Game #7
Salute to Armed Forces & Veterans
(RV) UTSA Roadrunners (5-1, 2-0)
vs.
Navy Midshipmen (2-3, 1-2)
7 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 17
Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas
Series History: First Meeting
OPENING DRIVE
- UTSA and Navy will meet for the first time on the gridiron on Saturday night.
- At 5-1, the Roadrunners are off to their best six-game start since a 6-0 mark in 2021.
- For the second time in three weeks, UTSA is receiving votes (10) in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
- The Roadrunners are 2-0 in conference for the second time in four years as a member of the American Conference and for the fifth time in program history.
- UTSA is 58-27 (.682) in the Jeff Traylor era (since 2020), the most wins among current American Conference teams, second most among teams from the state of Texas and 11th most among FBS programs during that timeframe.
- The Roadrunners are 36-5 (.878) at the Alamodome under Jeff Traylor, the most home victories among both current American Conference members and state of Texas teams and tied for the seventh-most home wins among FBS programs dating back to 2020.
- UTSA is 37-12 (.756) versus conference opponents in the Jeff Traylor era (since 2020).
- Since 2020, the Roadrunners boast a 26-1 home record against league foes — 24-1 in regular season conference contests and 2-0 in conference championship games hosted at the Alamodome — the most home victories against league conference opponents among FBS teams during that timeframe.
- In the Jeff Traylor era, UTSA is 30-16 in games that have been within one score during the fourth quarter and 23-13 in games decided by eight or fewer points.
- With a win, UTSA can secure bowl eligibility for the seventh straight season.
- UTSA racked up a season-high 277 rushing yards, including 70 on the game-winning 75-yard drive, in the 31-24 victory over South Florida last Thursday night.
- The Roadrunners have held each of their first two conference opponents to fewer than 300 yards (Rice 232, South Florida 288).
- UTSA has registered a sack in 39 of the last 42 games and a takeaway in 35 of the last 42 contests.
SETTING THE SCENE
Winners of three straight and off the best six-game start since 2021, UTSA will host Navy on Saturday, Oct. 17, in what will be their first meeting on the gridiron. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Alamodome, and the American Conference contest will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The Roadrunners ran their record to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the league with a 31-24 home triumph over South Florida. The Midshipmen (2-3, 1-2) rallied for a 34-26 victory over Tulsa last Saturday to notch their first conference win of the year. UTSA, which is receiving 10 votes in this week’s AFCA Coaches Poll, is within one win of securing bowl eligibility for the seventh straight season. The matchup will serve as UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forced & Veterans presented by USAA.
TUNING IN
Thursday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, and it will be available via the ESPN app. Ted Emrich (play-by-play) and Fozzy Whittaker (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.
OFF TO A HOT START
UTSA is off to a 5-1 start through six games, the best record over that span since the 2021 squad started 6-0. This marks the third time in 16 seasons that the Roadrunners have won at least five of their first six contests, also accomplishing that feat in 2012 (5-1). Additionally, UTSA is 2-0 in conference play for the second time in four years as a member of the American Conference and for the fifth time in program history (2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026).
LAST TIME OUT
A’Marion Peterson scored his third rushing touchdown of the game with 15 seconds left, as UTSA rallied for a 31-24 victory over South Florida in American Conference action Thursday night at the Alamodome. Peterson’s 1-yard TD run capped a 10-play, 75-yard, game-winning drive engineered by Owen McCown, who had a 19-yard scramble on third down and five that kept the possession alive for the Roadrunners. He later had an 8-yard keeper before Will Henderson III broke loose down the right sideline for a 26-yard dash to the USF-1-yard line with 18 seconds left to play to set up Peterson’s winning score. UTSA had erased a 17-10 halftime deficit with a 10-point third quarter that gave the home team a three-point cushion. Michael Petro then made his third field goal of the night with 8:21 remaining to make it 23-17. The Bulls put together a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard pass from Michael Van Buren Jr. to D. J. Crowther. Nico Gramatica’s extra point gave the visitors a 24-23 advantage with 1:56 left on the clock. UTSA used a potent rushing attack on the go-ahead drive, churning out 70 of the 75 yards on the ground with Henderson piling up 42 of the yards and McCown accounting for 27.
HOME SWEET DOME
UTSA has been tough to beat at the Alamodome during the Jeff Traylor era, boasting a 36-5 (.878) record at the facility dating back to the 2020 season. The 36 home wins are the most among both current American Conference members and teams from the state of Texas. The Roadrunners are deadlocked with LSU, Michigan, NC State and Notre Dame for the seventh-most home victories in the FBS and their .878 home game winning percentage ranks fifth among teams who have played at the FBS level since 2020. The Roadrunners have been victorious in 24 of their last 27 home contests and are 62-32 (.660) all-time in the Alamodome. UTSA has been even tougher to beat when playing conference opponents played at the Alamodome. Since 2020, the Roadrunners boast a 26-1 home record against league foes, 24-1 in regular season conference contests and 2-0 in conference championship games hosted at the Alamodome.
