SAN ANTONIO — Riding an eight-game winning streak and with the Conference USA regular season crown locked up, UTSA will host UTEP on Saturday, Nov. 26. Kickoff for Senior Day and the program's annual Fan Appreciation Game is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome and the game will air on Stadium (CW 35 in San Antonio) and Ticket 760 AM. The Roadrunners ran their record to 9-2 overall and a perfect 7-0 in the league with a 41-7 road triumph over Rice last Saturday, securing the right to host the C-USA Championship Game for the second straight year. The Miners (5-6, 3-4) are coming off a 40-6 home win against FIU.
#25 UTSA Roadrunners (9-2, 7-0)
vs.
UTEP Miners (5-6, 3-4)
2:30 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 26
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
TV: Stadium
Radio: Ticket 760 AM
Series History: UTSA leads, 7-2
Last Meeting: UTSA 44, UTSA 23 (11/6/21 • El Paso, Texas)
Opening drive
• At 7-0 in the league, UTSA has clinched the Conference USA regular season title and the right to host the C-USA Championship Game for the second straight year.
• The Roadrunners entered the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll at No. 25 this week, their first appearance since last December.
• UTSA and UTEP will meet for the 10th time on Saturday.
• The Roadrunners lead the series 7-2 and have won each of the last five meetings with the Miners, including a 44-23 road triumph last season.
• UTSA's current eight-game winning streak is tied with Troy for the fifth-longest active FBS streak and it is the second longest run in program history behind the 11-0 start to the 2021 season.
• The Roadrunners own a 30-19 record against teams from the state of Texas including a 10-3 mark under third-year head coach Jeff Traylor.
• UTSA is 19-3 in C-USA games in the Jeff Traylor era.
• UTSA is 28-9 under Jeff Traylor, the best record for a head coach through 37 games in program history.
• The Roadrunners have won 24 of their last 29 contests dating back to November 2020.
• UTSA is 9-1 in the month of November under Jeff Traylor.
Tuning in
Saturday's game will air on Stadium (CW 35 in the San Antonio area). Ari Wolfe (play-by-play) and Bob Davie (analyst) have the call. The contest will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area and on SiriusXM app channel 991. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show will begin at 12:30 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast also can be heard online at Ticket760.com and via the iHeartRadio and The Varsity Network apps.
On a streak
UTSA won its eighth straight game with the 41-7 road triumph over Rice last Saturday. UTSA's current eight-game run is tied with Troy for the fifth-longest active streak in the FBS, trailing only Georgia (13), Ohio State (12), TCU (11) and Michigan (11). It also stands as the second-longest winning streak in program history behind the 11-0 start to the 2021 campaign.
Roadrunners return to Top 25
After several weeks of inching closer to the top 25 in both major polls, the Roadrunners returned to the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll this week at No. 25. UTSA received 70 points to move into the poll for the first time since Dec. 5, 2021. Last year, the Roadrunners rose to as high as No. 16 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll on Nov. 7 and 15th for three weeks in a row in the Associated Press Top 25 last November. UTSA totaled 85 points in this week's AP Top 25 and is the first team listed as receiving votes outside the rankings, just ahead of South Carolina (44). Last season, the Roadrunners were ranked in both polls for six consecutive weeks and also made an appearance in the 2021 College Football Playoff rankings for three weeks in a row, debuting at No. 23 on Nov. 9 before moving up to 22nd for two straight weeks. On Sept. 20, 2020, UTSA received two votes in the AP poll, a first for the program.
Celebrating the seniors
UTSA will honor 21 seniors prior to kickoff of Saturday's regular season finale versus UTEP. The list includes Rudy Aleman Jr., Brenden Brady, Quincy Cage, Caleb Cantrell, Clifford Chattman, De'Corian Clark, Kevin Davis, Zakhari Franklin, Trevor Harmanson, Frank Harris, Terrell Haynes, Ahofitu Maka, Corey Mayfield Jr., Lamonte McDougle, Kelechi Nwachuku, Dru Prox, Jared Sackett, Gavin Sharp, Ryan Shockency, Trelon Smith and Dadrian Taylor.
Remember November
UTSA has focused on finishing the regular season on a strong note in the Jeff Traylor era. The Roadrunners are now 3-0 this season and 9-1 in games played in the month of November under Traylor. UTSA went 3-0 in the penultimate month of 2020 and then posted a 3-1 mark in November last season.
Traylor successful in league play
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has experienced immediate success in league games during his time in San Antonio. The 2021 Conference USA Coach of the Year has guided the Roadrunners to 19 wins in 22 regular season conference games during his tenure. The Roadrunners rolled past Rice 41-7 last Saturday to record their second straight 7-0 start to conference play and capture the C-USA regular season title. Last season, Traylor led UTSA to a 7-1 league mark and the program's first-ever league crown with a 49-41 victory over Western Kentucky in the C-USA Championship Game. The Roadrunners registered a 5-2 record in C-USA play in Traylor's first season at the helm in 2020.
Who's counting?
Now in their 12th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 144th game in program history on Saturday when they host UTEP. UTSA is 73-70 all-time and 42-29 at the Alamodome, including 4-1 this season. By comparison, UTEP has been playing football since 1914.
Scouting UTEP
The Miners improved to 5-6 overall and 3-4 in Conference USA with a 40-6 win over FIU last Saturday in El Paso. UTEP is averaging 374.5 yards and 23.8 points per game while allowing 342.9 yards and 26.4 points per contest. Deion Hankins has rushed for 670 yards and three touchdowns on 133 carries and Ronald Awatt has 655 yards and a pair of scores on 150 totes to pace the ground attack. Tyrin Smith is the top receiver with 940 yards and six touchdowns on 67 catches. Calvin Brownholtz has taken over at quarterback recently and has passed for 323 yards and two TDs to go with 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, Kobe Hylton leads the team with 84 tackles, including nine for a loss. Jadrian Taylor has registered 10.5 TFLs including 8.5 sacks, while Ilijah Johnson paces the unit with two interceptions. Head coach Dana Dimel is 17-39 in his fifth season at the helm.
Series history
Saturday will mark the 10th meeting between UTSA and UTEP, matching North Texas and Rice as the second most-played series in program history behind Louisiana Tech (11). The Roadrunners lead the all-time series 7-2 and have won each of the last five meetings including a 44-23 road win last year. UTSA is 2-2 versus the Miners in games played in San Antonio.
