Game #6
Homecoming
UTSA Roadrunners (2-3, 0-1)
vs.
Rice Owls (3-3, 1-2)
6:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 11
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
Series History: UTSA leads, 8-4
Last Meeting: Rice 29, UTSA 27 (10/12/24 • Houston, Texas)
OPENING DRIVE
- UTSA and Rice will meet for the 13th time on Saturday at the Alamodome, matching for one week the North Texas series as the most played in program history.
- The Roadrunners lead the all-time series, 8-4, including 5-1 at home.
- UTSA is 10-4 all-time in Homecoming games, including a perfect 5-0 under head coach Jeff Traylor.
- The Roadrunners have hosted Rice three times previously for Homecoming (2017, ’19, ’21) and have won all three of those matchups.
- UTSA is 48-23 (.676) in the Jeff Traylor era (since 2020), tied with Texas for the most wins among FBS teams from the state of Texas and tied with Memphis for the most among current American Conference teams.
- The Roadrunners are 30-4 (.882) at home with Jeff Traylor at the helm, the most wins among Texas FBS teams and the second most among current American Conference schools (Memphis – 31).
- UTSA is 20-0 at home in the Jeff Traylor era in regular season conference games and 22-0 versus conference opponents when incuding the 2021 and 2022 Conference USA Championship Games.
- UTSA is 38-25 all-time against teams from the state of Texas, including 18-9 under Jeff Traylor.
- Senior RB Robert Henry Jr. leads the FBS in all-purpose yards per game (154.2), scrimmage plays of 70-plus yards (5) and rushes of 70-plus yards (4), and he ranks second nationally in rushing yards per game (133.2), rushing yards per carry (8.33) and total touchdowns (9).
- After posting two against Temple, UTSA now has recorded a sack in 27 of the past 28 games.
SETTING THE SCENE
UTSA will return home for the first time in nearly one month to host Rice for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 11. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Alamodome and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The Roadrunners and Owls will meet for the 13th time, matching for one week the North Texas series as the most played in program history. UTSA owns an 8-4 advantage in the series, including a 5-1 mark at home. The Roadrunners had won eight straight meetings before Rice pulled out a 29-27 victory last October in Houston. UTSA (2-3, 0-1) is looking to bounce back from a 27-21 setback at Temple in the American Conference opener last Saturday. Rice (3-3, 1-2) has dropped back-to-back league contests to Navy and Florida Atlantic.
TUNING IN
Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and it will be available via the ESPN app. Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and Rene Ingoglia (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.
UTSA IN HOMECOMING GAMES
Saturday marks UTSA’s annual Homecoming Game, and it also is the Hispanic Heritage Game, UTSA Family Weekend and UTSA Hall of Fame Weekend. A complete list of UTSA’s official Homecoming events can be found online at utsa.edu/homecoming. The Roadrunners have won their last six Homecoming games and are 10-4 all time in such contests. In the Jeff Traylor era, UTSA has beaten Florida Atlantic last year (38-24), East Carolina in 2023 (41-27), North Texas in 2022 (31-27), Rice in 2021 (45-0) and UTEP in 2020 (52-21) on Homecoming.
UTSA’s Homecoming Games (10-4)
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
|
9/24/11 |
Bacone |
W, 54-7 |
|
10/20/12 |
San Jose State |
L, 24-52 |
|
10/26/13 |
UAB |
W, 52-31 |
|
10/11/14 |
FIU |
W, 16-13 |
|
11/7/15 |
Old Dominion |
L, 31-36 |
|
10/22/16 |
UTEP |
L, 49-52 (5OT) |
|
10/21/17 |
Rice |
W, 20-7 |
|
10/13/18 |
Louisiana Tech |
L, 3-31 |
|
10/19/19 |
Rice |
W, 31-27 |
|
11/14/20 |
UTEP |
W, 52-21 |
|
10/16/21 |
Rice |
W, 45-0 |
|
10/22/22 |
North Texas |
W, 31-27 |
|
10/28/23 |
East Carolina |
W, 41-27 |
|
10/19/24 |
Florida Atlantic |
W, 38-24 |
UTSA ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
UTSA Athletics will honor the 2025 Hall of Fame Class this weekend. The third class in UTSA Athletics Hall of Fame history features Fabiola Arriaga (women’s golf), Rudy Davalos (athletics director), Amanda Michalsky (softball) and Mark Schramek (baseball). The UTSA Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Friday, Oct. 10, at Pedrotti’s Ranch. The Hall of Fame plaques will be revealed on Saturday morning and the group will be recognized at a first-half media timeout during the Homecoming game against Rice that night at the Alamodome.