UTSA’s Home Record Since 2020
|
Year |
Overall |
Conf. |
|
2020 |
5-1 |
4-0 |
|
2021 |
7-0 |
5-0* |
|
2022 |
6-1 |
5-0* |
|
2023 |
5-1 |
4-0 |
|
2024 |
6-0 |
4-0 |
|
2025 |
4-2 |
3-1 |
|
2026 |
3-0 |
1-0 |
|
Total |
36-5 |
26-1* |
*includes 2021 & 2022 Conference USA Championship Games hosted by UTSA at Alamodome
Most FBS Home Wins Since 2020
|
Team |
Record |
Pct. |
|
Alabama |
41-3 |
.932 |
|
Ohio State |
41-3 |
.932 |
|
Georgia |
38-1 |
.974 |
|
Ole Miss |
38-6 |
.864 |
|
Oregon |
37-3 |
.925 |
|
Missouri |
37-9 |
.804 |
|
UTSA |
36-5 |
.878 |
|
Notre Dame |
36-6 |
.857 |
|
LSU |
36-7 |
.837 |
|
Michigan |
36-7 |
.837 |
|
NC State |
36-9 |
.800 |
|
Memphis |
35-8 |
.814 |
|
Texas A&M |
35-9 |
.795 |
|
BYU |
34-6 |
.850 |
|
Oklahoma |
34-7 |
.829 |
|
Texas |
34-7 |
.829 |
|
Clemson |
34-9 |
.791 |
Most FBS Home Conference Wins Since 2020
|
Team |
Record |
Pct. |
|
UTSA |
26-1* |
.960 |
|
Alabama |
25-2 |
.926 |
|
Ohio State |
25-2 |
.926 |
|
Oregon |
23-3 |
.885 |
|
Georgia |
22-1 |
.957 |
|
Clemson |
21-6 |
.778 |
|
SMU |
21-3 |
.875 |
*includes 2021 & 2022 Conference USA Championship Games hosted by UTSA at Alamodome
^ UTSA is the only team on this list to host a conference championship game since 2020
PACKING THE DOME
UTSA fans have packed the Alamodome over the past half decade, as six of the program’s 10 largest home crowds have been recorded during that span. The 2026 home schedule got underway with a crowd of 33,403 taking in UTSA’s 45-16 victory over UTRGV on Sept. 5. The Roadrunners drew 45,778 fans for the 2025 home opener against Texas State, marking the third-largest attendance for a UTSA game at the Alamodome. Since the return from COVID-19 protocols for the 2021 season, 902,842 fans have filed into the Alamodome to watch the Roadrunners, an average of 25,795 per contest. In the 2024 season opener against Kennesaw State, the program eclipsed the two-million fan mark, and now 2,329,095 spectators have watched the Roadrunners at the Alamodome, an average of 24,778 over 94 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 |
SWEET SIXTEEN
The Roadrunners is in its 16th season of football this year. 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. The Roadrunners made history in 2021 by 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. In 2023, 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. The 2024 campaign saw UTSA win four of its last five games, starting with a 44-36 victory over No. 25 Memphis for the program’s first-ever top-25 win and ending with a second straight bowl victory, a 44-15 triumph over Coastal Carolina in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, to finish at 7-6 overall. The Roadrunners capped a seven-win season in 2025 with a 57-20 rout of FIU in the First Responder Bowl, and they now have registered at least six wins in 10 of the 15 seasons in program history and reached the seven-win plateau eight times, including in each of the first six years of the Jeff Traylor era.
THE TRAYLOR ERA
Seventh-year head coach Jeff Traylor has taken UTSA to new heights during his time in San Antonio. The Roadrunners are 58-27 (.682) under his direction, the most wins among current American Conference teams, second most among teams from the state of Texas and 11th most among FBS programs during that timeframe. Traylor also has helped turn the Alamodome into one of the toughest places for visiting teams to play, as the Roadrunners are 36-5 (.878) at the Alamodome since 2020. UTSA’s 36 home victories are the most among both current American Conference members and state of Texas teams and tied for the seventh-most home wins among FBS programs dating back to 2020. Since Traylor took over the program, UTSA has captured a pair of conference championships, earned six straight bowl berths with three consecutive bowl wins and made a combined 23 appearances in the three major national polls. A 2025 inductee into both the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor and the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, he has coached 10 All-Americans, three national award finalists, 97 all-conference selections and a trio of NFL Draft picks at UTSA.
