Game # 2
I-35 Showdown
UTSA Roadrunners (1-0)
at
Texas State Bobcats (1-0)
3 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 7
UFCU Stadium | San Marcos, Texas
TV: ESPNU
Radio: UTSA Sports Media Network / Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket
Live Stats: goUTSA.com/fbstats
Series History: UTSA leads, 5-0
Last Meeting: UTSA 20, Texas State 13 (9/9/23 • San Antonio, Texas)
OPENING DRIVE
• UTSA and Texas State will renew the I-35 Showdown on Saturday in San Marcos in a series the Roadrunners lead, 5-0.
• The Roadrunners scored a 20-13 victory over the Bobcats in the last meeting on Sept. 9, 2023, at the Alamodome.
• UTSA won both previous games played in San Marcos, posting a 44-14 victory on Sept. 23, 2017, and a 51-48 triumph in double overtime on Sept. 12, 2020, in what was head coach Jeff Traylor’s UTSA debut.
• Jeff Traylor coached Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne during his senior year (2006) at Gilmer High School.
• The Roadrunners are 35-20 all-time and 15-4 under Jeff Traylor against teams from the state of Texas.
• UTSA is 7-6 all-time in road openers, including 3-1 in the Jeff Traylor era, which includes the 51-48 double-overtime win over Texas State in 2020.
• Jeff Traylor is in his fifth season at UTSA and boasts a 40-14 overall record, the most wins and best winning percentage (.741) in program history.
• UTSA improved to 10-4 all-time in season openers and 24-3 (.889) at home under Jeff Traylor with the 28-16 victory over Kennesaw State last Saturday at the Alamodome, the program’s 50th home win.
• The Roadrunners have won nine of their last 10 games dating back to last October.
• UTSA has won nine or more games in each of the past three seasons.
SETTING THE SCENE
UTSA and Texas State will renew the I-35 Showdown on Saturday, Sept. 7, in San Marcos. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at UFCU Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The Roadrunners have won all five previous meetings with the Bobcats, including a 20-13 victory last year at the Alamodome and a 51-48 double-overtime thriller in 2020 in what was head coach Jeff Traylor’s UTSA debut. The Roadrunners are coming off a 28-16 home win over Kennesaw State in the season opener last Saturday. The Bobcats outlasted Lamar, 34-27, in their 2024 debut last Saturday night in San Marcos.
TUNING IN
Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and it also will be available via the ESPN mobile app. Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Tyoka Jackson (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.
LAST TIME OUT
Owen McCown passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another and UTSA held Kennesaw State to 253 total yards in a 28-16 season-opening win last Saturday in front of 25,911 fans at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners notched their 50th all-time home victory and improved to 24-3 in San Antonio under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor, who ran his overall record to 40-14. Making his second start as a Roadrunner, McCown directed three first-half scoring drives that helped UTSA build a 21-3 lead over the Owls in the first meeting between the two teams. The redshirt sophomore connected with 10 different pass-catchers, led by Devin McCuin, who caught a career-high 11 balls for 79 yards and two TDs. Willie McCoy had four receptions for 59 yards with a long of 45, Patrick Overmyer and Houston Thomas had three catches apiece for 31 and 28 yards, respectively, and Oscar Cardenas surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards with a pair of grabs for 38 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, the defense was near-dominant at times, holding the Owls’ dangerous ground game to only 51 rushing yards and a 1.3 yards-per-carry average. The Roadrunners racked up 10 tackles for loss, including three sacks with one apiece by Jimmori Robinson, Martavius French and James Walley Jr. Ken Robinson led UTSA with seven tackles and a TFL, while Owen Pewee and Elliott Davison made six and five stops, respectively.