UTSA/UTEP Series History
Date Location Score
9/21/13 El Paso W, 32-13
10/25/14 San Antonio L, 0-34
10/3/15 El Paso W, 25-6
10/22/16 San Antonio L, 49-52 (5OT)
10/28/17 El Paso W, 31-14
9/29/18 San Antonio W, 30-21
10/5/19 El Paso W, 26-16
11/14/20 San Antonio W, 52-21
11/6/21 El Paso W, 44-23
Last Meeting
Sincere McCormick rushed for 169 yards and Zakhari Franklin racked up 114 receiving yards and two touchdown catches to help lead No. 16 UTSA to a 44-23 victory over UTEP on Nov. 6, 2021, in front of 31,658 fans at the Sun Bowl. McCormick. Frank Harris completed 22 of 34 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns and he also ran for 76 yards and a pair of scores, helping UTSA tally 562 yards of offense, including 276 rushing. Rashad Wisdom paced the defense with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops, to go with a pass breakup. Antonio Parks posted a pair of PBUs and three tackles, while Trumane Bell II, Brandon Brown, Jaylon Haynes, Denzel Feaster and Charles Wiley recorded a tackle for loss apiece.
UTSA against in-state foes
The Roadrunners are 30-19 all-time against teams from the state of Texas including a 10-3 mark under third-year head coach Jeff Traylor. UTEP will mark the sixth opponent from the Lone Star State on the 2022 ledger.
UTSA vs. Texas teams
1-2 vs. Baylor
1-2 vs. Houston
1-0 vs. Lamar
0-1 vs. McMurry
5-5 vs. North Texas
7-3 vs. Rice
0-1 vs. Sam Houston
1-0 vs. Stephen F. Austin
0-1 vs. Texas
0-2 vs. Texas A&M
1-0 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
1-0 vs. Texas Southern
4-0 vs. Texas State
1-0 vs. UIW
7-2 vs. UTEP
30-19 overall
Last time out
UTSA forced three turnovers and held Rice to 230 yards, while Frank Harris broke his own school record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback to lead the Roadrunners to a 41-7 victory, capturing the Conference USA regular season title on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon at Rice Stadium. With their eighth consecutive win, the Roadrunners have clinched the right to host the C-USA Championship Game for the second straight year. Harris carried seven times for 124 yards and a program record-tying three touchdowns to eclipse his own school standard of 123 set in his UTSA debut against UIW in 2019. It also marked the fifth straight game with a 100-yard rusher for the Roadrunners, who ran their record to 9-2 overall and 7-0 in the league for the second year in a row. The Roadrunners came up with three takeaways on the day via fumble recoveries by the Taylor brothers, Dadrian and Donyai, as well as an interception by Clifford Chattman, giving UTSA eight forced turnovers combined over the last two contests. Kelechi Nwachuku paced the defense with six tackles, a tackle for loss, one pass breakup and a forced fumble, while Trevor Harmanson had five stops, including a TFL, to help the Roadrunners hold the Owls (5-6, 3-4) to just 230 yards of offense, a season low for an opponent. UTSA racked up 10 tackles for loss and surrendered just five rushing yards, the fourth-fewest for an opponent in team history and the sixth time allowing fewer than 10 rushing yards. The Roadrunners stormed out to a 21-0 lead through the first quarter and never looked back.
Working overtime
The Roadrunners have been working overtime in 2022, with a program-record three contests needing extra periods to determine the outcome. UTSA played the first back-to-back overtime games in program history to open the campaign. The Roadrunners dropped a 37-35 decision to No. 24 Houston in triple overtime in the opener. One week later, UTSA rallied from a 14-point, second-half deficit to score a 41-38 road triumph over Army West Point in one extra period. On Nov. 5 in Birmingham, the Roadrunners outlasted UAB 44-38 in double overtime to improve to 2-1 this season and 5-3 overall in overtime games. UTSA has played overtime, double-overtime and triple-overtime games this season and joins Houston as the only FBS teams to have played three overtime contests this year.
UTSA's All-Time Overtime Games (5-3)
Date Opponent Result
10/8/11 South Alabama L, 27-30 (2OT)
10/29/11 Georgia State W, 17-14 (OT)
11/14/15 at Charlotte W, 30-27 (OT)
10/22/16 UTEP L, 49-52 (5OT)
9/12/20 at Texas State W, 51-48 (2OT)
9/3/22 Houston L, 35-37 (3OT)
9/10/22 at Army West Point W, 41-38 (OT)
11/5/22 at UAB W, 44-38 (2OT)
Down to the wire
UTSA is no stranger to close contests in the Jeff Traylor era, as 23 of the 37 have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners own a 17-6 record in those games including a 5-1 mark this year following the 44-38 double-overtime victory at UAB on Nov. 5. Dating back to last season, UTSA has seen 10 of the last 16 contests decided in the fourth quarter or later. Further, the Roadrunners are 10-1 in games decided by eight points or less since 2021, good for the most wins and second-best winning percentage (.909) among FBS teams who have played at least eight one-score contests. The first two games this season went to overtime, with the Roadrunners dropping a 37-35 decision to No. 24 Houston in three overtimes on Sept. 3 before rallying to beat Army 41-38 in overtime one week later. UTSA saw Middle Tennessee draw to within 38-30 in the fourth quarter on Sept. 30 before a late touchdown run by Brenden Brady provided the final 15-point margin. The Roadrunners pulled out a 31-28 win against WKU on Oct. 8 and a 31-27 victory over North Texas two weeks later. Last November, the Roadrunners broke a 17-17 fourth-quarter deadlock against Southern Miss with two late scores in a 10-point victory before upending UAB 34-31 one week later on a TD pass with three seconds left to play. UTSA used an interception on the final play of the game to secure a 49-41 C-USA Championship Game win over WKU on Dec. 3 and then pulled to within seven points of No. 24 San Diego State in the fourth quarter of the Frisco Bowl before dropping a 38-24 decision in the 2021 finale. The Roadrunners also saw games against Illinois (37-30), Memphis (31-28), UNLV (24-17) and WKU (52-46) come down to the final minutes last fall. In 2020, UTSA's matchups against Texas State (51-48/2OT), Stephen F. Austin (24-10), Middle Tennessee (37-35), UAB (13-21), No. 15 BYU (20-27), Army (16-28), Louisiana Tech (27-26), Southern Miss (23-20) and No. 16 Louisiana (24-31) all were one-score games in the final stanza.
Maka named Campbell Trophy finalist
UTSA senior Ahofitu Maka became the third Roadrunner to be named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. He is one of 15 finalists and will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. The center from Honolulu, Hawai'i, joins Eric Soza (2013) and Nate Leonard (2014) as the only UTSA student-athletes to be named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in the 12-year history of the program. The finalists will travel to Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Dec. 6 for the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.
Harris repeats as national award semifinalist
For the second straight year, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris has been chosen as a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. The senior from Schertz Clemens has thrown for 3,142 yards and 24 TDs on 257-of-370 passing (.695), and he has added 525 yards and eight scores on the ground. The Davey O'Brien Award list will be trimmed to three finalists on Nov. 29 and the winner will be announced on Dec. 8 during The Home Depot College Football Awards show. Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award finalists will be announced on Dec. 13 and the winner will be unveiled at an awards banquet on Jan. 11, 2023, in Tyler.
