UTSA reaches Game 150

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For the first time since Labor Day Weekend the UTSA Roadrunners are hitting the road this weekend. The Roadrunners will cross the Sabine River and continue heading northeastward until they reach the banks of the Tennessee River where they will take on the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.

It will be the Roadrunners fourth trip to the Volunteer State and the third in the last three seasons. UTSA is 3-0 in the state of Tennessee. The Roadrunners went 2-0 on the road against Middle Tennessee State, winning in 2016 and 2022. Two years ago the Roadrunners spotted the Memphis Tigers a 21-0 lead before coming back to win 31-28 on a last second field goal.

UTSA beating Tennessee would improve the Roadrunners to 4-0 in the state of Tennessee and also give UTSA its first win over a ranked opponent. It won't be easy for the Roadrunners.

While UTSA has only been around as a school for a little over half a century and is only in its 13th season, the University of Tennessee is older than the state of Tennessee itself. UT opened its doors in 1794. It was two years later when Tennessee entered the union as the 16th state. The University of Tennessee was born a year after famed Tennesseean-turned Texan Sam Houston.

The school took up the name Volunteers based on the fact that Tennesseans were known to volunteer to fight in any conflict during the early years of the 19th century, including the War of 1812 and the Texas Revolution.

Tennessee football began in 1891. Since then the Volunteers have amassed an overall record of 869-411-53. Tennessee has racked up 486 of those wins at Neyland Stadium since the stadium opened in 1921. The Volunteers have six claimed national championships and six unclaimed national championships, their most recent claimed championship being won back in 1998.

Since the start of the 2011 season, Tennessee is 82-68 overall. In that same span UTSA is 76-73. The game at Tennessee will be the 150th game in program history for UTSA.

In the other milestone games for UTSA the Roadrunners are 2-4. UTSA won its inaugural game in 2011 and the 125th game in program history two years ago against Rice. The Roadrunners lost the 25th game (2013 at Arizona), 50th game (2015 vs Colorado State), 75th game (2017 v. Southern Miss) and 100th game (2019 v. UAB).

UTSA will be the fastest to 150 games among the 13 FBS schools in Texas. The Roadrunners are playing their 150th game in the fourth game of their 13th season. Before UTSA the fastest to 150 had been the Houston Cougars in the ninth game of their 15th season. More on the history of 150 games in Texas FBS football history can be found on the chart lower down in the preview.

Game number 150 will pit the 1-2 Roadrunners against the 2-1 Tennessee Volunteers. Last week UTSA fell to Army 37-29. A day later on Saturday Tennessee fell 29-16 at the Florida Gators. That loss to the Gators snapped a four game winning streak for Tennessee that dated back to last season. The Volunteers beat Virginia at a neutral site in Nashville in week one and Austin Peay in week two in Knoxville.

This year's Volunteers have outscored their opponents 95-55 (31.67-18.33 per game). Tennessee has 1,342 yards of offense this season (447.3 per game). The Volunteers have thrown for 727 yards (242.33 per game) and run for 615 yards (205 per game). The Volunteer defense has allowed 889 yards (296.3 per game). Volunteer opponents have passed for 532 yards (177.33 per game) and run for 357 yards (119 per game).

UTSA has been outscored 67-63 this season (22.3-21 per game). The Roadrunners have 1,149 yards of offense this season (383 per game). UTSA has thrown for 662 yards (220.7 per game) and run for 487 yards (162.3 per game). Opponents of UTSA have combined for 1,018 yards (339.3 per game). UTSA's defense has allowed 632 yards passing (210.7 per game) and 386 yards rushing (128.7 per game).

For the second week in a row UTSA will enter the game not knowing if Frank Harris will be able to go after suffering a toe injury against Texas State. Harris is 221 yards away from reaching 10,000 passing yards for his career after racking up 423 yards through the first two games on 44 completions out of 73 pass attempts. Harris also threw for two touchdowns but had three interceptions in three straight pass attempts against Houston. Last week Eddie Lee Marburger got the start for UTSA and threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns against Army.

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton has completed 62 of his 97 pass attempts for 716 yards and six touchdowns through the first three games. Milton has thrown just one interception this season.

UTSA's leading rusher this season has been Kevorian Barnes with 245 yards on 51 carries and one touchdown. Robert Henry has run for 90 yards on 14 carries and scored a touchdown. Rocko Griffin has run for 81 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

The Volunteers leading running back is Jaylen Wright with 296 yards on 41 carries. Jabari Small has 197 yards on 33 carries. Milton and Dylan Sampson have scored three touchdowns each to account for all of Tennessee's rushing touchdowns.

Joshua Cephus has stepped into the number one role for UTSA receivers this season. Cephus has 24 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns. Tykee Ogle-Kellogg has stepped into the number two role with 10 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown.

Tennessee's leading receiver is Bru McCoy. McCoy has caught 12 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. Ramel Keyton leads the Volunteers in receiving touchdowns with two to go along with 157 yards on 11 catches.

UTSA was listed as 21-point underdogs on Wednesday leading up to the Tennessee game. The Roadrunners will have to overcome the hostile environment and might need a takeaway on defense to have a chance on Saturday.

It is possible that Frank Harris plays but it is probably more likely that Eddie Lee Marburger gets his second start in a row. UTSA will need to win the time of possession battle to keep the game close for as long as they can.

On defense the Roadrunners will need to try and reverse their turnover luck. A year ago UTSA didn't get its first turnover on defense until week four. Once the door opened the defense finished with 22 turnovers in 2022.

Even if the turnover door does open for the Roadrunner defense it will probably not be enough to get the win over Tennessee, a win that would also be the first over a ranked opponent.

This feels like last year's trip to Austin did. The Roadrunners fight hard, and possibly get an early lead, before Tennessee eventually makes the plays needed to give their shade of orange the win.

PREDICTION: TENNESSEE 38 UTSA 21

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way