HOME SWEET DOME
UTSA has been tough to beat at the Alamodome during the Jeff Traylor era, boasting a 30-4 (.882) record — including a 20-0 mark in conference regular season games and a 22-0 record counting the 2021 and 2022 Conference USA Championship Games — at the facility dating back to the 2020 season. The 30 wins are the most among FBs teams from the state of Texas and the second most behind Memphis (31) among current American Conference members. The Roadrunners saw their school record-tying 10-game home winning streak snapped in a heartbreaking loss to Texas State in the home opener on Sept. 6, but they raced past UIW 48-20 a week later at the Alamodome, giving them 18 wins over their last 20 home contests. UTSA also 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 28 of their last 31 home contests and are 56-31 (.644) 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 |
|
2025 |
1-1 |
|
Totals |
30-4 |
PACKING THE DOME
UTSA fans have packed the Alamodome over the past four-plus seasons, as six of the program’s 10-largest home crowds have been recorded during that span. The Roadrunners drew 45,778 fans for the home opener against Texas State on Sept. 6, marking the third-largest attendance for a UTSA game at the Alamodome. The last time those 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, 754,732 fans have filed into the Alamodome to watch the Roadrunners, an average of 26,955 per contest. In the 2024 season opener against Kennesaw State, the program eclipsed the two-million fan mark, and now 2,180,985 spectators have watched the Roadrunners at the Alamodome, an average of 25,069 over 87 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 |
|
45,778 |
9/6/25 |
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 |
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 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.
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 48-23 (.676) under his direction, tied with Texas for the most wins among FBS teams from the state of Texas and tied with Memphis for the most among current American Conference teams. UTSA boasts a 30-4 (.882) home record in the Traylor era, the most wins among Texas FBS teams and the second most among current American Conference schools behind Memphis (31). 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.
UTSA VERSUS IN-STATE FOES
The Roadrunners are 38-25 all-time against teams from the state of Texas including an 18-9 mark under sixth-year head coach Jeff Traylor. Rice is the fourth of five opponents from the Lone Star State on this season’s ledger, which also includes North Texas on Oct. 18.
SCOUTING RICE
The Owls fell to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in American Conference action after a 27-21 home loss to Florida Atlantic last Saturday night. Rice has wins over Louisiana, Prairie View A&M and Charlotte this year and is averaging 20.5 points and 312.8 yards per game while allowing 21.5 points and 344.0 yards per contest. Chase Jenkins has completed 59 of 86 passes for 520 yards and four touchdowns and added 268 yards and four TDs on the ground. Quinton Jackson is the top rusher with 481 yards and three touchdowns on 92 carries, while Drayden Dickmann is the top pass-catcher with 22 receptions for 229 yards and three scores. Defensively, Andrew Awe leads the way with 48 tackles, while Michael Daleuy owns a team-high four sacks. Head coach Scott Abell is in his first season at the helm and he owns an 89-56 career record following stints at Davidson and Washington & Lee.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will mark the 13th meeting between UTSA and Rice, making it tied for one week with North Texas as the most-played series in program history. The Roadrunners lead the all-time series, 8-4, including 5-1 in games played at the Alamodome. UTSA had won eight straight meetings before the Owls posted a last-second 29-27 win last October in Houston. The two schools have been scheduled to play each season dating back to 2012; however, the 2020 game was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols within the UTSA program.
UTSA/Rice Series History
|
Date |
Location |
Score |
|
10/13/12 |
Houston |
L, 14-34 |
|
10/12/13 |
San Antonio |
L, 21-27 |
|
11/8/14 |
Houston |
L, 7-17 |
|
11/21/15 |
San Antonio |
W, 34-24 |
|
10/15/16 |
Houston |
W, 14-13 |
|
10/21/17 |
San Antonio |
W, 20-7 |
|
10/6/18 |
Houston |
W, 20-3 |
|
10/19/19 |
San Antonio |
W, 31-27 |
|
10/16/21 |
San Antonio |
W, 45-0 |
|
11/19/22 |
Houston |
W, 41-7 |
|
11/11/23 |
San Antonio |
W, 34-14 |
|
10/12/24 |
Houston |
L, 27-29 |
RICE CONNECTIONS
Several members of the UTSA staff have connections to Rice. Defensive coordinator and safeties coach Jess Loepp was the recruiting coordinator and safeties coach at Rice in 2006 under then-head coach Todd Graham. Assistant wide receivers coach Luke Turner, who was coached by Jeff Traylor at Gilmer High School and helped the Buckeyes to the 2009 state championship, played for the Owls from 2012 to 2015. He was the 2013 Conference USA Championship Game MVP and totaled 503 rushing yards, 244 receiving yards, 158 passing yards, 362 kick return yards, 16 total touchdowns and 18 tackles during 51 career games at Rice. UTSA associate sports performance coach Jared Kaaiohelo was Rice’s head strength & conditioning coach from 2009 to 2013. Additionally, UTSA associate head coach/pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Price was an assistant coach under Rice defensive coordinator Jon Kay when he was the head coach at Galena Park North Shore High School, where a trio of Roadrunners — David Amador II, Shad Banks Jr. and Tai Leonard — also played for Kay.