Roadrunners collect weekly accolades
The Roadrunners have collected several weekly honors so far this season. Jared Sackett was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week for the fourth time this season and sixth of his career after he made both field goals and all five extra-point attempts in the 41-7 win at Rice on Nov. 19. He also picked up the award after he drilled three field goals and both extra points in the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB on Nov. 5. Frank Harris picked up his fourth Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week award after accounting for 313 yards of offense (238 passing/75 rushing) and a pair of touchdowns in the 31-27 win over North Texas on Oct. 22. He also claimed the league's weekly award on Oct. 3 and also landed on the Manning Award "Stars of the Week" list following his record-setting performance in the 45-30 road triumph over Middle Tennessee. De'Corian Clark was tabbed the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 26 after piling up a school-record 217 yards and three touchdowns on nine receptions in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern. Lucas Dean was named to the Ray Guy Award Ray's 8 list after averaging 60.5 yards on four punts, which included a school-record 76-yarder and a 67-yard kick, versus Texas Southern. Harris picked up several honors following his performance in the 41-38 comeback win over Army in overtime on Sept. 10. He was named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week, as well as C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, and he also landed on the Davey O'Brien Great 8 and the Manning Award Stars of the Week lists. Harris also earned C-USA's weekly award following the season opener against No. 24 Houston, while Sackett picked up C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades after the Houston and WKU games.
Traylor off to resounding start at UTSA
Head coach Jeff Traylor is off to a resounding start to his tenure at UTSA. The Gilmer, Texas, native has turned around the program by instilling his 210 Triangle of Toughness culture, producing results on and off the field. Taking over a team that won a combined seven games in the two seasons prior to his arrival, he has led the Roadrunners to a 28-9 record, the most wins all-time and best record through 37 games by a UTSA head football coach. Named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year watch list for the second straight year, Traylor has UTSA off to a 9-2 overall mark, an appearance in this week's USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll at No 25 and the C-USA regular season crown with its second straight 7-0 start to league play. He already has mentored five All-Americans and a pair of NFL Draft picks during his time in San Antonio. In his first season, Traylor guided the Roadrunners to a 7-5 overall record, a runner-up finish in Conference USA's West Division with a 5-2 mark and an appearance in the First Responder Bowl. The Roadrunners received votes in a national poll for the first time in program history and the seven wins marked the most by a first-year UTSA head coach. The Roadrunners enjoyed a record-setting campaign in his second season. The Roadrunners won their first 11 games, were nationally ranked (as high as No. 15) for the first time in school history and captured the program's first league title by winning the 2021 C-USA Championship with a 49-41 victory over WKU. UTSA capped the season with its second straight and third overall bowl appearance. Traylor was honored for his success as the 2021 C-USA Coach of the Year, AFCA FBS Regional Coach of the Year for Region 4 and 2021 San Antonio Express-News Sportsman of the Year, as well as being a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, AFCA National Coach of the Year and George Munger College Coach of the Year Award.
Season 12
UTSA is playing its 12th season of football in 2022. The Roadrunners started their program from scratch and, following a practice year in 2010, played their first season as an FCS Independent in 2011 before joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012 campaign. UTSA moved into its current league home — Conference USA — in 2013 and became a full-fledged FBS member starting with the 2014 season. The Roadrunners set NCAA modern startup program records in 2011 by drawing 56,743 fans to their inaugural game against Northeastern State and by averaging 35,521 fans for their six home contests that season. UTSA made its first postseason appearance at the 2016 New Mexico Bowl in its sixth season of play and registered its first win against a team from a Power 5 conference the following season with a 17-10 victory over Baylor. The Roadrunners captured their first conference championship by claiming the 2021 C-USA crown and capped a 12-2 campaign with their third bowl game. UTSA has posted at least six wins in seven of the 12 seasons in program history and it has reached the seven-win plateau five times, including in each of the first three years of the Jeff Traylor era.
UTSA senior duo earns C-USA preseason accolades
UTSA seniors Frank Harris and Rashad Wisdom have been named Conference USA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Harris and Wisdom, who recently announced he is out for the season due to an injury, join C-USA Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year Brayden Narveson of WKU as preseason superlative award winners in a vote by the league's head coaches.
Roadrunners reel in honors
UTSA has reeled in numerous honors this season, as 10 Roadrunners have landed on preseason or in-season watch lists or have been honored as nominees for awards. Senior quarterback Frank Harris leads the way after earning a spot on five lists — the Davey O'Brien, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose, Manning, Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards. The Schertz Clemens high product has repeated as a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award and also is a nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy. Meanwhile, senior safety Rashad Wisdom appears on watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik and Paycom Jim Thorpe Awards and Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The Converse Judson High graduate also is a nominee for the Allstate Good Works Team. Senior center Ahofitu Maka was named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy on Oct. 26 and is a member of watch lists for the Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, while senior wide receiver Zakhari Franklin is on the Biletnikoff Award and Reese's Senior Bowl watch lists. Oscar Cardenas (John Mackey Award), Joshua Cephus (Biletnikoff Award), De'Corian Clark (Biletnikoff Award), Lucas Dean (Ray Guy Award) and Jared Sackett (Lou Groza Award) also appear on watch lists, while Jeff Traylor was named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year watch list for the second straight season.
Player — Watch List(s)
Oscar Cardenas — John Mackey Award
Joshua Cephus — Biletnikoff Award
De'Corian Clark — Biletnikoff Award
Lucas Dean — Ray Guy Award
Zakhari Franklin — Biletnikoff Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Frank Harris — Davey O'Brien Award (semifinalist), Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (semifinalist), Manning Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Wuerffel Trophy nominee
Ahofitu Maka — William V. Campbell Trophy (finalist), Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Polynesian College Football Player of the Year
Jared Sackett — Lou Groza Award
Rashad Wisdom — Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronco Nagurski Trophy, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Allstate Good Works Team nominee
Jeff Traylor — Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Coach of the Year
Points-a-plenty
Under the direction of co-offensive coordinators Will Stein and Matt Mattox, UTSA has emerged as one of the top scoring offenses in the nation. The Roadrunners are averaging a league-leading 38.3 points per game, good for 12th in the FBS. UTSA has posted 30-plus points in 10 of the 11 contests this season, and they have topped the 40-point barrier six times and the 50-point plateau twice. The Roadrunners set school records for scoring last season, tallying 516 total points in 14 contests for a program-record 36.9 points per game. UTSA has scored 20-plus points in 29 consecutive games dating back to the 2020 campaign. The Roadrunners have scored a total of 1,276 points in 37 games under third-year head coach Jeff Traylor, good for an average of 34.5 per game.
