Game #2
Battle for I-35 / Orange Out
UTSA Roadrunners (0-1)
vs.
Texas State Bobcats (1-0)
2:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 6
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
Series History: UTSA leads, 5-1
Last Meeting: Texas State 49, UTSA 10 (9/7/24 • San Marcos, Texas)
OPENING DRIVE
- UTSA will open its six-game, regular-season home slate on Saturday against Texas State riding a school record-tying 10-game home winning streak.
- The Roadrunners are 4-1 in home openers under head coach Jeff Traylor and 9-5 all-time in home debuts.
- UTSA is 29-3 (.906) at home in the Jeff Traylor era, and the 29 wins since 2020 are tied for the third-most in the FBS over that stretch behind only Alabama (32) and Ohio State (31).
- UTSA and Texas State will meet for the third straight season and seventh time overall on Saturday.
- The Roadrunners lead the all-time series, 5-1, including a 3-0 mark in games played at the Alamodome.
- Jeff Traylor coached Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne during his senior year (2006) at Gilmer High School.
- UTSA is 46-21 (.687) overall in the Jeff Traylor era (since 2020), the most wins among FBS teams from both the state of Texas and current American Conference members over that span.
- The Roadrunners are 37-24 versus teams from the state of Texas, including 17-8 under Jeff Traylor.
- Saturday’s Battle for I-35 will serve as the annual Orange Out game, as UTSA aims to break the program’s all-time home game attendance record of 56,743 fans.
SETTING THE SCENE
UTSA will open its six-game, regular-season home slate on Saturday, Sept. 6, against Texas State in the Battle for I-35. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome for the annual Orange Out game. The Roadrunners (0-1), who are riding a school record-tying 10-game home winning streak, and Bobcats (1-0) will meet for the third straight season and seventh time overall in a series that UTSA leads, 5-1. UTSA is aiming to break the program’s all-time home game attendance record of 56,743 fans set on Sept. 3, 2011, in the inaugural game versus Northeastern State. The last time these two teams met at the Alamodome on Sept. 9, 2023, the second-largest home crowd of 49,342 fans witnessed a 20-13 victory for the Roadrunners.
TUNING IN
Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+ and via the ESPN app. Jack Benjamin (play-by-play) and LaDarrin McLane (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.
CELEBRATING CAMPAIGN NO. 15
The Roadrunners are celebrating their 15th season of football in 2025. One of the newer FBS programs and now in its third year as a member of the American Conference, UTSA started its program from scratch and, following a practice year in 2010, played its 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 bowl appearance, ending the year with an 11-3 mark. The Roadrunners notched their first bowl victory with a 35-17 decision over Marshall in the 2023 Frisco Bowl to cap a 9-4 ledger that include a 7-1 mark in their debut in the American. UTSA collected its second straight bowl win with a 44-15 triumph over Coastal Carolina in the Myrtle Beach Bowl to close out a seven-win campaign in 2024. UTSA now has posted at least six wins in nine of its 14 previous seasons, and it has reached the seven-win plateau seven times, including in each of the first five years of the Jeff Traylor era.
HOME SWEET DOME
UTSA has been tough to beat at the Alamodome during the Jeff Traylor era, boasting a 29-3 (.906) record at the facility dating back to the 2020 season. The 29 wins are tied for the third most among FBS teams over that span behind only Alabama (32) and Ohio State (31). The Roadrunners have won a school record-tying 10 straight and 17 of their last 18 home contests entering Saturday’s Battle for I-35 against Texas State. Their last home loss was against Army on Sept. 15, 2023. UTSA first reeled off a 10-game home win streak that started with a 27-26 victory over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 24, 2020, and ran through the 49-41 win against WKU in the 2021 Conference USA Championship Game before it was snapped in triple overtime against No. 24 Houston in the 2022 season opener. The Roadrunners have been victorious in 27 of their last 29 home contests and are 55-30 (.647) all-time in the Alamodome.
UTSA’s Home Record Since 2020
|
Year |
W-L |
|
2020 |
5-1 |
|
2021 |
7-0 |
|
2022 |
6-1 |
|
2023 |
5-1 |
|
2024 |
6-0 |
|
Totals |
29-3 |
UTSA IN HOME DEBUTS
UTSA is 9-5 all-time in home openers, including 4-1 under head coach Jeff Traylor. The Roadrunners have won seven of their last nine home debuts.
