Making the move from "Will" to "Mike" linebacker during the first off week for the Roadrunners, he picked up where left off by recording seven tackles and a PBU in the 26-16 victory at UTEP on Oct. 5. He added seven tackles in the UAB game, five solo stops in the Rice victory and seven stops — including a sack — in his last three outings. The Foster High School product owns three career double-digit tackle outings counting the career-high 14-tackle effort he turned in at Southern Miss last fall. Also a standout student, Martel earned his bachelor's degree in multidisciplinary studies in May while graduating with a 3.69 GPA. The four-time C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member was a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy and a member of the Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list.
Senior safety a steady hand in secondary
UTSA safety Carl Austin III has proven to be a steady hand in the secondary in his senior season. A native of Austin, he has posted 47 tackles, including a team-high 34 solo stops and three tackles for loss, while providing leadership for a unit that ranks third in Conference USA and 24th nationally in passing defense (190.5 ypg). Austin III missed all of the 2018 campaign with an injury but has made an impact during his final curtain call. He led UTSA with nine tackles in the 26-16 win over UTEP and followed that with seven stops, including 1.5 behind the line, versus UAB. He turned in a team-best six stops (all solo) in the 31-27 win over Rice and recorded six tackles versus Texas A&M in his last game. Austin III also tallied six tackles against both Baylor and North Texas earlier this fall and he stands second on the squad in total tackles.
Aussie makes immediate impact with leg and arm
UTSA freshman punter Lucas Dean has had an immediate impact in his first season as a Roadrunner and he recently was added to the Ray Guy Award watch list for his performance. As the program's first player from Australia, the Dunsborough native is averaging 41.1 yards on 39 punts this season. He has boomed seven punts that have sailed 50-plus yards, including a season-long 56-yard punt against Baylor, and he has pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line eight times and induced 16 fair catches. A product of ProKick Australia, which boasts more than 60 current NCAA Division I punters, Dean — who also serves as the team's holder — enrolled at UTSA in January and earned the punting job in spring practice. Not only has he made an impact with his right leg, but he also showed off a weapon with his right arm in the Army contest, completing a 22-yard pass to Rashad Wisdom on a fake punt to convert a fourth down.
Kickoff coverage unit shines
The Roadrunners' kickoff coverage unit has shined this fall. UTSA is yielding an average kickoff return of 18.27 yards through the first eight games, a figure that ranks second in Conference USA and 27th among all FBS teams. Led by kickoff specialist Matthew Cluck, a graduate transfer from Texas Tech, the Roadrunners have 12 touchbacks and have allowed only 15 returns on 32 total kickoffs this fall. The longest return by an opposing team has been 26 yards, which was registered by both UIW and Baylor in the opening two contests. During the last six games, UTSA has 11 touchbacks and has surrendered a total of 153 yards on nine kickoff returns, an average of 17 yards.
New birds
In the season opener against UIW, 25 players made their UTSA debut, with eight drawing their first starting assignment as a Roadrunner. Sophomore quarterback Frank Harris set a school record by completing his first 13 pass attempts in his debut, while Sincere McCormick became the first true freshman to start at tailback in a season opener since the inaugural game on Sept. 3, 2011. Tight ends Carlos Strickland II and Leroy Watson and center Ahofitu Maka also drew their first starts in a UTSA uniform on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, senior linebacker LaDarian McFarland, junior safety SaVion Harris and true freshman Rashad Wisdom all made their first starts, while senior Andrew Martel started his first game as a linebacker after previously making two starts in the secondary during his career. In the road opener at Baylor, freshman wide receiver De'Corian Clark, junior safety Antonio Parks and junior linebacker Dominic Sheppard all made their UTSA debut, while true freshman Joshua Cephus drew his first starting assignment at wide receiver. In the 26-16 triumph over UTEP, sophomore quarterback Lowell Narcisse and sophomore linebacker Trevor Harmanson made their first starts in a UTSA uniform. Redshirt freshman Kelechi Nwachuku made his first start at safety in the win against Rice on Oct. 19, while true freshman Dywan Griffin earned the start at wide receiver against Texas A&M. The Roadrunners now have 31 debuts and 13 first-time starters this season. When including special teams and punter Lucas Dean, five true freshmen have made starts this fall, which is tied for ninth-most among all FBS teams. Additionally, UTSA's three true freshmen starters on offense is tied for third-most in the nation behind Stanford and Texas A&M.
Wilson in fourth year at helm
Frank Wilson is in his fourth season as UTSA head coach. The New Orleans native has coached 19 All-Conference USA selections and a pair of Freshman All-Americans during his tenure. Twice he has guided UTSA to bowl eligibility, including leading the program to its first-ever postseason appearance at the 2016 Gildan New Mexico Bowl, as UTSA tied the NCAA modern startup program by reaching a bowl game in its sixth season of play. Wilson came to San Antonio after a six-year stint as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at LSU, where he also was the associate head coach in 2012-15. Armed with more than a decade of coaching experience in the Southeastern Conference, Wilson also has been an assistant coach at Tennessee (2009), Southern Miss (2008) and Mississippi (2005-07). He has coached or recruited more than 40 individuals who have made it to the NFL, including 2018 NFL First Round Draft pick Marcus Davenport of the Saints.
