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At halftime of last week's visit to Tulsa, the UTSA Roadrunners appeared to be on their way to .500 on the season as they led the Golden Hurricane 35-7. Then, things unraveled quickly in the second half, and the Roadrunners fell 46-45 against Tulsa.

UTSA has been historically bad on the road this season, going 0-5. Fortunately, the Roadrunners don't hit the road again until Thanksgiving Weekend. The Roadrunners have been 3-0 in the Alamodome this season and that is where this weekend's action will be.

It will be a tough ask for the Roadrunners to get to 4-0 at home as they welcome a Memphis Tigers side that is 7-1 this season and 3-1 in the conference, their only loss being at Navy on September 21.

Memphis has been a good team in recent years. Since the start of the 2011 season, the Tigers have a record of 104-69. One of those losses came at the hands of UTSA in 2021 when the Tigers led 21-0 after a quarter in Memphis before UTSA mounted the largest comeback in program history and won 31-28 on a last-second field goal from Hunter Duplessis.

UTSA and Memphis were originally scheduled to play in September of 2020, but Memphis had to back out when too many of their players tested positive for COVID. UTSA found another blue Tennessee team to fill that spot in the schedule as they hosted Middle Tennessee instead.

Memphis was born of the same legislation as Middle Tennessee. What we now know as Memphis began life in 1912 as the West Tennessee State Normal School. They played their first football game that same year. In 1914, the school chose Tigers as its nickname.

In 1925, the school became known as West Tennessee State Teachers College, a name it held until 1941, when it became known as Memphis State College. In 1957, Memphis State College became Memphis State University, a name it held until 1994 when State was dropped from the name and it became the University of Memphis.

While the school underwent name changes every few decades, the Tigers football team also bounced around between four conferences and three different stints as an independent. In 2013, Memphis made what is to date its final conference move, leaving Conference USA for the American Conference.

UTSA's rocky road of a season in 2024 reaches its ninth game. The Roadrunners need to win three of their last four to get to bowl eligibility. On the other side of the Alamodome, this Saturday morning will be a Memphis team looking to stay in the race for the conference championship game, a race UTSA was expected to be in this season as well.

It hasn't been that way in 2024. Through eight games, UTSA has been outscored 257-220 (32.13 per game against to 27.5 per game for). Memphis, by comparison, has outscored its opponents 272-167 (34 points for to 20.88 points against per game).

UTSA's offense has put up 3,410 yards through eight games this year (426.3 per game). The Roadrunners have thrown for 2,316 yards (426.3 per game) and run for 1,094 yards (136.8 per game). Trying to slow down the Roadrunners’ offense will be a Memphis defense that has allowed 2,766 yards (345.8 per game). The Tigers' opponents have thrown for 1,826 yards (228.25 per game) and run for 940 yards (117.5 per game).

Memphis has gotten to its 7-1 start thanks to an offense that has put up 3,443 yards this season (430.4 per game). The Tigers have thrown for 2,092 yards (261.5 per game) and run for 1,351 yards (168.9 per game). Memphis will go up against a UTSA defense that has allowed 2,914 yards to opponents (364.3 per game). Roadrunner opponents have thrown for 2,179 yards (272.4 per game) and run for 735 yards (91.9 per game).

UTSA has a minus-one turnover differential this season. Memphis has a plus-11 turnover differential.

NOTABLE PLAYERS

It might not have been the best season for the Roadrunners, but one bright spot has been the emergence of Owen McCown at quarterback. McCown has completed 185 of 302 pass attempts for 2,084 yards and 16 touchdowns. McCown is second in the conference for passing yards and touchdowns.

McCown's season through nine games is already the eighth-best season by a quarterback in UTSA history for passing yards and the sixth-best season by a UTSA quarterback for touchdowns thrown. As far as career numbers, McCown is now fourth in school history for passing yards (2,526) and passing touchdowns (20).

Leading the Roadrunners receiving corps this season in catches is Devin McCuin with 37. McCuin also leads in touchdowns with four, but his 279 yards are fourth among Roadrunner receivers behind Willie McCoy (418 yards), Houston Thomas (347 yards) and Chris Carpenter (346 yards).

Robert Henry leads the Roadrunners running game with 86 carries for 346 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon High also has three rushing touchdowns to go with 293 yards on 46 carries.

Memphis's quarterback is even more illustrious than McCown. Seth Henigan is the Tigers’ all-time leader for passing yards, completions and touchdowns. This season, Henigan has completed 197 of 305 pass attempts for 2,078 yards, third most in the conference. Henigan has also thrown 12 touchdowns.

Henigan's top target this season has been Roc Taylor. Taylor has caught 38 passes for 547 yards and two touchdowns. Demeer Blankumsee leads the Tigers with three receiving touchdowns. Blankumsee has caught 28 passes for 335 yards.

The Tigers leading rusher is Mario Anderson Jr., with 780 yards and 13 touchdowns on 136 carries. Brandon Thomas is another Tiger for the Roadrunners to keep an eye on, as he has 267 yards and six touchdowns on 41 carries.

The last time UTSA and Memphis played was in September 2021. It was my greatest prediction ever as I correctly predicted that UTSA would fall behind, mount a comeback and win the game 31-28 on a last-second field goal. All of those things came to pass.

I felt good about the pick then because that Roadrunner team was in the midst of its best season in program history. I wish I could go with the Roadrunners this week, but I can't. This year's Roadrunners are not the 2021 team and Memphis is even better this year than they were three years ago.

Had UTSA been able to roll Tulsa last week, I might have picked this one to be a closer contest. But the way they lost to Tulsa a week before facing a team as good as Memphis is not good. The Roadrunners might keep it close out of pride, but Memphis will be too strong for the Roadrunners.

UTSA will fall to 26-4 in home games under Jeff Traylor.

Memphis 38 UTSA 21

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way