Game #4
Hispanic Heritage Game | Salute to First Responders
UTSA Roadrunners (1-2)
vs.
Houston Christian Huskies (1-2)
2:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 21
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
TV: ESPN+
Radio: UTSA Sports Media Network / Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket
Live Stats: goUTSA.com/fbstats
Series History: First meeting
OPENING DRIVE
• UTSA and Houston Christian will meet for the first time on Saturday.
• Since the start of their transition to FBS status in 2012, the Roadrunners are a perfect 8-0 versus FCS opponents, including 3-0 under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor.
• Houston Christian will mark UTSA’s third consecutive opponent from the state of Texas.
• The Roadrunners are 35-22 all-time and 15-6 under Jeff Traylor against teams from the state of Texas.
• UTSA is 24-3 (.889) at the Alamodome in the Jeff Traylor era.
• The Roadrunners have won 12 of their last 13 home games.
• Jeff Traylor boasts a 40-16 overall record at UTSA, the most wins and best winning percentage (.714) in program history.
• The Roadrunners have won nine of their last 12 games dating back to last October.
• UTSA has won nine or more games in each of the past three seasons.
• UTSA is riding a streak of 13 consecutive games with a takeaway.
SETTING THE SCENE
UTSA will return to the friendly confines of the Alamodome to host Houston Christian for the annual Hispanic Heritage Game on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+ and Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket. The Roadrunners and Huskies will enter their first meeting on the gridiron with identical 1-2 records. UTSA has won 12 of its last 13 home games and boasts a 24-3 record at the Alamodome under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor.
TUNING IN
Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+ and via the ESPN mobile app. Ted Emrich (play-by-play) and Charlie Strong (analyst) 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.
WHO’S COUNTING?
Now in their 14th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 163rd game in program history on Saturday when they face Houston Christian. UTSA is 85-77 (.525) all-time and 50-30 (.625) at the Alamodome, including a 24-3 (.889) mark under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor.
HOME SWEET DOME
UTSA has been tough to beat at the Alamodome during the Jeff Traylor era. The Roadrunners have won 22 of their last 24 home contests and are 24-3 (.889) at the facility since his arrival prior to the 2020 season. 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 won 12 of the last 13 at home and are 50-30 (.625) all-time in the Alamodome.
PACKING THE DOME
UTSA fans have packed the Alamodome over the past three-plus seasons, as five of the program’s nine-largest home crowds have been recorded during that span. Two of the most 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 588,089 fans have filed into the Alamodome to watch the Roadrunners since the return from COVID-19 protocols for the 2021 season. In the season opener against Kennesaw State on Aug. 31, the program eclipsed the two-million mark, as 2,014,342 fans have watched the Roadrunners at the Alamodome. 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 |
LAST TIME OUT
Robert Henry Jr. rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown and Martavius French had a team-high seven tackles, but it was not enough in a 56-7 setback to No. 2 Texas on Saturday night in front of 101,892 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Henry led the Roadrunners’ ground game and scored the lone TD of the day on a 53-yard dash in the second quarter, as UTSA rushed for 128 yards on the day. French paced a defense that came up with two takeaways — an interception by Owen Pewee and a fumble recovery by Brevin Randle — extending the streak of consecutive games with a takeaway to 13 dating back to last September. Jamal Ligon, Brevin Randle, Elliott Davison and Jimmy Wyrick registered five tackles apiece. Arch Manning came off the bench to throw for 223 yards and four touchdowns, rushing for another to help the Longhorns post 614 total yards, including 427 passing. Ryan Wingo had a game-high 127 receiving yards and Isaiah Bond added 103 for Texas.
SCOUTING HOUSTON CHRISTIAN
The Huskies recorded their first victory of the season with a 70-7 rout of Louisiana Christian last Saturday. HCU opened the year with back-to-back setbacks to SMU (59-7) and Tarleton (35-18). The Huskies are averaging 31.7 points and 314.0 yards per game while surrendering 33.7 points and 455.0 yards per contest. Offensively, Cutter Stewart has thrown for 446 yards and four touchdowns on 31-of-71 passing. Aj Wilson is the top receiver with seven catches for 128 yards and a pair of TDs, while the top rusher is Darryle Evans, who has 126 yards and two scores on 16 attempts. Taylor Behl leads the defense with 22 total tackles and Xavier Toliver has two of HCU’s five interceptions this season. Head coach Jason Bachtel is in his first season at the helm and he owns a 15-8 career record from his two seasons at Howard Payne.
SERIES HISTORY
This will mark the first meeting on the gridiron between UTSA and Houston Christian, an FCS member of the Southland Conference. UTSA was a previous member institution of the Southland Conference from 1991-92 through 2011-12 but never actually competed in the Southland in football, as its inaugural season in 2011 was as an FCS Independent before joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012 campaign.