Aerial attack
UTSA boasts one of the top offenses in the country, featuring one of the most prolific aerial attacks in the FBS this season. Led by quarterback Frank Harris and the wide receiver trio of Joshua Cephus, Zakhari Franklin and De'Corian Clark — who is out for the season after suffering an injury versus UAB on Nov. 5 — the Roadrunners are averaging 298.7 passing yards per contest, good for second in Conference USA and 14th nationally. Additionally, they rank 14th nationally in total offense with 480.9 yards per game, and third in total first downs (290). UTSA eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark for passing yards in six games, two quicker than the previous school standard set in 2013 and matched a year ago. The Roadrunners surpassed 3,000 passing yards in the 10th game, also a program record, and they have registered four of the top nine single-game passing performances in program history so far this season.
UTSA's Top 10 Team Single-Game Passing Yardage
Yards Opponent Date
441 Texas Southern 9/24/22
423 Middle Tennessee 9/30/22
414 Charlotte 11/26/16
372 Western Kentucky 10/9/21
369 Oklahoma State 9/7/13
367 Southern Miss 10/7/17
365 Houston 9/28/13
359 Army West Point 9/10/22
337 Houston 9/3/22
335 Southern 9/16/17
Ground game gets going
UTSA's ground game has found its footing over the last half of the season, topping 200 rushing yards in four straight and five of the last six contests. In fact, UTSA boasts a 100-yard rusher in each of the past five games. The Roadrunners churned out 213 yards on the ground in the 31-28 win over Western Kentucky on Oct. 8 before Kevorian Barnes enjoyed his breakout game with 128 and two touchdowns on 20 carries in the road triumph over FIU the following week. Brenden Brady gashed North Texas for 112 yards and a pair of scores on 19 totes, as UTSA piled up 257 rushing yards on Oct. 22. Barnes then logged back-to-back outings over the century mark with 114 in the double-overtime victory at UAB and 103 in the 51-7 rout of Louisiana Tech, helping the Roadrunners tally 209 and 258 rushing yards, respectively. Frank Harris broke his own school record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 124 and three scores to spearhead a season-high 262 yards on the ground in the 41-7 win at Rice on Nov. 19. UTSA is averaging 182.2 rushing yards per game this season and 221.5 over the last six contests.
Leader under center
During the course of his UTSA career, senior quarterback Frank Harris has developed into one of the team's unquestioned leaders. The Schertz Clemens High product, who owns a 29-10 record as the starting QB and more than 30 school records, has thrown for 8,435 yards and 66 touchdowns on 745-of-1,110 passing (.671) — all program records — and rushed for 1,745 yards and 23 TDs, the most in a career by a UTSA quarterback. In fact, Harris is one of only eight active FBS quarterbacks with 8,000 or more passing yards and 1,700-plus rushing yards, and he has piled up those numbers in the second-fewest number of games (41) among that group. This season, Harris has completed 257 of 370 passes (.695) for 3,142 yards and 24 TDs and he has added 525 yards and eight scores on the ground. A semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award for the second straight year, he has been named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week four times this fall, most recently on Oct. 24 after he threw for 238 yards and two TDs and added 75 rushing yards in the 31-27 victory over North Texas. He owns five of the top six individual passing performances in program annals with four occurring in the first five games this season. Harris currently ranks sixth in the nation in total offense with 333.4 yards per game and he recently topped the 10,000-yard barrier for his career, as he now has 10,180. He also stands seventh nationally in completion percentage (.695), ninth in points responsible for (196), 10th in passing yards (3,142), 16th in passing efficiency (158.4), 18th in passing TDs (24) and 19th in completions per game (23.36). The 2022 Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year guided UTSA to the most successful season in program history last fall, helping lead the Roadrunners to a 12-2 record, their first conference championship and top-25 ranking and to their second straight and third overall bowl game. A member of preseason watch lists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose, Manning, Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards, Harris has overcome multiple season-ending injuries sustained earlier in his career to emerge as one of the top signal callers in the country.
Frank Harris School-Record Tracker (32)
Game (8)
Passing Yards 414 at Middle Tennessee (9/30/22)
Passing TDs 6 at WKU (10/9/21)
Completions 32 at Army (9/10/22)
Completion Percentage .866 (13-15) vs. Lamar (9/11/21)
Rushing TDs 3 at Texas State (9/12/20)
Rushing Yards by a QB 124 at Rice (11/19/22)
Longest Rush by a QB 71 vs. North Texas (11/28/20)
Total Offense 445 vs. Middle Tennessee (9/30/22)
Season (12)
Passing Yards 3,177 (2021)
Passing Yards Per Game 285.6 (2022)
Passing TDs 27 (2021)
Completions 263 (2021)
Attempts 399 (2021)
Completion Percentage .695 (2022)
Passing Efficiency 158.4 (2022)
300-Yard Passing Games 5 (2022)
Rushing Yards by a QB 566 (2021)
Rushing TDs by a QB 9 (2020)
TDs Responsible For 33 (2021)
Total Offense 3,743 (2021)
Career (12)
Passing Yards 8,435
Passing TDs 66
Completions 745
Attempts 1,110
Consecutive Completions 13
Completion Percentage .671
Passing Efficiency 146.8
300-Yard Passing Games 8
Rushing Yards by a QB 1,745
Rushing TDs by a QB 23
TDs Responsible For 90
Total Offense 10,180
Terrific trio
UTSA boasts arguably the most productive active pass-catching trio in the FBS. Senior wide receivers Joshua Cephus, De'Corian "JT" Clark — who is out for the season due to an injury suffered against UAB on Nov. 5 — and Zakhari Franklin have teamed up to provide the Roadrunners with a formidable air attack. The trio has combined for 561 receptions, 6,940 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns during their career. No other FBS team has a trio of active players with more receptions, receiving yards or touchdown catches. This season, the trio has totaled 195 catches for 2,461 yards and 23 TDs and all three appear on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, joining Ohio State as the only two schools with three on that list. All three receivers were voted into the coveted single-digit jersey numbers by their teammates this season, with Cephus wearing No. 2, Clark in No. 1 and Franklin donning No. 4.
UTSA Wide Receiver Trio Career Stats
Player Rec. Yards TD
Joshua Cephus 212 2,339 17
De'Corian Clark* 112 1,559 16
Zakhari Franklin 237 3,042 32
Totals 561 6,940 65
*out for season as of Nov. 5
Keeping the streak alive
The UTSA receiving duo of Zakhari Franklin and Joshua Cephus are among the nation's best when it comes to consecutive games with a reception. Franklin has caught a pass in all 43 career contests in which he has been available dating back to 2019, good for a tie for the longest streak in the FBS with Arizona's Jacob Cowing. Cephus has at least one catch in 37 consecutive games dating back to the 2020 season opener, putting him in a tie for fifth nationally.
