Rice and UTSA will meet for the 6th time in series history when they face off this weekend. The Roadrunners will look to even the series as the two teams look for a much needed win. Here are the key matchups to watch for this game.

RB Samuel Stewart (5-9, 205) // LB La’kel Bass (6-1, 230)

The bye week did Rice a world of good as Stewart returns after having to sit out the last two games because of injury. Don’t get fooled by Stewart’s subpar stats, he is a very good running back when healthy.

Bass has been UTSA’s best run stopping linebacker (6 run stuffs) on a defense that has struggled during conference play. That being said Bass still leads the team in tackles (5.5 TFLs, 1 sack), so he will have to play to his potential if UTSA wants to go back to being a dominant defense.

DE Brian Womac (6-2, 250) // QB Dalton Sturm (6-2, 205)

Womac is Rice’s most disruptive defensive lineman this season putting up Davenport-esque numbers. Womac has been able to be very effective against some solid teams this season and will look to continue to do so against UTSA’s offensive line.

Sturm has played really well in 2017 and will go up against on of the worst defense in CUSA. Womac and the rest of the Rice defense will give him issues, but look for him to continue to put up yards through the air and on the ground this game.

LB Emmanuel Ellerbee (6-1, 235) // RB Jalen Rhodes (5-9, 200)

The preseason selection for CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, Ellerbee has tried to keep this Rice defense together as best he can. He will try to stifle a UTSA running game that has really struggled the last two weeks.

Jalen Rhodes has struggled running the ball consistently during conference play, he will likely look to get back to his old ways versus a Rice defense that has some clear deficiencies. It won’t be easy now that Rice has gotten relatively healthy on both sides of the ball, but Rhodes is a good enough running back to create yards on the ground after contact.