WHO’S COUNTING?
Now in their 15th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 178th game in program history on Saturday when they host Rice for Homecoming. UTSA is 93-84 (.525) all-time and 56-31 (.644) at home. By comparison, Rice has been playing football since 1912 and owns an all-time record of 488-630-32.
LAST MEETING
Owen McCown passed for 256 yards and three touchdowns but E.J. Warner’s TD pass to Matt Sykes with four seconds left lifted Rice to a 29-27 victory over UTSA on Oct. 12, 2024, at Rice Stadium. Trailing 23-13 entering the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners rallied to reclaim the lead with back-to-back scoring drives. McCown found Devin McCuin on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 5:40 remaining to make it a three-point contest. He then connected with Houston Thomas over the middle on a 38-yard TD pass with 2:06 on the clock. However, Warner directed an eight-play, 65-yard scoring march that gave the Owls the lead for good. A defensive pass interference penalty gave Rice the ball at the UTSA 17-yard line. Following an offensive pass interference call that pushed the line of scrimmage back to the 32, Warner hit Drayden Dickmann on a 14-yard pass play to set up the game-winning, 18-yard touchdown pass to Sykes. Warner then took a knee on the point-after-touchdown attempt to leave the score at 29-27. UTSA got the ball back for one last play following a touchback on the ensuing kickoff, but the Rice defense came up with the stop to seal the win.
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 this weekend with UTSA boasting an 8-4 advantage. UTSA and Texas State met for the seventh time in the home opener, while the regular season finale will mark the sixth meeting with Army.
LAST TIME OUT
Kendrick Blackshire posted a game-high 10 tackles and Patrick Overmyer scored a pair of touchdowns, but Temple rallied from a 14-3 halftime deficit for a 27-21 victory over UTSA in the American Conference opener for both teams last Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. Overmyer’s two scores helped hand the Roadrunners a 14-3 lead in the first half, but the Owls found the end zone three times in the third quarter to rally for their first win in the series. Blackshire logged six solo tackles as part of his double-digit output to pace the defense, which held Temple to 309 yards of offense. Shad Banks Jr. added six stops while Nnanna Anyanwu and Daemian Wimberly each recorded a sack. The Roadrunners carried a 14-3 advantage into the locker room only to see Temple strike for two quick touchdowns early in the third quarter. JoJo Bermudez hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it a one-score contest. Following an interception, Hunter Smith broke loose for a 54-yard TD run to hand the home team the lead. UTSA reclaimed the lead on the ensuing possession. Owen McCown completed passes on back-to-back plays to AJ Wilson of 16 and 36 yards to set up an 18-yard TD pass to Devin McCuin. Michael Petro’s PAT made it 21-17 with 5:28 left in the third. With the benefit of a short field, Temple pulled back ahead late in the third on a 15-yard touchdown catch by Peter Clarke, capping a two-play, 38-yard drive. The Owls tacked on a late field goal by Hardin from 36 yards with just under two minutes remaining to pad the lead at 27-21. UTSA had one final offensive drive but turned it over on downs deep on its own end of the field and Temple ran out the clock to seal the win.
LAPEZE LANDS ON CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALIST LIST
UTSA redshirt junior Luke Lapeze has been chosen as a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award. Celebrating its 36th year, the Campbell Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. The Humble, Texas, native is one of 177 semifinalists for the award, marking the ninth consecutive year that a Roadrunner has made the semifinalist list. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history in December 2024, graduating with a 3.36 GPA. A two-time American Conference All-Academic Team selection, he has made the UTSA Honor Roll three times and the Dean’s List once.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
UTSA is no stranger to close contests in the Jeff Traylor era, as 41 of the 71 have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners own a 26-15 record (.634) in those games. Dating back to the 2021 campaign, UTSA has seen 28 of the last 50 contests decided in the fourth quarter or later. Since 2020, the Roadrunners are 20-12 (.625) in games decided by eight points or less.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will travel to Denton to face North Texas on Saturday, Oct. 18. A kickoff time and broadcast network will be announced via six-day selection window on Monday, Oct. 13.
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