Franklin rewriting record book
UTSA senior Zakhari Franklin has rewritten UTSA's record book for receivers. The Biletnikoff Award and Reese's Senior Bowl watch list honoree smashed UTSA single-season standards for receptions (81), receiving yards (1,027), receiving yards per game (79.0), receiving touchdowns (12) and 100-yard games (4) last year en route to first-team all-conference and second-team Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College honors. The Cedar Hill High product also owns the program's single-game record for receptions with 12, which he turned into 138 yards and a pair of scores versus Army in 2020. He started the 2022 campaign off with a bang by catching 10 passes for 100 yards against No. 24 Houston. He then hauled in 10 passes for 122 yards and a pair of TDs in the 41-38 overtime win at Army to push his UTSA career record for 100-yard games to 11 and give him eight of the top 14 single-game receiving yardage totals in program history. He caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown against No. 20 Texas and followed that with six catches for 87 yards and a score in the win over Texas Southern. He found the end zone twice and totaled 98 yards on five catches in the 45-30 win at Middle Tennessee and had six receptions for 95 yards in the home victory over WKU. He caught seven balls for 93 yards and two touchdowns in the 44-38 road win over UAB and added his 10th TD of the season in the 41-7 victory at Rice. Franklin now has 69 catches for 830 yards in 2022 and he continues to sit atop the UTSA all-time charts for receptions (237), receiving yards (3,042) and TD catches (32). Further, he leads all active FBS players in receiving touchdowns and he ranks second in receptions, fourth in receiving yards, fifth in receptions per game (5.51) and seventh in receiving yards per game (70.7).
Sure-handed Cephus
Joshua Cephus has built a reputation as a wide receiver who does not drop anything thrown his way. The senior from Houston, who was added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Nov. 2, has been tagged with only seven drops in 296 targets during his career for a drop rate of 3.2% according to Pro Football Focus. He started the season by piling up 106 yards on seven receptions, including a 51-yard catch-and-run that opened the scoring against No. 24 Houston. Cephus then recorded his second straight 100-yard game with 112 on 10 receptions in the 41-38 overtime triumph over Army. He caught seven passes for 80 yards and had a 45-yard TD catch wiped out by a penalty against No. 20 Texas before topping the century mark for the third time this season with a career-high 114 yards and a TD on five receptions versus Texas Southern. Cephus had seven receptions for 91 yards in the road triumph over Middle Tennessee, eight for 46 in the win over WKU and six for 55 versus FIU. He hauled in a career-best 11 passes — the second-most in a game in program history — for 88 yards and a score in the 31-27 victory over North Texas and then had five catches for 50 yards, including the game winner in the second overtime, in the 44-38 win at UAB. He hauled in seven passes for 81 yards and a TD against Louisiana Tech. He now has 75 catches for 836 yards — both career highs — and five TDs this year. The Dekaney High product now has turned 212 catches into 2,339 yards — ninth and 19th, respectively, among active FBS players — and 17 touchdowns during his career, marks that rank in the top two on the program's all-time chart.
Cardenas a dual threat at tight end
UTSA junior Oscar Cardenas has developed into a punishing blocker and clutch pass-catcher at the tight end position. The San Antonio Brandeis High graduate earned a spot on the John Mackey Award preseason watch list this summer after a breakout 2021 campaign. He appeared in all 14 games and made four starts last fall, catching 16 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, and he already has surpassed those numbers this fall with 19 receptions and 281 yards. He caught two balls in the opener against No. 24 Houston including a key 25-yard reception that set up the game-tying field goal as time expired. He added two more receptions for 18 yards in the 41-38 overtime triumph over Army and followed that with 28 yards on three catches against No. 20 Texas. Cardenas made a one-handed grab and then hurdled a defender for a 35-yard reception on the final drive of the 31-27 victory over North Texas. He set single-game highs with four receptions for 86 yards, including a 54-yard catch-and-run on the opening drive of the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB. He had a pair of catches for 21 yards and his first TD of the season in the 41-7 win at Rice to give him 38 receptions for 560 yards and three touchdowns in 41 games as a Roadrunner. Cardenas played a role in one of the iconic moments in UTSA's history, hauling in the game-winning TD reception after a tipped pass with three seconds left in the 34-31 victory over UAB last November. He also had a 28-yard catch on the game-winning drive in the final minute versus the Blazers to help the Roadrunners clinch the Conference USA West Division title.
Experience up front
UTSA boasts one of the most experienced offensive lines in the FBS this fall. The quartet of Kevin Davis (52 starts), Makai Hart (22), Terrell Haynes (28) and Ahofitu Maka (48) have combined for 150 career starts, which ranks in the top five among FBS schools. That foursome has combined to play in 170 games. With four starters returning entering the 2022 campaign, UTSA was tied with several other schools behind nine squads that returned all five starters this season.
Maka makes it happen on and off the field
Ahofitu Maka is back for his fourth season as UTSA's starting center, leading the way on a veteran offensive line. A second-team all-conference selection in each of the last two seasons, the Honolulu, Hawai'i, native has started 48 career games — 47 at center — as a Roadrunner after transferring from Independence Community College prior to the 2019 campaign. Dating back to the start of the 2020 season, the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy preseason watch list member has allowed only two sacks in nearly 1,400 pass-blocking snaps according to Pro Football Focus, helping pave the way for a record-setting offense. In 2020, UTSA broke single-season program records for rushing yards (2,585), rushing yards per game (215.4), yards per rush (5.21) and rushing touchdowns (24). Maka surrendered just one sack and three hits on the quarterback in 430 pass-blocking snaps that season. Last fall, Maka — a member of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list — started all 14 contests, allowing just one sack and three hits on the quarterback in 471 pass-blocking snaps to help UTSA set school records for total yards (6,146), total yards per game (439.0), passing yards (3,577), passing yards per game (255.5), points scored (516) and points per game (36.9). So far this season, Maka, who received an invitation to play in the 2023 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, has not surrendered a sack or hit on the quarterback in 474 pass-blocking snaps, owns a 98.4% pass-blocking efficiency and has only committed four penalties in 815 plays. Also an excellent student, Maka is now a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree, a three-time C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member, a 2021 C-USA All-Academic Team pick and a C-USA Academic Medal recipient. On Oct. 26, he became the third Roadrunner to be named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's premier scholar-athlete award.