SIMILAR STARTUPS
UTSA and Houston Christian are both modern startup programs. The Roadrunners played their first game in 2011 and are in their 14th season, while the Huskies competed for the first time in 2014 and are in their 11th year.
UTSA VERSUS IN-STATE FOES
The Roadrunners are 35-22 all-time against teams from the state of Texas including a 15-6 mark under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. Houston Christian is the third consecutive opponent from the Lone Star State on this season’s docket, which also includes North Texas, Rice, Texas and Texas State.
ROADRUNNERS AGAINST THE FCS
UTSA is a perfect 8-0 against FCS teams since the Roadrunners began the transition to FBS status in 2012. UTSA has won all three matchups with FCS teams in the Jeff Traylor era, defeating SFA, 24-10, in 2020, blanking Lamar, 54-0, in 2021 and racing past Texas Southern, 52-24, in 2022. As an FCS Independent for their inaugural season in 2011, the Roadrunners went 1-5 against FCS squads.
UTSA vs. FCS Teams
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
9/17/11 |
at Southern Utah |
L, 22-45 |
|
10/1/11 |
at #16 Sam Houston |
L, 7-22 |
|
10/8/11 |
South Alabama |
L, 27-30 (2OT) |
|
10/15/11 |
at UC Davis |
L, 17-38 |
|
10/29/11 |
Georgia State |
W, 17-14 (OT) |
|
11/12/11 |
at McNeese State |
L, 21-24 |
|
9/15/12 |
at Georgia State |
W, 38-14 |
|
11/10/12 |
McNeese State |
W, 31-24 |
|
9/3/16 |
Alabama State |
W, 26-13 |
|
9/16/17 |
Southern |
W, 51-17 |
|
8/31/19 |
UIW |
W, 35-7 |
|
9/19/20 |
SFA |
W, 24-10 |
|
9/11/21 |
Lamar |
W, 54-0 |
|
9/24/22 |
Texas Southern |
W, 52-24 |
italics denotes 2011 season when UTSA was an FCS Independent
FIRST-TIME FOES
Houston Christian, an FCS member of the Southland Conference, is the second first-time opponent that UTSA will face in 2024. The Roadrunners opened the season with a 28-16 victory against Kennesaw State, marking the first time the Roadrunners and Owls met on the gridiron.
TRAYLOR TAKING ROADRUNNERS TO NEW HEIGHTS
Head coach Jeff Traylor has guided UTSA to new heights since taking over the program prior to the 2020 campaign. 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 40-16 record through 56 games, the most wins all-time and best winning percentage (.714) by a UTSA head football coach. In fact, he is approaching Larry Coker’s program standard for most games coached of 58 set from 2011-15. In the Jeff Traylor era, the Roadrunners are 24-3 (.889) at home. They own a 27-4 (.871) record in regular season conference games and are 29-4 (.879) against league competition when including the 2021 and 2022 Conference USA Championship Games. Under Traylor’s direction, UTSA has won back-to-back conference championships, has been nationally ranked in all three major polls in 2021 and 2022 and has played in a bowl game in each of his four seasons, including defeating Marshall, 35-17, in the 2023 Frisco Bowl for the program’s first bowl win. The two-time conference coach of the year has coached eight All-Americans, three national award finalists, 13 national award semifinalists, seven conference superlative award recipients, 83 all-conference selections, two academic All-Americans and a pair of NFL Draft picks during his UTSA tenure. He was the 2021 AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year twice in addition to being a finalist for the 2022 Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards Coach of the Year, 2021 AFCA National Coach of the Year and the 2021 George Munger College Coach of the Year.
SEASON 14
One of the newest FBS programs and now in its second year as a member of the American Athletic Conference, UTSA is in its 14th season of football in 2024. 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 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 the Big 12 Conference the following season with a 17-10 victory over Baylor. The Roadrunners made history in 2021, opening the fall with a road win against Illinois of the Big Ten Conference, capturing their first conference championship with a 49-42 decision against WKU and capping a 12-2 ledger with their third bowl game. They repeated as league champions with a 48-27 win over North Texas in 2022 and made their third straight and fourth overall bowl appearance, ending the year with an 11-3 mark. Last fall, the Roadrunners notched their first bowl victory with a 35-17 decision over Marshall in the Frisco Bowl to cap a 9-4 ledger that include a 7-1 mark in their debut in The American. UTSA now has posted at least six wins in eight of the 13 full seasons in program history and it has reached the seven-win plateau six times, including in each of the first four years of the Jeff Traylor era.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will travel to Greenville, North Carolina, to open American Athletic Conference play against East Carolina. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT and the game will air on ESPN+ and Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket.
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