The I-35 Rivalry renewed

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UTSA returns home this Saturday afternoon for its first game in the Alamodome since winning the Conference USA championship over rivals North Texas last December.

Joining the Roadrunners in the 2023 home opener is another rival. The Texas State Bobcats are making the 50 mile trek down from San Marcos.

This will be the first time in five years that the Bobcats are visiting the Alamodome. Back in 2018 UTSA won 25-21. Three years ago UTSA beat the Bobcats 51-48 in double overtime in San Marcos.

That game was historic not just for it being UTSA's fourth win in as many games against Texas State but also because it was the first time Jeff Traylor coached the Roadrunners in a football game.

Since that debut Traylor has gone above and beyond everything his two predecessors could have ever dreamed of. Traylor has gone 30-11 in his time at UTSA and won two conference championships. The Roadrunners have won the fourth most games in the country since the start of the 2021 season.

Looking to pick up some of Traylor's Gilmer magic, Texas State pulled their head coach from a branch of Traylor's coaching tree in the form of G.J. Kinne.

Kinne played one year for Traylor at Gilmer High School and then coached with Traylor at SMU and Arkansas. The two even shared the city of San Antonio last year. Traylor led UTSA to an 11-3 record and a second straight Conference USA crown. Kinne led the Incarnate Word Cardinals to a 12-2 record and the national semifinals of the FCS playoffs.

That success at UIW has carried over to Texas State, at least one week into the Kinne era in San Marcos.

Four times before UTSA and Texas State have played football against each other. Every time UTSA has come away victorious. Three of the four games have finished with a single digit scoring margin (2012, 2018, 2020) although the Roadrunners never trailed against the Bobcats in any game until the 2020 game in San Marcos.

This weekend will mark the second time in the series that Texas State enters the game with a better record on the season than the Roadrunners. In 2020 Texas State was 0-1 and UTSA was 0-0 when they met. In 2018 Texas State was 1-2 when they visited 0-3 UTSA in the Alamodome. A year earlier 2-0 UTSA had gone into San Marcos to face the 1-2 Bobcats. The first time the two schools played, back in 2012, both were members of the WAC. It was Thanksgiving weekend and 7-4 UTSA welcomed 3-7 Texas State.

Texas State will come into the Alamodome with probably more confidence than they had in any of the past four installments of the I-35 rivalry series. Last week the Bobcats went to the north bank of the Brazos River in Waco and smacked the Baylor Bears 42-31.

The Bobcats racked up 441 yards of total offense (298 yards passing and 143 yards rushing) and gave up 524 yards to Baylor's offense (416 yards passing and 108 yards rushing).

Baylor scored a field goal on their first drive of the game before Texas State scored a touchdown on their first drive to take lead they never surrendered the rest of the day.

Texas State's quarterback TJ Finley was completed 22 of 30 pass attempts for 298 yards and three touchdowns. The Bobcats had three different runners score touchdowns on the ground with running back Ismail Mahdi leading the way with 83 yards.

The Bobcats top receiver in the win at Waco was Joey Hobert with six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Texas State did lose two fumbles against Baylor but had a fumble recovery and interception against Baylor to offset their two giveaways.

While the Bobcats experienced the joys of beating Baylor in Waco, UTSA came up short in their opener against Houston despite racking up 417 yards of offense to 334 for the Cougars.

The Roadrunners had 209 yards passing and 208 yards rushing against Houston. Houston threw for 233 yards and ran for 101 yards.

Frank Harris accounted for all 209 yards passing for UTSA and threw a touchdown. Harris also threw three interceptions on three consecutive passes in the third quarter but Houston only got one touchdown off of those three turnovers. That touchdown proved to be the difference in a 17-14 loss for UTSA.

The three interceptions from Harris were the only turnovers by either team in Houston on Saturday night.

UTSA's leading rusher on Saturday was Kevorian Barnes who finished with 16 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown. The Roadrunners leading receiver was Joshua Cephus with nine catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.

The Roadrunners could be getting receiver De'Corian "JT" Clark back this weekend. His return could be a boost to the UTSA offense.

This game between the Roadrunners and Bobcats this weekend has a lot going for it. UTSA will be opening another season in the Alamodome and looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since the 2018 season. Texas State will be looking to spoil the opener and start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2013.

Of all of the games played between UTSA and Texas State this one is probably the highest anticipated of any since the inaugural meeting back in 2012. With this being the first time Jeff Traylor and GJ Kinne coaching against each other in college there is that feeling of newness that surrounded the teams in 2012.

It feels like Traylor v. Kinne could be part of this rivalry for the next several years. This year is also the start of a stretch where the teams will play each other every year until 2031. The Roadrunners and Bobcats will get real familiar with each other over the next few years.

Someday the Bobcats will get their first win in the series. They will certainly believe this Saturday is that time. The Roadrunners in the Alamodome is a different animal altogether. Both teams will be up for this game. UTSA will use the home crowd to their advantage and make the plays they need to pull out the win. Although Texas State will cover the 12 point spread.

PREDICTION: UTSA 30 Texas State 22

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way