Oct 313 min read

Roadrunners Aim to Rebound, Protect Home Streak

Mario Anderson Jr | Memphis RB #2 — © Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The UTSA Roadrunners (3-5, 1-3 American Athletic Conference) host the Memphis Tigers (7-1, 3-1 AAC) on Nov. 2 at noon EST at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Memphis is coming off a narrow 33-28 win over Charlotte (3-5, 2-2) on Oct. 26, while UTSA looks to rebound from a heartbreaking 46-45 loss to Tulsa (3-5, 1-3). With all three wins at home, can the Roadrunners remain undefeated at the Alamodome and bounce back from last week’s second-half collapse?

The Stakes

After being flagged five times in their 38-24 win over Florida Atlantic (2-5, 0-3) on Oct. 19, UTSA seemed to have curbed its penalty issues. However, that game appears to be an outlier as the Roadrunners incurred 12 penalties for 129 yards against Tulsa, placing them 133rd out of 134 FBS teams with an average of 9.7 penalties per game. Asked about the team’s discipline challenges during his weekly press conference, UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said, "Whenever you have that many penalties, that's a sign of an undisciplined football team." With multiple injuries on both sides of the ball, Traylor and his staff will need to stop the Roadrunners from beating themselves yet again.

Jeff Traylor | UTSA Coach — © Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Riding a four-game winning streak, Memphis aims to stay in contention for the AAC title, currently sitting in fourth place in the standings. The Tigers are just outside the Associated Press Top 25 Football Poll at No. 27, and a win over UTSA could push them into the rankings. With their next three opponents holding a combined record of 6-17, Memphis has a strong chance to be 10-1 heading into its regular-season finale against Tulane (6-2, 4-0).

Key Players: UTSA Roadrunners

Quarterback Owen McCown

Owen McCown excelled against Tulsa, finishing 30-for-50 passing for a school-record 434 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. The performance is more impressive given UTSA’s injuries on the offensive line and at wide receiver. Compounding the challenge, UTSA ranks 104th in FBS in rushing yards per game (120.3), leaving McCown with limited support on the ground.

Defensive Lineman Ronald Triplette

With the Roadrunners’ secondary weakened by injuries, UTSA’s front will need to apply consistent pressure on Memphis QB Seth Henigan. Ronald Triplette is coming off his best performance of the year against Tulsa, recording 4 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, Henigan completes 70.7 percent of his passes when kept clean in the pocket, compared to just 40 percent under pressure.

Key Players: Memphis Tigers

Running Back Mario Anderson Jr.

Mario Anderson Jr., a transfer from South Carolina (4-3, 2-3 SEC), ranks third in the AAC with 780 rushing yards and has scored 13 touchdowns. He’s been on a roll, amassing 324 yards and 5 touchdowns in his last two games against North Texas (5-3, 2-2) and Charlotte. Notably, he’s forced 17 missed tackles in those games, according to PFF.

Linebacker Chandler Martin

Chandler Martin has been a standout defensive performer in the AAC, tying for first in sacks (5.5), ranking second in solo tackles (33), and fourth in total tackles (62). He’s coming off a strong performance against Charlotte, where he recorded 11 tackles and 2 sacks, earning him the AAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Trends To Watch

The Roadrunners boast a 26-3 (.896) record at the Alamodome under Traylor and are 52-30 all-time in home games. UTSA has won seven straight and 14 of its last 15 home contests. In their last game against Tulsa, the Roadrunners set a school record with 15 tackles for loss and matched the program’s single-game record with 7 sacks for the second consecutive game.

Game Prediction

The Roadrunners will wear black uniforms for their “Lights Out” game against Memphis. According to Action Network, the Tigers are 7.5-point favorites, which might seem surprisingly low given Memphis’s strength. Expect the Tigers’ running game—averaging 168.9 yards per game, fourth in the AAC—to be a key factor, as UTSA may keep a light box to support a young, injured, struggling secondary that is struggling to contain explosive plays.

Prediction: Memphis 31, UTSA 20