Game #6
UTSA Roadrunners (2-3, 0-1)
at
Rice Owls (1-4, 0-2)
6 p.m. | Saturday, October 12th
Rice Stadium | Houston, Texas

TV: ESPN+
Radio: UTSA Sports Media Network / Sports radio AM 760 The ticket
Live statistics: goUTSA.com/fbstats
Series history: UTSA leads 8-3
Last meeting: UTSA 34, Rice 14 (11/11/23 • San Antonio, Texas)

OPENING DRIVE

• UTSA and Rice meet for the 12th time Saturday night in Houston, tying North Texas as the most-played opponent in program history.
• The Roadrunners have won each of the last eight meetings and lead the all-time series at 8-3.
• UTSA is 3-2 in games played in Houston, including a 41-7 victory in 2022 that clinched the Conference USA regular-season title and a berth in the league’s championship game.
• The Roadrunners have been victorious in 15 of their last 17 regular season league contests.
• UTSA is 27-5 (.844) in regular conference games in the Jeff Traylor era and 29-5 (.853) against league competition when including the 2021 and 2022 Conference USA Championship Games.
• Jeff Traylor has an overall record of 41-17 at UTSA, the most wins and best winning percentage (.707) in program history.
• Jeff Traylor will surpass Larry Coker for most games coached at UTSA with his 59th against Rice this Saturday.
• The Roadrunners are on a streak of 15 consecutive games with a takeaway and a sack.
• This season, UTSA is scheduled to play all four FBS teams that use the Owls as their nickname: Kennesaw State (August 31), this week’s opponents in Rice, Florida Atlantic (October 19) and Temple (November 22).

SET THE SCENE
After the first of two blank weeks this season, UTSA travels to Houston to face Rice on Saturday, October 12th. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Rice Stadium and the game will air on ESPN+. The Roadrunners enter their 12th all-time meeting with the Owls with a 2-3 overall record after losing their American Athletic Conference opener to East Carolina on Sept. 28. Rice fell to 1-4 on the year and 0-2 in league play after losing to Charlotte on Sept. 28. UTSA has won each of the last eight meetings with the Owls, including a 41-7 triumph on November 19, 2022 in its most recent visit to Rice Stadium, a victory that secured the conference USA regular season title and a berth in the League championship game.

SET
Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+ and the ESPN mobile app. James Westling (play-by-play) and Leger Douzable (analyst) will make the decision. UTSA Sports Media Network will broadcast the game live in the San Antonio area on Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket, online at ticket760.com and on the free iHeartRadio app. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Ed Suarez (reporter) are on the call. There will be a two-hour pregame show hosted by Pat Evans and a 45-minute postgame show.

It’s a scream
The Roadrunners will face all four FBS teams that use the Owls nickname in the 2024 season. UTSA opened the campaign Aug. 31 against the Kennesaw State Owls, who are making their Conference USA debut this year. This week’s opponent – Rice – is the second opponent in 2024 after the Owls. The Roadrunners also face Florida Atlantic (October 19) and Temple (November 22).

A HOUSTON HOMECOMING
It will be a homecoming for more than two dozen UTSA players this weekend, as 27 Roadrunners hail from the greater Houston area.

Name (high school)
David Amador II (Galena Park North Shore)
Frankie Arthur (Conroe Oak Ridge)
Elliott Brow (Clear Springs)
Errionn Brow (Clear Springs)
Brandon Brown (Katy Morton Ranch)
Camron Cooper (Dayton)
Mason Culton (Bridgeland)
Dematrius Davis Jr. (Galena Park North Shore)
Dan Dishman (Clear Falls)
Bryce Grays (Fort Bend Christian Academy)
Mason Hall (Fort Bend Ridge Point)
Denver Harris (Galena Park North Shore)
Brandon High Jr. (Conroe Grand Oaks)
Alpha Khan (Katy Mayde Creek)
Matthew Lambert (Richmond George Ranch)
Luke Lapeze (Humble Summer Creek)
Tai Leonard (Galena Park North Shore)
Davin Martin (Klein Cain)
Willie McCoy (Bellaire)
Patrick Overmyer (Kingwood Park)
Michael Owoeye (Cypress Park)
Owen Pewee (Cypress Park)
Zechariah Robinson (Brookshire Royal)
Asyrus Simon (humble Atascocita)
Ronald Triplette (Alvin Shadow Creek)
Joseph Ugwu Jr. (Katy Paetow)
James Walley Jr. (Fort Bend Ridge Point)

