The last game vs Louisiana Tech

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The football regular season is 75 percent complete. UTSA has completed the first three quarters of the season with a 7-2 record and a 5-0 start to their final ride through Conference USA.

UTSA begins the home stretch of the regular season this Saturday when they welcome Louisiana Tech to the Alamodome. The Roadrunners will have two of their last three games at home as the quest to repeat as conference champions on home field continues to pick up steam.

All the Roadrunners have to do to wrap up home field in the conference championship game is win two of their last three. Of course they would like to win all three. First things first is beating Louisiana Tech.

Louisiana Tech began in 1894 as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana. In 1898 the name changed to Louisiana Industrial Institute. Three years later the school in Ruston fielded its first football team.

The Bulldogs joined their first conference in 1915 when they became members of the Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Since joining the LIAA, Louisiana Tech football has played in eight different conferences, including Conference USA.

In 1921 the school was renamed Louisiana Polytechnic Institute. It would carry that name until 1970 when it took on its current moniker of Louisiana Tech University.

The Bulldogs won three straight Division II National Championships in the early 70s. Since their first season of football the Bulldogs have compiled an all-time record of 641-484-38. In the years since UTSA began playing football, Louisiana Tech has a record of 84-64.

Saturday will be the 11th meeting all-time between UTSA and Louisiana Tech. The first 10 meetings saw Louisiana Tech win seven and UTSA win three. UTSA won in 2013 and 2020 in the Alamodome before getting their first win in Ruston last season.

Now the Roadrunners go for three wins in a row against Louisiana Tech before leaving the conference after the season.

The Louisiana Tech that is heading to the Alamodome this weekend is not the high powered Bulldogs of old but even with a 3-6 record and 2-3 in conference they will still give UTSA a challenge on Saturday.

Through the first nine games Louisiana Tech is averaging 32.56 points per game and giving up 37.89 points per game. Most of their games haven't been that close. All three of their wins have been by two scores or more. Four of their six losses have been by two scores or more.

UTSA on the other hand has had five of their first nine games decided by one score. The Roadrunners are averaging 36.56 points per game and giving up 30.33 points per game.

The Roadrunner offense is averaging 490.2 yards per game and opponents are racking up 434.4 yards against UTSA. On offense UTSA is averaging 325.33 yards per game passing and 164.9 yards per game rushing. Opponents of UTSA are averaging 276 yards passing and 158.4 yards rushing per game.

Louisiana Tech's offense is averaging 403.1 yards per game of offense. The Bulldogs have averaged 288.89 yards per game passing and 114.2 yards per game rushing. Opponents of the Bulldogs are averaging 470 yards of offense per game. The Bulldog defense has allowed 235.78 yards passing and 234.2 yards rushing per game.

NOTABLE PLAYERS

UTSA's trinity of receivers suffered a big loss last week when JT Clark left the UAB game in the first quarter with season-ending leg injury. Clark's final stat-line for 2022 will be 51 catches for 741 yards and eight touchdowns.

The show must go on and leading that show is Frank Harris. Harris is seventh in the nation with 2,823 yards passing on 228 completions. He has also thrown for 21 touchdowns to go with 345 yards and five touchdowns running the ball.

Harris will still have two of his great trio available in Zakhari Franklin and Josh Cephus. Franklin has caught 62 passes for 768 yards and nine touchdowns. Cephus has caught 66 passes for 742 yards and four touchdowns.

Louisiana Tech counters with a passing game led by quarterback Parker McNeil. McNeil has seen action in all but one game this season, completing 123 of 214 attempts for 1,908 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The Bulldogs leading receiver is Tre Harris with 49 catches for 803 yards and nine touchdowns. Smoke Harris is second on the team with 48 catches for 493 yards and four touchdowns. Smoke Harris has also handled the kick/punt return duties for the Bulldogs picking up 163 yards on kick returns and 244 yards on punt returns.

As far as the running game goes UTSA has a committee of backs led by Brendan Brady. Brady has 138 carries for 570 yards and seven touchdowns. Kevorian Barnes has climbed up the rushing rankings in recent weeks and has 52 carries for 316 yards and three touchdowns.

Louisiana Tech's running game is led by Marquis Crosby. Crosby has carried the ball 127 times for 694 yards and five touchdowns.

UTSA returns to the Alamodome for the first time in three weeks. Louisiana Tech is 0-5 on the road this season. The Alamodome crowd should be up for the game as it will be military appreciation day on Saturday.

The loss of Clark is a tough one for UTSA but it will provide an opportunity for other receivers and possibly tight ends like Oscar Cardenas and Dan Dishman to step into larger roles in the offense.

More than half of UTSA's games this season have been decided by one score. This one will be close at first but UTSA has enough firepower to pull away from the Bulldogs. It won't be a blowout win like the Roadrunners had last year in Ruston but the Roadrunners should be able to get a two-score win.

My Pick: UTSA 38 Louisiana Tech 24

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way