Fourth-down stops
UTSA has found success in stopping opponents on fourth down, including success on all four fourth-down attempts by Louisiana Tech on Nov. 12 and three of five tries by Rice last Saturday. The Roadrunners came up with a pair of fourth-down stops in the 44-38 road win at UAB on Nov. 5. Brandon Brown stuffed the league's leading rusher, DeWayne McBride, on a fourth-and-two attempt deep in UTSA territory in the fourth quarter and Corey Mayfield Jr. broke up a pass near the goal line on the final play of the second overtime to secure the program's first victory in Birmingham. In the 30-10 road triumph over FIU, the Roadrunners stopped the Panthers three out of four times on fourth down. They got off the field on fourth down twice in the third quarter by forcing an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal and again with a stop for no gain by Nick Booker-Brown and Pig Cage on fourth-and 11 near midfield. In the 31-28 victory against WKU, UTSA stopped the Hilltoppers three times — all in the second half — on four fourth down-conversion attempts. They forced an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-15 try midway through the third quarter before Booker-Brown batted down a pass on a fourth-and-14 situation later in the stanza. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, Rashad Wisdom broke up a long pass attempt on a fourth-and-seven to give the ball back to UTSA for good. In the 45-30 road triumph over Middle Tennessee, the Roadrunners stopped the Blue Raiders on a pair of fourth-down tries in the fourth quarter and they also thwarted Texas Southern's only fourth-down attempt in the third quarter of the 52-24 victory the week prior. During UTSA's eight-game winning streak, the defense has gotten off the field on 18 of the past 26 fourth-down attempts combined. For the season, the Roadrunners lead the league and rank 19th in the FBS in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.387).
Turning the tide
After a slow start to the season when it comes to forcing turnovers, the Roadrunners have turned around their fortunes over the last month. Corey Mayfield Jr. came up with an interception in three consecutive games — tying the program record in the process — to lead the way in wins against FIU, North Texas and UAB. UTSA then exploded with a season-high five takeaways in the 51-7 rout of Louisiana Tech on Nov. 12. Clifford Chattman, Dywan Griffin and Malik Jones had interceptions, while Jamal Ligon and Trey Moore recovered fumbles. Last Saturday in the 41-7 road triumph over Rice, Chattman had his second pick in as many weeks and the Taylor brothers — Dadrian and Donyai — came up with fumble recoveries to give UTSA three takeaways on the day. The Roadrunners have forced 16 turnovers on the year with 11 coming over the past five contests, including eight in the last two.
D-line rotation keeps Roadrunners fresh
UTSA defensive coordinator Jess Loepp uses a deep rotation up front to keep the Roadrunners fresh throughout the course of a game. The Roadrunners played nine defensive linemen in the season opener versus No. 24 Houston. Brandon Brown, Brandon Matterson and Asyrus Simon drew starts and combined to register 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Simon led that trio with seven stops, while Brown made 1.5 sacks and caused the fumble. Joe Evans (3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks), Lamonte McDougle (2 tackles), Trumane Bell II (0.5 TFL, QBH), Christian Clayton (tackle), Zach Causey and Ronald Triplette also saw snaps against the Cougars. A total of 10 defensive linemen saw action in the 41-38 comeback win over Army on Sept. 10, led by Matterson (5 tackles, 0.5 TFL), McDougle (4 tackles), Bell (4 tackles, sack), Evans (3 tackles) and Nick Booker-Brown (3 tackles, sack). UTSA rotated 10 players on the d-line in four consecutive games with Matterson's five tackles pacing the unit against No. 20 Texas, Triplette's six stops leading the way in the win over Texas Southern, Evans' two tackles topping the group in the 45-30 win at Middle Tennessee and Brown's three tackles setting the pace in the 31-28 victory over WKU. Nine saw action in the road victory over FIU which saw UTSA match the school record with 14 tackles for loss, including 2.5 from Booker-Brown. UTSA played nine in wins against North Texas, Louisiana Tech and Rice, while eight saw action in the road victory over UAB. A total of 11 UTSA defensive linemen have been credited with a TFL this fall with Booker-Brown and Brown pacing the unit with 5.5 apiece.
Linebacker leaders
The Roadrunners are not short on leadership in the second line of defense this fall, as three players who earned one of the coveted single-digit jersey numbers are lining up as starters at linebacker. The tandem of Trevor Harmanson, who is wearing No. 1, and Jamal Ligon, who is donning No. 8 for the second straight season, provides UTSA with two veterans in the middle. A super senior from Dickinson, Texas, Harmanson has recorded 228 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a pair of recoveries in 48 career contests. Ligon, a junior out of Tyler, has registered 203 tackles, 13 TFLs, five sacks, four forced fumbles, a trio of recoveries and an interception in 34 games as a Roadrunner, and he owns the program single-game tackles record with 19 against Middle Tennessee in 2020. Meanwhile, Dadrian Taylor is back in his No. 7 jersey for his final year manning the SAM linebacker spot. In 56 career appearances, the Shiner, Texas, native has logged 108 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, six PBUs, three fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six versus Louisiana Tech last season.
Moore emerges on the edge
UTSA redshirt freshman Trey Moore has emerged on the edge for the defense this season. The Smithson Valley High School product leads the Roadrunners with a dozen tackles for loss and six sacks as part of his 43 total tackles this fall. He opened his debut campaign with three tackles, including half a sack, against No. 24 Houston before breaking out for eight stops in the overtime win at Army. He registered six tackles with 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage in the victory over Texas Southern and followed that with a sack as part of a three-tackle output in the road triumph over Middle Tennessee. Moore has picked up the pressure over the past month with 2.5 sacks in the 30-10 win at FIU, a half-TFL in the victory versus North Texas and three tackles for loss, including a sack, in the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB. Moore totaled five tackles including a strip-sack, and a fumble recovery in the 51-7 win versus Louisiana Tech and recorded a pair of stops and a hurry in the 41-7 victory over Rice. He stands fourth on the program's single-season list for tackles for loss and is just outside the top five for sacks.
Mayfield comfortable on an island
UTSA cornerback Corey Mayfield Jr. was thrown into the fire, so to speak, as a true freshman in 2018, seeing action in 10 games and drawing two starts. The Forney, Texas, native has made the most of that early playing time, developing into a steady presence at the position during the course of his career with 45 starts in 58 contests (one shy of the school record), the most games played on the current roster. The son of former Oklahoma and NFL defensive lineman Corey Mayfield and an honorable mention all-conference accolades in each of the past two seasons, he started 2022 with six total tackles, four solo stops and a key pass breakup deep in UTSA territory against No. 24 Houston. Mayfield then registered three tackles and a PBU in overtime of UTSA's 41-38 comeback win over Army before logging four solo stops and a PBU at No. 20 Texas. Mayfield posted six unassisted tackles and a pair of pass breakups in the win over WKU and then came up with his first interception of the season to go with five solo stops in the 30-10 victory at FIU. Mayfield, who was voted into the No. 2 jersey number this season, made it back-to-back weeks with a pick when he stepped in front of a pass and also posted four tackles and three PBUs in the 31-27 win over North Texas. He equaled the program record with an interception in a third consecutive game, picking off a pass and returning it 15 yards to go with four tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and three PBUs in the win at UAB. He posted three tackles and a PBU versus Louisiana Tech and added two TFLs and a sack at Rice to take his season totals to 46 tackles, four TFLs, two sacks, a team-high 12 PBUs, three INTs and a forced fumble. Mayfield now boasts 149 tackles, 11 TFLs, four sacks, 18 PBUs, seven interceptions and three forced fumbles for his career. He stands eighth nationally with 1.4 passes defended per game this fall, and he is one pass defended (INTs plus PBUs) shy of UTSA's single-season record of 16 and two short of the career mark of 35.