ROADRUNNERS STAY HOT IN AUGUST
UTSA remained undefeated in the month of August with the 28-16 season-opening victory over Kennesaw State last Saturday at the Alamodome. This marked the fourth August game and the first since 2019 when the Roadrunners beat UIW, 35-7, on Aug. 31 at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners also defeated New Mexico, 21-13, on Aug. 31, 2013, in Albuquerque and they scored a 27-7 road triumph over Houston on Aug. 29, 2014, in what stands as the earliest date that UTSA has played a game. Additionally, the Roadrunners were scheduled to play the 2012 season opener at South Alabama on Aug. 29, but that game was moved to Sept. 1 due to Hurricane Isaac’s impacts on the Mobile area.
SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS
With the 28-16 home victory over Kennesaw State last Saturday, UTSA improved to 10-4 all-time in season openers and 4-1 in season openers that have occurred at the Alamodome. The lid-lifter against Kennesaw State marked just the second time in the last five years and fifth time overall that the Roadrunners opened a season at home.
UTSA in Season Openers (10-4)
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
|
9/3/11 |
Northeastern State |
W, 31-3 |
|
9/1/12 |
at South Alabama |
W, 33-31 |
|
8/31/13 |
at New Mexico |
W, 21-13 |
|
8/29/14 |
at Houston |
W, 27-7 |
|
9/3/15 |
at #22 Arizona |
L, 32-42 |
|
9/3/16 |
Alabama State |
W, 26-13 |
|
9/9/17 |
at Baylor |
W, 17-10 |
|
9/1/18 |
at Arizona State |
L, 7-49 |
|
8/31/19 |
UIW |
W, 35-7 |
|
9/12/20 |
at Texas State |
W, 51-48 (2OT) |
|
9/4/21 |
at Illinois |
W, 37-30 |
|
9/3/22 |
#24 Houston |
L, 35-37 (3OT) |
|
9/2/23 |
at Houston |
L, 14-17 |
|
8/31/24 |
Kennesaw State |
W, 28-16 |
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.
SCOUTING TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats outlasted Lamar, 34-27, in their season opener last Saturday night in San Marcos. Jordan McCloud passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns and Ismail Mahdi rushed for 156 yards to lead an offensive output of 486 yards. The defense held the Cardinals to 288 total yards and 51 on the ground. Kalil Alexander, Ben Bell and Tunmise Adeleye each had 1.5 sacks to pace the unit. Head coach G.J. Kinne is in his second season at the helm after guiding the Bobcats to an 8-5 record and a 45-21 win over Rice in the First Responder Bowl in 2023.
FAMILIAR FACE
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor will see a familiar face across the field on Saturday at UFCU Stadium. Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne played quarterback under Traylor as a senior at Gilmer High School in 2006, helping lead the Buckeyes to a 10-0 record and the district title. The two also worked together on the same staffs in 2017 at SMU and in 2018 at Arkansas.
SERIES HISTORY
This will mark the sixth meeting between UTSA and Texas State on the gridiron. The Roadrunners have won all five previous matchups with the Bobcats. The I-35 Showdown has been contested twice before in San Marcos with UTSA posting a 44-14 victory on Sept. 23, 2017, and a 51-48 triumph in double overtime on Sept. 12, 2020, in what was head coach Jeff Traylor’s UTSA debut.
UTSA/Texas State All-Time Series
|
Date |
Result |
Location |
|
11/24/12 |
UTSA 38, Texas State 31 |
San Antonio |
|
9/23/17 |
UTSA 44, Texas State 14 |
San Marcos |
|
9/22/18 |
UTSA 25, Texas State 21 |
San Antonio |
|
9/12/20 |
UTSA 51, Texas State 48 (2OT) |
San Marcos |
|
9/9/23 |
UTSA 20, Texas State 13 |
San Antonio |
LAST MEETING
Frank Harris passed for 214 yards and UTSA limited Texas State to 242 total yards in a 20-13 victory over Texas State in front of 49,342 fans on Sept. 9, 2023, at the Alamodome. Harris fought back from an injury in the second quarter to complete 26 of 37 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown and help the Roadrunners remain perfect against Texas State in five meetings. Kevorian Barnes rushed for 103 yards on 26 carries, Tykee Ogle-Kellogg grabbed six passes for 78 yards and Joshua Cephus added six catches for 38 yards, as UTSA piled up 372 yards of offense. UTSA’s defense posted 10 total tackles for loss with seven sacks and limited the Bobcats to just 31 rushing yards in the win. The Roadrunners took a 10-0 lead in the first half only to see the Bobcats rally to tie things up by halftime. UTSA grabbed the lead for good when Willie McCoy made a highlight-reel catch on a 20-yard touchdown with 3:14 left to play in the third quarter.