Looking for rice
The Owls fell to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the American Athletic Conference with a 21-20 home loss to Charlotte on Sept. 28. Rice is averaging 24.8 points and 345.2 yards of offense per game while allowing 26.4 points and 317.0 yards per contest. EJ Warner, who transferred from Temple in the offseason, has completed 108 of 177 passes for 955 yards and seven touchdowns. Dean Connors is the top rusher with 369 yards and five touchdowns on 55 carries to go, a team-high 28 receptions for 126 yards. Matt Sykes leads the team with 306 receiving yards and two scores on 24 catches. Defensively, Ty Morris leads the unit with 24 tackles, while Josh Pearcy has a team-best five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Head coach Mike Bloomgren is 23-49 and in his seventh season at the helm.

HISTORY OF THE SERIES
Saturday marks the 12th meeting between UTSA and Rice, tying North Texas for the most-played series in program history (UTSA and North Texas are scheduled to play Nov. 15). The Roadrunners have won the last eight meetings with the Owls and are 3-2 in games played in Houston. UTSA has outscored Rice by a combined 120-21 in the last three meetings. The 2020 game was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols within the UTSA program.

History of the UTSA/Rice Series

LAST MEETING
Supported by a strong defense and a balanced offensive attack, UTSA posted a 34-14 victory over Rice on November 11, 2023 at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners held the Owls to 229 yards on offense and countered that with 199 rushing yards and 182 yards through the air. Jamal Ligon paced the defense with seven tackles, all unassisted. On offense, Brock Griffin rushed for a game-high 81 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts, good for 6.8 yards per carry, while Robert Henry rushed for 63 yards and a score on 19 totes. Frank Harris added 31 yards on the ground, with 175 yards and a TD on 15 of 24 passing. Armed with a slim 10-7 halftime lead, the Roadrunners scored back-to-back touchdowns in a minute and 45 seconds in the third quarter to make the score 24-7. UTSA extended the lead to 34-7 at 5:09 of the final frame when Tate Sandell split the uprights from 47 yards for his first career field goal. Rice scored a late touchdown on a 22-yard pass from AJ Padgett to Landon Ransom-Goelz with just over a minute to play.

RICE CONNECTIONS
Three UTSA employees have ties 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 MVP of the 2013 Conference USA Championship Game 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. Jared Kaaiohelo, associate sports performance coach at UTSA, was Rice’s head strength and conditioning coach from 2009 to 2013.

WHO COUNTS?
Now in their 14th season, the Roadrunners will play the 165th game in program history on Saturday when they face Rice. UTSA is 86-78 (.524) all-time and 34-45 (.430) in true away games. In comparison, Rice has been playing football since 1912 and holds a record of 481-623-31.

PRO RUNNER
UTSA currently has eight players on active NFL rosters, injured reserve lists or practice squads. Marcus Davenport became the first Roadrunner to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when the Saints selected him 14th overall in 2018. The defensive end is in his first season with the Lions after spending 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings. Tariq Woolen was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Now in his third season, the cornerback led the league with six interceptions, was selected to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and was twice named to the NFL’s Top 100 list by his peers. Spencer Burford was a fourth-round pick by the 49ers in 2022 and is in his third year as an offensive guard in San Francisco. Former All-America running back Sincere McCormick was recently signed to the Raiders’ active roster. Additionally, Joshua Cephus (Jaguars), Leroy Watson (Titans) and Rashad Wisdom (Buccaneers) are on the practice squad, while Eric Banks is on the Buccaneers’ injured list.

NEXT
The Roadrunners return home to host Florida Atlantic for Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome and the game will air on ESPN+ and Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket.

-UTSA-