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For a while on Saturday Afternoon it looked like UTSA might be on its way to its first win over a ranked opponent in program history before the sixth largest crowd in program history. For a while it looked like UTSA was the team headed to the Big 12 conference next fall as they were containing the number 24 ranked Houston Cougars offense and working the ball downfield against the Houston defense.

It wasn't to be for the Roadrunners as they fell to the Cougars, 37-35, in triple overtime before a boisterous Alamodome crowd of 37,526.

"We proved again we can play with anybody in the country," UTSA Head Coach Jeff Traylor said after the game. "[This] one hurts so much, we know we belong and we didn't get it done and that's on me."

The leadup to the game was how would UTSA handle Houston's defense and could the Roadrunners defense contain Houston quarterback Clayton Tune. UTSA had more yards of total offense and more passing yards than Houston. The Roadrunner defense also got more sacks on Tune than the Cougars had on UTSA quarterback Frank Harris.

In the end though the Roadrunners found out some lessons that will stand them in good stead somewhere down the road. For one thing, mistakes against a team of Houston's caliber are costly.

The biggest mistake came in the third quarter when UTSA had stopped Houston on fourth and one in the Cougars territory with a 21-7 lead. The Roadrunners were called for a penalty for too many men on the field and Houston got a first down.

"It was a substitution error," Traylor said of the penalty that turned the momentum of the game. "Strictly coaching, It's on the head coach."

Six plays later the Cougars had cut the Roadrunner deficit to 21-14 and momentum had shifted to the visitors from the Bayou City.

The early stages of the game did not portend how the game would go. Neither team was able to score as Houston had trouble going toward the south end of the Alamodome where the UTSA student section was giving its all to make noise and disrupt the Cougar offense. Only five of the Cougars 37 points came in the south end of the field.

"We appreciate everybody coming out and making some noise. We feed off the energy that they bring, whether it's a home game or an away game," Harris said. "It definitely does not go unnoticed and we hope to see everybody in the Alamodome when we play again."

Houston finally got on the board just 58 seconds into the second quarter on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Tune to wide receiver Nathaniel Dell.

The Cougars kickoff went out of bounds and UTSA started on their own 35. In three plays the Roadrunners picked up 14 yards to move the ball to their own 49. Harris threw a short route to Josh Cephus who broke a few tackles and went 51 yards to the end zone. Jared Sackett added the extra point and UTSA tied the score at 7-7 with 12:20 left in the second quarter.

UTSA took their first lead of the afternoon on their next possession when Harris broke through the Cougar defense and dragged two Cougars with him into the end zone for the touchdown. With 6:30 left in the second quarter UTSA led 14-7.

The Roadrunners increased their lead on their second drive of the third quarter. Harris and DeCorian Clark connected for a 15-yard touchdown with 4:12 left in the third quarter. UTSA's lead was 21-7 and visions of the first win over a ranked opponent began to dance in Roadrunner fans' heads.

Those visions dancing began to pick up pace when it appeared UTSA had stopped Houston on fourth and one at the Cougar 34-yard line. It wasn't to be as the too many men on the field penalty gave new life to the Cougars. They took advantage of it to cut the UTSA lead to 21-14.

UTSA's next drive reached the 50 but Harris was hit as he threw and Houston's Nelson Ceasor intercepted the pass and returned it to the UTSA 20.

One play later Tune connected with Joseph Manjack IV for a 20-yard touchdown and Houston had tied the score at 21-21 with 12:19 left in the fourth quarter.

"He's a great player, man," UTSA Safety Rashad Wisdom said. "We knew he would be able to get around and be dangerous on his feet. You know, just he just made some great plays."

UTSA's next drive started at the 50 after the Houston kick went out of bounds but it only got 11 yards before ending in a punt. Houston took over at their own five yard line with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter.

The Cougars then drove 77 yards in 10:30 and kicked a 35-yard field goal with 23 seconds left to take a 24-21 lead.

UTSA got the ball back, down three, with 23 seconds left and no timeouts. In a drive reminiscent of the final drive against UAB last season, Harris led the Roadrunners down the field. With two seconds left, Sackett came on for a 37-yard field goal. The kick was good and the game went to overtime with the score tied at 24.

"We never give up," Harris said. "I kept telling the guys, keep believing, if we get an opportunity, we have to go out there and try our best and that's what we did."

Houston won the toss and elected to go on offense first. UTSA elected to play the first overtime in front of the student section. The two teams had to settle for field goals in the first overtime. Houston's was from 35 yards out, UTSA's from 39 yards out.

The rule that was changed prior to last season is that teams now have to go for two after touchdowns in the second overtime. From the third overtime on, the game turns into something like a penalty shootout as both teams have one play to score a two-point conversion.

Houston started the second overtime on offense and scored on a one yard run by Tune. Tune then threw the two point conversion to Dell. It looked like Dell had stepped out as he caught the ball and on the field it was ruled incomplete. The play went to video review and it was changed to a completion. Houston now led 35-27.

Harris led the Roadrunners to the end zone with a 13-yard pass to Clark and then tied the score by running the two point conversion try in to tie the score at 35-35 and send the game to a third overtime.

Houston went on offense first in the third overtime. UTSA got pressure on Tune but he escaped it and made his course for the end zone. There were several Roadrunners converging on him and Tune elected to dive for the end zone. He landed in the end zone and Houston had a 37-35 lead.

Harris and the Roadrunners had one chance to tie the game and force a fourth overtime. The play broke from the start but Harris kept it alive. Harris scrambled to the left and looked for someone in the end zone. His pass to the corner fell incomplete although it appeared his receiver had been interfered with on the route.

There was no flag, only the sounds of celebration from the red-clad fans who had made the trip from Houston and the Cougars erupting from the sideline.

"Those kids, they sold out, man," Traylor said of his team after the game. "They gave everything they had, every single ounce, fiber they had. They are the hardest playing kids in the country. I'll put them up against anybody."

UTSA will be on the road the next two weeks. Next Saturday they play at the Army Black Knights in West Point. That game is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be shown on CBS Sports Network.

If it is anything like the UTSA v. Houston game, CBS Sports Network might just want to show all of the Roadrunners games.

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