UTSA’s Home Openers
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
9/3/11 |
Northeastern State |
W, 31-3 |
|
9/8/12 |
East Texas A&M |
W, 27-16 |
|
9/7/13 |
#13 Oklahoma State |
L, 35-56 |
|
9/4/14 |
Arizona |
L, 23-26 |
|
9/12/15 |
Kansas State |
L, 3-30 |
|
9/3/16 |
Alabama State |
W, 26-13 |
|
9/16/17 |
Southern |
W, 51-17 |
|
9/8/18 |
Baylor |
L, 20-37 |
|
8/31/19 |
UIW |
W, 35-7 |
|
9/19/20 |
SFA |
W, 24-10 |
|
9/11/21 |
Lamar |
W, 54-0 |
|
9/3/22 |
#24 Houston |
L, 35-37 (3OT) |
|
9/9/23 |
Texas State |
W, 20-13 |
|
8/31/24 |
Kennesaw State |
W, 28-16 |
PACKING THE DOME
UTSA fans have packed the Alamodome over the past four seasons, as five of the program’s nine-largest home crowds have been recorded during that span. The Roadrunners are aiming to break the program’s home game attendance record of 56,743 fans when they host Texas State in the home opener this Saturday. The last time these two teams met in San Antonio, 49,342 fans watched UTSA beat Texas State in the 2023 home opener to mark the second-largest crowd in program history. Since the return from COVID-19 protocols for the 2021 season, 688,533 fans have filed into the Alamodome to watch the Roadrunners, an average of 26,482 per contest. In the 2024 season opener against Kennesaw State, the program eclipsed the two-million fan mark, and now 2,114,786 spectators have watched the Roadrunners at the Alamodome, an average of 24,880 over 85 home contests. UTSA set NCAA modern startup program records in its first season by drawing 56,743 fans to the inaugural game against Northeastern State on Sept. 3, 2011, and by averaging 35,521 fans for six home contests.
UTSA’s Top 10 Home Crowds
|
Attendance |
Date |
Opponent |
|
56,743 |
9/3/11 |
Northeastern State |
|
49,342 |
9/9/23 |
Texas State |
|
42,071 |
9/8/18 |
Baylor |
|
41,412 |
12/2/22 |
North Texas |
|
41,148 |
12/3/21 |
Western Kentucky |
|
40,977 |
9/7/13 |
Oklahoma State |
|
39,032 |
11/24/12 |
Texas State |
|
37,526 |
9/3/22 |
Houston |
|
35,147 |
11/20/21 |
UAB |
|
33,517 |
9/24/11 |
Bacone |
TRAYLOR TAKING ROADRUNNERS TO NEW HEIGHTS
Sixth-year head coach Jeff Traylor has taken UTSA to new heights during his time in San Antonio. The Roadrunners are 46-21 (.687) under his direction, the most wins since 2020 among current American Conference teams and among Texas FBS programs. UTSA boasts a 29-3 (.906) home record in the Traylor era, tied for the third-most home wins since 2020 among FBS teams. Only Alabama (32) and Ohio State (31) have more home victories during that span. Since Traylor — the winningest coach in program history — arrived in San Antonio, UTSA has captured a pair of conference championships, earned five straight bowl berths with back-to-back bowl wins and made a combined 23 appearances in the three major national polls. He has coached nine All-Americans, three national award finalists, 91 all-conference selections and a trio of NFL Draft picks at UTSA.
LAST TIME OUT
Robert Henry Jr. rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns, but No. 19 Texas A&M pulled away in the second half for a 42-24 victory over UTSA on Saturday night in front of 107,521 fans at Kyle Field. Henry topped the century mark on the ground for his third straight game, doing so on a 75-yard TD dash on the first play from scrimmage in the second half, which got the Roadrunners to within four points in the third all-time meeting with the Aggies. The senior running back averaged 11.1 yards on his 16 carries, coming up just one yard shy of his UTSA career high of 178 posted in the win over Temple last November. Henry’s night helped the Roadrunners tally 203 rushing yards to go with 170 through the air. Owen McCown passed for 121 while Brandon Tennison came off the bench in the fourth quarter and completed both of his pass attempts, including a 34-yard TD toss to AJ Wilson. Shad Banks Jr. registered seven tackles with one for a loss, while Kendrick Blackshire and Jimmy Wyrick added five stops apiece. UTSA held Texas A&M to only 108 rushing yards and 399 total.
SCOUTING TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats opened the season with a 52-27 home triumph over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Texas State piled up 606 yards of offense, 392 rushing and 214 passing, while allowing 391 total yards. Lincoln Pare paced the ground attack with 167 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Brad Jackson completed 18 of 26 passes for 214 yards and four TDs. Beau Sparks was the top receiver with seven catches for 82 yards and four scores. Defensively, Treylin Payne registered nine tackles, while Jaden Rios had three stops including a sack. Head coach GJ Kinne is 17-10 in his third season at the helm.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will mark the seventh meeting on the gridiron between UTSA and Texas State. The Roadrunners lead the series, 5-1, including a perfect 3-0 mark in games played at the Alamodome. The three previous matchups in San Antonio have been decided by an average margin of six points.
