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The Roller Coaster Roadrunner 2024 season reaches its 12th turn as UTSA closes out the regular season Saturday at Army. UTSA goes into the regular season finale with a 6-5 record, but it has been a disappointing season by Roadrunner standards.

Part of the reason for that is the Roadrunners’ inability to win on the road. UTSA is 0-5 on the road for the first time in program history. The Roadrunners lost every kind of way on the road. There were a pair of blowouts in September along I-35 to Texas State and Texas. There was a close loss at East Carolina, losing on a last-second touchdown at Rice and a historic collapse at Tulsa.

Now the Roadrunners have reached the regular season finale, needing to beat Army to avoid the first 0-6 road season in program history. At least the Roadrunners went 6-0 at home this season, so they don't go into Army in a must-win situation for bowl eligibility. Instead, UTSA is heading to New York looking to finish 7-5 for the second time in the Jeff Traylor era.

Standing between them and that seventh win is an Army Black Knights team that started the season 9-0 and was climbing the rankings until last Saturday when they fell to Notre Dame in a neutral site game at Yankee Stadium. The Black Knights are still undefeated in conference play and have already wrapped up a spot in the American Conference Championship Game against Tulane. If they win that, it will be the first conference championship in Army football history, but that's understandable as this is just the eighth season of the Black Knights’ 135 seasons that they have been in a conference.

First things first for Army, they will have to contest with a Roadrunner team desperate to avoid the dubious history of a winless road schedule. It's also an important game for Jeff Traylor, as the six wins this season are tied with his 2000 Gilmer High School team for the fewest wins in a season in his career.

Saturday will be the fifth time UTSA and Army meet on the football field, all coming since 2019. In terms of playing teams from the Lone Star State, the Black Knights have played 50 games all-time against the FBS colleges of Texas. UTSA is tied for the fifth most-played Texas school by Army, with Texas A&M and Baylor at four meetings. The Roadrunners will move to sole possession of fifth when they play on Saturday. Only Rice (10 times), North Texas (eight times), Houston (eight times), and TCU (six times) have played the Black Knights more than UTSA.

With a blowout win over Temple last weekend, UTSA got over .500 for the first time this season since the week one win over Kennesaw State. The Roadrunners also reached a point they haven't experienced since the turn of September; they are outscoring their opponents on the season.

After beating Temple 51-27 last week, the Roadrunners have outscored opponents 363-347 (33-31.55 per game). The Roadrunners opponent this week, Army, has been outscoring opponents all season, an important ingredient of their 9-1 start. Army has outscored its opponents 331-142 (33.1-14.2 per game).

UTSA's offense has found another gear in the last few weeks of November. In their last two games, UTSA has racked up 500 yards and got 300 yards rushing in back-to-back games for the first time in school history. The Roadrunners this season have 5,028 yards on offense (457.1 per game). UTSA has thrown for 3,222 yards (292.9 per game) and run for 1,806 yards (164.2 per game). Going up against the Roadrunner offense will be an Army defense that has allowed 2,927 yards to opposing offense (292.7 per game). Opponents of the Black Knights have thrown for 1,911 yards (191.1 per game) and run for 1,016 yards (101.6 per game).

Army probably boasts the best offense UTSA has faced in conference play. The Black Knights have racked up 4,012 yards of offense this season (401.2 per game). Most of the Black Knights work has been done on the ground, with 3,221 yards rushing this season (322.1 per game). Army has thrown for just 721 yards this season (72.1 per game). Trying to slow down the Army offense will be a UTSA defense that has been strong against the run this season. Opponents of the Roadrunners have compiled 4,199 yards (381.7 per game). The Roadrunners’ defense has allowed 3,093 yards passing (281.2 per game) and 1,106 yards rushing (100.5 per game).

UTSA's defense has a streak of 21 straight games with both a sack and a takeaway. Through the first 11 games this season, UTSA has a plus-three turnover differential, but the Roadrunners have only managed 28 points off its 20 takeaways. Army has a plus-10 turnover differential.

NOTABLE PLAYERS

Saturday's game will pit two former stars of Texas High School Football in the quarterback battle. Rusk's Owen McCown will lead UTSA against Abernathy's own Bryson Daily and the Army Black Knights.

McCown has solidified his spot as UTSA's quarterback for now and for the future. McCown is the second quarterback in program history to throw 400 passes in a season. He has thrown 409 and completed 254 of those attempts for 2,963 yards and 23 touchdowns. McCown sits third in program history for single-season completions, yards, and touchdowns. The former Rusk Eagle has also run the ball 76 times for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Last week against Temple, McCown set a new school record with the longest touchdown run by a quarterback in program history when he scored on a 75-yard run.

Daily has put up his own numbers in the Army offense this season. Daily is the Black Knight's leading rusher with 212 carries for 1207 yards and 23 touchdowns. When Daily isn't running with the ball, he has completed 33 of 59 pass attempts for 670 yards and seven touchdowns.

UTSA has had 19 different players catch a pass this season. Chris Carpenter and Devin McCuin are tied for the team lead with 37 catches. Carpenter has 463 yards and a touchdown on his catches. McCuin has 279 yards and four touchdowns. Willie McCoy leads the Roadrunners with 532 yards and four touchdowns. Houston Thomas leads the tight end group with 28 catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns. Patrick Overmyer is another notable tight end for UTSA, with 262 yards and two touchdowns on 26 catches.

Daily's top receiver in terms of yards is Casey Reynolds, with 336 yards. Reynolds is tied with Noah Short for the team lead in catches (13) and touchdowns (3).

Robert Henry leads the Roadrunner rushing game with 706 yards and seven touchdowns on 130 carries. Brandon High is second among the Roadrunners with 253 yards and five touchdowns on 66 carries. Kevorian Barnes has 221 yards and two touchdowns on 78 carries.

Aside from Daily, the Black Knight's top running back is Kanye Udoh. Udoh has 891 yards and nine touchdowns on 138 carries.

UTSA and Army are both putting streaks on the line Saturday. The Roadrunners are looking to snap a six-game road losing streak dating back to last season's regular-season finale at Tulane. Army is looking to continue its own home winning streak of seven in a row and finish this season 6-0 at home.

The Roadrunners would also like to make it two wins in a row against a ranked opponent after beating a ranked Memphis to start the month of November. That game, of course, was in the Alamodome, a place UTSA has only lost three times under Jeff Traylor. If only there was a way for the Roadrunners to bottle up the Alamodome atmosphere and carry it with them on the road.

Alas, the Alamodome does not fit in any carryons or checked bags. So, the Roadrunners will need to find another way to get motivated to beat Army on Saturday. Perhaps the quest to avoid the first 0-6 road season in program history will be enough motivation for the Roadrunners.

Whatever it takes, the Roadrunners need this game. The best way to get it will be to cherish the football like it’s the last plate of leftovers and beat Army at its own clock control game. If UTSA can take advantage of its time with the ball by putting up points and keep Army from its patented quarter-length drives, the Roadrunners will be in good shape.

Also, making it 22 straight games with a takeaway will go a long way to boosting the Roadrunner chances. Also, lean into the weirdness of the series. Army has never lost in the Alamodome against UTSA, so why not flip that script and stay undefeated against Army at Michie Stadium.

The Roadrunners will get that key takeaway, and McCown will continue his climb up the UTSA record book as the Roadrunners close out the regular season on a high note before preparing for a bowl game.

UTSA 35 Army 21

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way