WHO’S COUNTING?
Now in their 14th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 161st game in program history on Saturday when they face Texas State in San Marcos. UTSA is 85-75 all-time and 34-42 in true road games, including a 15-8 mark under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. By comparison, Texas State has played football since 1904 and has an all-time record of 565-523-33.
UTSA VERSUS IN-STATE FOES
The Roadrunners are 35-20 all-time against teams from the state of Texas including a 15-4 mark under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. Texas State is the first of three straight and five overall opponents from the Lone Star State on this season’s docket.
UTSA vs. Texas teams
1-2 vs. Baylor
1-3 vs. Houston
1-0 vs. Lamar
0-1 vs. McMurry
7-5 vs. North Texas
8-3 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
5-0 vs. Texas State
1-0 vs. UIW
8-2 vs. UTEP
35-20 overall
ROADRUNNERS IN ROAD OPENERS
UTSA is 7-6 all-time in road openers, including 3-1 under head coach Jeff Traylor.
UTSA’s Road Openers (7-6)
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
9/17/11 |
Southern Utah |
L, 22-45 |
|
9/1/12 |
South Alabama |
W, 33-31 |
|
8/31/13 |
New Mexico |
W, 21-13 |
|
8/29/14 |
Houston |
W, 27-7 |
|
9/3/15 |
#22 Arizona |
L, 32-42 |
|
9/10/16 |
Colorado State |
L, 14-23 |
|
9/9/17 |
Baylor |
W, 17-10 |
|
9/1/18 |
Arizona State |
L, 7-49 |
|
9/7/19 |
Baylor |
L, 14-63 |
|
9/12/20 |
Texas State |
W, 51-48 (2OT) |
|
9/4/21 |
Illinois |
W, 37-30 |
|
9/10/22 |
Army |
W, 41-38 (OT) |
|
9/2/23 |
Houston |
L, 14-17 |
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 40-14 record through 54 games, the most wins all-time and best winning percentage (.741) by a UTSA head football coach. In the Jeff Traylor era, the Roadrunners are 24-3 (.889) at home, and 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.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
UTSA is no stranger to close contests in the Jeff Traylor era, as 31 of the 54 have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners own a 22-9 record in those games. Dating back to the 2021 campaign, UTSA has seen 18 of the last 32 contests decided in the fourth quarter or later. Additionally, the Roadrunners are 13-4 (.765) in games decided by eight points or less since 2021, the most wins and top winning percentage among FBS teams who have played 15 or more one-score games during that stretch.
Winning Percentage in One-Score Games Since 2021
|
Team |
Record |
Pct |
|
UTSA |
13-4 |
.765 |
|
Eastern Michigan |
10-6 |
.625 |
|
Old Dominion |
10-11 |
.476 |
|
Illinois |
9-11 |
.450 |
|
Navy |
7-10 |
.412 |
|
Iowa State |
5-14 |
.263 |
|
Nebraska |
4-17 |
.190 |
*minimum 15 games
WORKING OVERTIME
UTSA is 5-3 all-time in overtime games. The Roadrunners had played just four overtime games during their first nine seasons, going 2-2 in those contests. UTSA has played in four more OT games in the Jeff Traylor era, going 3-1. In fact, the Roadrunners played three overtime games in 2022, defeating Army in one extra frame (41-38) and UAB in double OT (44-38) after dropping the season opener to Houston in triple overtime (37-35). Traylor made his UTSA debut with an overtime game, outlasting this week’s opponent, Texas State, 51-48, in two extra periods.
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) |
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will head to Austin to face No. 4 Texas on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
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