UTSA IN FOURTH SEASON IN AMERICAN CONFERENCE
UTSA is in its fourth season as a member of the American Conference and seventh year under the direction of head coach Jeff Traylor. The Roadrunners welcome back 49 members of last year’s team that capped a second straight seven-win campaign with a 57-20 victory over FIU in the First Responder Bowl, their third consecutive bowl win. UTSA lists 10 returning starters with six on offense, two on defense and a pair of specialists.
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 Sept. 5 with a 45-16 home triumph over UTRGV, which played its inaugural season of football in 2025 as a member of the Southland Conference. UTSA played back-to-back road games at Texas State and Texas and closed out the non-league slate at home against Colorado State on Sept. 26. The Roadrunners’ conference schedule includes home games against South Florida (Oct. 8), Navy (Oct. 17), North Texas (Nov. 14) and Tulsa (Nov. 27 or 28), and road games versus Rice (Oct. 3), Tulane (Oct. 24), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 5) and UAB (Nov. 21). The American Conference Championship Game will be played Dec. 5.
STAYING IN STATE
The Roadrunners will be staying close to home for the majority of the 2026 schedule. UTSA is slated to play its first seven games in the state of Texas, not leaving the Lone Star State until the Oct. 24 contest at Tulane in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Roadrunners have two more home games after that, giving them nine total regular season matchups inside their home state. In addition to the game in New Orleans, UTSA also will visit the states of Alabama (UAB) and Florida (Florida Atlantic) this fall.
SUCCESS ON THE ROAD
The Roadrunners have experienced success on the road so far in 2026. UTSA pulled out a 31-26 victory over Texas State in the first road contest of the season on Sept. 12. The Roadrunners dropped a 30-6 decision to No. 1 Texas on Sept. 19 but registered their second road win of the campaign with a 16-14 decision over Rice on Oct. 3. UTSA’s two road wins this year already match last year’s total and they have surpassed the 2024 schedule’s lone road triumph over Coastal Carolina. UTSA logged a 3-3 record on the road in 2023 after posting back-to-back 5-1 road ledgers in 2022 and 2021.
UTSA O-LINE NAMED TO JOE MOORE AWARD MIDSEASON HONOR ROLL
UTSA’s offensive line was named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, which recognizes the nation’s top offensive line units. The Roadrunners are one of 25 teams selected for the midseason honor roll for the award, which is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history. The semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award will be announced on Nov. 11. The UTSA o-line has paved the way for a balanced offensive attack that is averaging 401.5 yards per game, 191.0 rushing and 210.5 passing. UTSA has surpassed 500 yards of offense twice this season with 542 in the 59-45 victory over Colorado State and 527 in the season-opening triumph over UTRGV. The Roadrunners have racked up 200-plus rushing yards three times, headlined by a season-high 277 in the 31-24 victory against South Florida. The Roadrunners also have been one of the best in the nation at protecting the quarterback, as they rank 17th in the FBS and third in the American Conference in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.0). UTSA went sack-free through the first two contests this season.
SCOUTING NAVY
The Midshipmen rallied for a 34-26 home victory over Tulsa last Saturday to improve to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the American Conference. Navy is averaging 401.4 yards and 27.0 points per game while allowing 322.0 yards and 23.4 points per contest. Jackson Gutierrez leads the offense with 505 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 102 carries while also completing 22 of 47 passes for 439 yards and four TDs. Michael Barrow and Charles Robinson share the team lead with six receptions apiece. Defensively, Coleman Cauley has posted a team-high 41 tackles, while MarcAnthony Parker paces the unit with six tackles for loss and four sacks. Head coach Brian Newberry is 28-15 in his fourth season at the helm.
SERIES HISTORY
This will mark the first meeting between the Roadrunners and Midshipmen on the gridiron.
WHO’S COUNTING?
Now in their 16th season of play, the Roadrunners will play the 192nd game in program history on Saturday when they face Navy. UTSA is 103-88 (.539) all-time and 62-32 (.660) in home games. By comparison, Navy has been playing football for over 146 seasons and has an all-time record of 761-608-57.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
UTSA is no stranger to close contests in the Jeff Traylor era, as 46 of the 85 have been one-score ballgames in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners own a 30-16 record (.652) in those games. Dating back to the 2021 campaign, UTSA has seen 33 of the last 64 contests decided in the fourth quarter or later. Since 2020, the Roadrunners are 23-13 (.639) in games decided by eight points or less.
UP NEXT
The Roadrunners will leave the state of Texas for the first time this season to face Tulane on Saturday, Oct. 24, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Yulman Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
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