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 |
|
9/7/24 |
Texas State 49, UTSA 10 |
San Marcos |
WHO’S COUNTING?
Now in their 15th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 174th game in program history on Saturday when they face Texas State. UTSA is 91-82 (.526) all-time and 55-30 (.647) at the Alamodome, including 29-3 (.906) under head coach Jeff Traylor. By comparison, Texas State has played football since 1904 and has an all-time record of 572-528-33.
FAMILIAR FACE
UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor will see a familiar face across the field on Saturday. 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.
LAST MEETING
UTSA dropped a 49-10 decision to Texas State on Sept. 7, 2024, in San Marcos. The Bobcats used a balanced offense in the win, posting 504 total yards, 309 passing and 195 rushing, to notch their first win in the series. Two different quarterbacks combined to pass for 252 yards, as Owen McCown completed 10 passes for 105 in the first half and Eddie Lee Marburger piled up 147 yards and a touchdown on 14 completions, all after halftime. Marburger connected with Willie McCoy on a 2-yard TD pass in the third quarter, and McCoy also had a 40-yard reception in the fourth, as the receiver racked up a team-high 59 receiving yards on three catches. Devin McCuin led all Roadrunners with six grabs for 29 yards, Patrick Overmyer had three receptions for 31 yards and Chris Carpenter hauled in two passes for 43 yards. Ken Robinson paced UTSA with seven tackles including one for a loss.
UTSA VERSUS IN-STATE FOES
The Roadrunners are 37-24 all-time against teams from the state of Texas including a 17-8 mark under sixth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. Texas State is the second of three consecutive opponents from the Lone Star State on this season’s docket, which also includes Rice and North Texas in October.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
UTSA’s 12-game regular season schedule features four non-conference games and eight American Conference contests. The Roadrunners kicked off the campaign on Aug. 30 against Texas A&M at Kyle Field. UTSA will host back-to-back home games against Texas State (Sept. 6) and UIW (Sept. 13) before traveling to Fort Collins to face Colorado State (Sept. 20). The Roadrunners are slated to open league play on Oct. 4 at Temple in Philadelphia before hosting Rice for Homecoming the following Saturday. UTSA will face North Texas on Oct. 18 in Denton before back-to-back Thursday night affairs on ESPN or ESPN2 at home against Tulane (Oct. 30) and on the road against South Florida (Nov. 6). Following a road date with Charlotte on Nov. 15, the Roadrunners will close out the regular season with home games versus East Carolina on Nov. 22 and defending conference champion Army on either Nov. 28 or 29. The American Football Championship is set for Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.
CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
The Roadrunners’ four-game non-conference slate sets up to be one of the toughest in the FBS this season. Texas A&M, Texas State and Colorado State all won eight games in 2024, while UIW registered 11 wins and made a run to the FCS quarterfinal round. That adds up to a combined 35 victories a year ago for UTSA’s four non-league foes.
FAMILIAR FOES
UTSA will face familiar foes in 2025, as the Roadrunners have previously faced all 12 teams on the regular season schedule. The most-played series in program history is with North Texas, and the two teams will meet for the 14th time in October with UTSA holding an 8-5 edge. The Roadrunners and Rice will play for the 13th time, also in October, with UTSA boasting an 8-4 advantage. UTSA and Texas State will meet for the seventh time in the home opener with the Roadrunners leading that series, 5-1, while the regular season finale will mark the sixth meeting with Army.
PRO ROADRUNNERS
A dozen former UTSA players made NFL training camp rosters this year, including a trio of NFL Draft selections. Spencer Burford was a fourth-round selection by the 49ers in 2022, while Tariq Woolen was selected by the Seahawks in the next round the same year. Zah Frazier was taken by the Bears in the fifth round of this year’s draft. With the NFL season starting this week, eight former UTSA players have been signed to NFL rosters or practice squads.
|
Spencer Burford, OL |
49ers |
|
Joshua Cephus, WR |
Jaguars (Injured Reserve) |
|
Marcus Davenport, DE |
Lions |
|
Saints (Practice) |
|
|
Zah Frazier, CB |
Bears (Reserve Non-Football Injury) |
|
49ers (Practice Squad) |
|
|
Buccaneers |
|
|
Tariq Woolen, CB |
Seahawks |
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will stay home to host UIW on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome and the game will air on ESPN+ and Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket.
-UTSA-