Playmaker in the secondary
UTSA senior Clifford Chattman has emerged as a playmaker in the secondary for the Roadrunners in his final campaign. The New Orleans native shares the team lead with 12 pass breakups this season and he ranks second with 57 total tackles, 34 solo stops and 14 passes defended. The 6-5 safety recorded 11 tackles and had a key PBU on a pass into the end zone in overtime of UTSA's 41-38 victory at Army. He made six stops against No. 20 Texas and eight tackles plus a PBU in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern. He broke up a pair of passes to go with four tackles in the 31-28 victory against WKU before registering nine stops and three PBUs in the 31-27 triumph over North Texas. Chattman, who started his career at Texas A&M (2016-19), logged seven solo stops and a PBU in the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB. He had a tackle and picked off his first pass of the season, which he returned 30 yards, in the 51-7 rout of Louisiana Tech before registering another interception return of 21 yards to go with four stops and a pair of PBUs in the 41-7 road triumph over Rice.
Punter from Down Under
In its brief history, UTSA has developed consistent success in the punting game with the likes of Kristian Stern and Yannis Routsas, a 2017 Ray Guy Award semifinalist. Lucas Dean has emerged as the next in that strong punting lineage. A product of Prokick Australia and the first Roadrunner from Down Under, Dean has used an Australian Rules Football background to help provide UTSA with a weapon in the kicking game since his arrival on campus in 2019. This season, he is averaging 44.6 yards on 32 punts with 10 of 50-plus yards and 12 inside the 20-yard line. Dean enjoyed a career day in the 52-24 win over Texas Southern, breaking his own school record with a 76-yard punt late in the contest He also had kicks of 67 and 52 yards and averaged 60.5 on four punts in that contest to smash his own UTSA standard of 51.2 set against North Texas last season. Dean averaged 52.0 yards on two punts with a long of 57 in the 45-30 win at Middle Tennessee. He averaged 45.7 on three attempts including pinning North Texas at the 3-yard line on a 54-yard punt before punting three times for a 47.3 mark with a long of 70 yards in the win at UAB. As a true freshman, he averaged 40.8 yards on 65 punts and booted 12 of 50-plus yards. Dean provided quite the encore in 2020, shattering UTSA's single-season punting average record with a 46.0 mark to lead Conference USA and rank sixth nationally. He was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist, the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year and a second-team All-American by the Sporting News that season. Last fall, Dean punted 47 times for a 45.2 average that ranks second on the program's single-season chart, earning second-team all-league accolades. The Ray Guy Award preseason watch list member is the only Roadrunner with a punt of 70-plus yards, as he has three to his name. The two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and 2021 C-USA All-Academic Team selection owns five of the six longest punts in UTSA history and has improved his school record career average to 43.9, which ranks 13th among active FBS punters.
Welcome back, Sackett
Not often does a college football player finish his career where he started after transferring, but UTSA senior Jared Sackett is doing just that this season. As a true freshman for the Roadrunners in 2017, he made 19 of 22 field goals (.864) for the Roadrunners to rank third in the FBS in field goals per game (1.9) and ninth in field-goal percentage (.864). Those numbers helped him become the second Freshman All-American in program history and UTSA's first Lou Groza Award semifinalist. The Fort Worth native connected on 14 of 19 field goals en route to his second straight season as a Groza Award semifinalist in 2018. He transferred to Arkansas to kick for a coaching staff that included Jeff Traylor, but he sat out the 2019 season and then moved on to USF following a coaching change. Sackett made 5 of 7 field goals and all 10 extra points he tried in limited action in 2020 for the Bulls. After not kicking in any games last fall, he transferred back to UTSA for his final campaign, entering this season as a member of the Lou Groza Award watch list. He opened his second stint as a Roadrunner by drilling a pair of field goals, including a 37-yarder as time expired to send the game into overtime, and also made all three extra points and had two touchbacks on four kickoffs against No. 24 Houston. Sackett was tabbed C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week for his effort against the Cougars. Against No. 20 Texas, he made both field goal tries and two extra-point attempts, recorded three touchbacks and executed an onside kick that was recovered by Jimmori Robinson. After splitting the uprights from a season-long distance of 49 yards and making all four PATs in the 31-28 win versus WKU, Sackett earned the C-USA weekly award for the second time this season. He collected C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week accolades once again after going 3 for 3 in the 44-38 double-overtime win at UAB. Sackett drilled all three tries and also had six touchbacks in the 51-7 rout of Louisiana Tech and then picked up the league's weekly honor for the fourth time this year and sixth of his career after making both field goals and all five PATs in the 41-7 road triumph over Rice. He has made his last nine and 15 of his past 17 field goal-attempts to get to 17 of 21 (81%) on the year. He now has 55 makes — 17th among active FBS kickers — on 69 tries (79.7%) and 100 PATs during his collegiate career including his stop at USF. A Burlsworth Trophy nominee this year, he has tied the UTSA record with 50 field goals and he stands third in school history with 88 extra points.
Transfers making immediate impact
UTSA has seen several first-year transfers make an immediate impact this season. Nicktroy Fortune, who last played for West Virginia, has started the first 11 games at cornerback and registered 33 tackles, four tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. LSU transfer Joe Evans has seen action on the defensive line and owns 13 stops, 2.5 TFLs and half a sack in eight contests. NC State transfer defensive lineman Nick Booker-Brown made his UTSA debut in the 41-38 comeback win at Army, recording three tackles including a sack for a 5-yard loss, and he now has 23 stops, 5.5 TFLs, three sacks, a pair of PBUs and a forced fumble on the year. Pig Cage, a defensive back from LSU who started his career at Nicholls, has logged 17 tackles, 1.5 TFL and a PBU in 11 contests. On offense, Venly Tatafu, who came from Independence Community College, started the first six games at left tackle and has played in nine to help the offense average 480.9 yards per game, good for 14th nationally. Arkansas transfer running back Trelon Smith has rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns, while Colorado transfer Chris Carpenter became the first Roadrunner to return a kickoff for a touchdown with a 97-yarder in the victory against Texas Southern.