Roadrunners on national award watch lists
Four Roadrunners earned their way onto national award watch lists. Senior linebacker Andrew Martel was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Martel also was a member of the preseason watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. Fellow senior Grant Merka, a second-team All-Conference USA pick in 2018, is one of 25 players chosen for the inaugural Patrick Mannelly Award watch list for the nation's top long snapper. Freshman Lucas Dean was added to the Ray Guy Award watch list for the nation's top punter, while fellow freshman Sincere McCormick was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Midseason Watch List.
Pair garners preseason all-conference recognition
Seniors Josh Dunlop and Brett Winnegan were named to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Dunlop was chosen as one of five offensive linemen on the squad, while Winnegan received the nod at kickoff returner. A versatile offensive lineman who has logged time at both guard and tackle, the Zionsville, Ind., native has appeared in 29 career games and has drawn 25 starts. Meanwhile, Winnegan holds UTSA career records for kickoff returns (68) and kickoff return yardage (1,515) and has averaged 22.3 yards per return. The Pearland Dawson High School product, who missed all of the 2018 season due to injury, has appeared in 36 career contests, primarily as a returner and running back before making the move to wide receiver this season.
UTSA picked fifth in C-USA West Division
UTSA was picked to finish fifth in the Conference USA West Division in in a preseason vote conducted by a panel of media members that cover C-USA schools. North Texas was the preseason favorite in the West, while Marshall received the nod for the East Division.
C-USA MEDIA MEMBERS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
EAST DIVISION
1. Marshall (14)
2. FIU (9)
3. Florida Atlantic (3)
4. Middle Tennessee
5. WKU
6. Old Dominion
7. Charlotte
WEST DIVISION
1. North Texas (20)
2. Southern Miss (4)
3. Louisiana Tech
4. UAB (2)
5. UTSA
6. Rice
7. UTEP
(first place votes in parentheses)
UTSA quartet has NFL tiesFour UTSA players have significant family ties when it comes to relatives who have played in the National Football League. Senior defensive tackle King Newton is the son of Nate Newton, who was a three-time Super Bowl Champion (1992-93, '95) and six-time Pro Bowl offensive guard (1992-96, '98) for the Cowboys. Junior defensive end Solomon Wise is the son of Deatrich Wise, a defensive lineman for the Seahawks and Saints, and his brothers Deatrich Jr. (Patriots) and Daniel (Cowboys) currently play in the NFL. Senior fullback Halen Steward is the younger brother of Tony Steward, a linebacker who logged time for the Bills and Saints, while sophomore cornerback Corey Mayfield Jr.'s father was a defensive lineman for the 49ers, Buccaneers and Jaguars.
Roadrunners roster makeup
UTSA's 112-man roster features 22 seniors, 28 juniors, 28 sophomores and 34 redshirt or true freshmen. The roster lists 76 players who hail from the state of Texas, while the next-closest state is Louisiana with 10. There are six players from Mississippi, five from Florida, four from California, three from Tennessee and a pair from Indiana. UTSA has one player each from Georgia, Hawai'i, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oklahoma, while freshman punter Lucas Dean is the first Roadrunner from Australia.
Degree in hand
Thirteen current Roadrunners already have earned their undergraduate degree, the 11th-most number of graduates among all FBS rosters. That list includes Carl Austin III, Baylen Baker, Matthew Cluck, Brandon Garza, Nick Locken, Andrew Martel, Grant Merka, Blaze Moorhead, Antonio Parks, Dominic Sheppard, Halen Steward, Carlos Strickland II and Brett Winnegan.
Leadership council elected
For the first time in program history, UTSA has elected a Leadership Council made up of representatives from each position group.
QB — Brandon Garza and Frank Harris
RB — Halen Steward
WR — Kirk Johnson Jr. and Blaze Moorhead
TE — Leroy Watson
OL — Josh Dunlop
DL — Eric Banks and Jarrod Carter-McLin
LB — Andrew Martel
S — Carl Austin III
CB — Clayton Johnson
ST — Hunter Duplessis
TV birds
All 12 of UTSA's regular season games this fall have been selected for broadcast. The Roadrunners, who have seen their last 80 outings appear over the airwaves, will make it 84 straight televised/streamed appearances by the end of the regular season.
Few can call a dome home
The Roadrunners are one of only two FBS teams to play their home games indoors. UTSA, which boasts a 26-25 all-time mark inside the Alamodome, joins Syracuse (Carrier Dome) as the only FBS programs to play in enclosed facilities.
Up next
UTSA will return home to host back-to-back Conference USA games at the Alamodome, beginning with Southern Miss next Saturday, Nov. 16. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. and the contest will air on ESPN+.
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