Carpenter makes history
Chris Carpenter stamped his name in the UTSA record book as the first Roadrunner to return a kickoff for a touchdown when he took one back 97 yards for a score in the 52-24 victory over Texas Southern on Sept. 24. A transfer from Colorado, the Jacksonville, Texas, native's return also soared to the top of the program's list of longest plays, moving ahead of Jarveon Williams' 92-yard run versus Southern Miss in 2016. Now in its 12th season, UTSA had returned a total of 396 kickoffs without a score before Carpenter broke free for his record setter. The previous longest kickoff return before Carpenter's 97-yarder was 87 yards by Kam Jones at Florida Atlantic in 2014.
FBS graduates
UTSA boasts 22 graduates on its 2022 roster, a total that is tied for the third-most among FBS teams. Nebraska leads the way with 26, followed by Liberty and Rice with 23. The Roadrunners are equal with Baylor, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, North Texas, Pitt and Texas State.
UTSA's Graduates
Trumane Bell
Tre'Von Bradley
Brenden Brady
Quincy Cage
Caleb Cantrell
Clifford Chattman
Kevin Davis
Trevor Harmanson
Frank Harris
Makai Hart
Terrell Haynes
Payne He'bert
Ahofitu Maka
Brandon Matterson
Lamonte McDougle
Dru Prox
Jared Sackett
Gavin Sharp
Trelon Smith
Dadrian Taylor
Tony Wallace
Julon Williams
Brotherly duos
UTSA has three sets of brothers on the 2022 roster in safety Pig Cage and wide receiver Quincy Cage, offensive lineman Kevin Davis and wide receiver Isaiah Davis, along with outside linebackers Dadrian and Donyai Taylor. The Roadrunners are one of only nine FBS teams with multiple sets of brothers this season. Additionally, the Taylor brothers are one of only eight sets of brothers to have combined for at least 5.0 tackles for loss this season, as they have registered a combined 5.5. The Taylor brothers each recovered a fumble in the 41-7 road win over Rice on Nov. 19.
TV birds
Saturday's game will air on Stadium, marking 122 straight televised/streamed appearances for the Roadrunners. The last UTSA game that was not broadcast was the 2012 season finale against Texas State.
Sixteen Roadrunners in super senior season
A total of 16 UTSA seniors have elected to take advantage of their extra year of eligibility this fall as a result of an NCAA blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brenden Brady
Caleb Cantrell
Clifford Chattman
Kevin Davis
Trevor Harmanson
Frank Harris
Makai Hart
Ahofitu Maka
Brandon Matterson
Corey Mayfield Jr.
Dru Prox
Jared Sackett
Gavin Sharp
Trelon Smith
Dadrian Taylor
Tony Wallace
Duo in seventh season of college football
UTSA seniors Clifford Chattman and Dru Prox are in rare company as two of only 23 FBS players who are in at least their seventh season of college football. In fact, that duo makes UTSA the only school on the list with two current seventh-year players.
A focus on recruiting Texas
UTSA's 112-man roster features 87 players — 78% — who hail from the state of Texas. Louisiana stands second with five players, while there are three each from California, Florida and Mississippi and two apiece from Georgia and Tennessee. Hawai'i, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia each have produced one current Roadrunner, while Lucas Dean is the lone UTSA player from Australia.
Keeping them home
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor and his staff have placed an emphasis on recruiting the city of San Antonio and thesurrounding area. The current roster includes 26 players from Greater San Antonio with a team-high five hailing from perennial power Converse Judson High School.
Player (High School)
Rudy Aleman Jr. (Warren)
Brenden Brady (Steele)
Oscar Cardenas (Brandeis)
Cade Collenback (O'Connor)
Frank Harris (Clemens)
Caden Holt (New Braunfels Canyon)
Xion LaGrant (Cornerstone Christian)
Ethan Laing (Boerne Champion)
Caleb Lewis (Steele)
De'Anthony Lewis (Judson)
Deandre Marshall (Central Catholic)
Frankie Martinez (East Central)
Brandon Matterson (Brandeis)
Trey Moore (Smithson Valley)
Matthew O'Brien (New Braunfels)
Xavier Player (Steele)
Jalen Rainey (Brandeis)
Jaren Randle (Johnson)
Robert Rigsby (Judson)
Ben Rios (Central Catholic)
Justin Rodriguez (Johnson)
Kamron Scott (Judson)
Xavier Spencer (Judson)
Dre Spriggs (Harlan)
Julon Williams (Judson)
Rashad Wisdom (Judson)
UTSA's 210 Triangle of Toughness
Since his arrival in December 2019, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor has instilled into the program his 210 Triangle Of Toughness — run the football, be physical on defense and good on special teams — and its Culture Pillars: Integrity, Passion, Mental & Physical Toughness, Selfless and Perfect Effort. As part of that culture, the players voted after fall camp on who would earn single-digit jersey numbers, a reward for representing mental and physical toughness on and off the field. The numbers 2, 1 and 0 — San Antonio's area code — were chosen for the players voted to represent the 210 Brand, the UTSA Triangle of Toughness. Below are the single-digit jersey numbers as voted by their teammates:
0 — Frank Harris, Rashad Wisdom
1 — De'Corian Clark, Trevor Harmanson
2 — Joshua Cephus, Corey Mayfield Jr.
3 — Brandon Matterson
4 — Clifford Chattman, Zakhari Franklin
5 — Brenden Brady, Lucas Dean
6 — Kelechi Nwachuku
7 — Dadrian Taylor
8 — Jamal Ligon
9 — Brandon Brown, Oscar Cardenas
Offensive linemen Kevin Davis (61), Makai Hart (77), Terrell Haynes (58) and Ahofitu Maka (55) also received the necessary votes but cannot change to a single-digit number due to their position.
Leadership Council elected
Prior to the season, UTSA elected a Leadership Council made up of representatives from each position group.
Quarterbacks — Frank Harris
Running Backs — Brenden Brady
Wide Receivers — Joshua Cephus
Tight Ends — Oscar Cardenas
Offensive Line — Ahofitu Maka
Defensive Line — Brandon Brown
Inside Linebackers — Jamal Ligon
Outside Linebackers (S) — Dadrian Taylor
Outside Linebackers (W) — Trey Moore
Safeties — Kelechi Nwachuku, Rashad Wisdom
Cornerbacks — Corey Mayfield Jr.
Specialists — Caleb Cantrell, Lucas Dean
Up next
UTSA will host the 2022 Ryan C-USA Championship Game against an opponent to be determined on Friday, Dec. 2. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Alamodome and the game will air on CBS Sports Network and Ticket 760 AM.
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