UTSA's American Debut
UTSA opens its first season of American Conference play on Saturday with a game against Temple in Philadelphia
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A new era dawns for UTSA on Saturday afternoon when the Roadrunners open their American Conference experience in Philadelphia against Temple.
The American is the third conference that UTSA football has called home in its short history. All three of UTSA's conference experiences began on the road. In 2012 UTSA went to Las Cruces and beat New Mexico State 35-14 to open its only season in the WAC. A year later the Roadrunners stayed on the I-10 corridor when they opened their Conference USA experience with a 32-13 win at UTEP.
UTSA will not be on the I-10 corridor to open its experience in the American Conference, although the conference schedule maker decided that UTSA will close out its inaugural season in the conference on the I-10 corridor at Tulane.
Instead the Roadrunners are opening their conference experience off I-95 in Philadelphia where they will take on the Temple Owls. Temple has a long history academically and in football.
Temple began in 1884 as a night school for the working class of Philadelphia which led to the students being called "night owls". Temple became a college in 1888 and a university in 1907.
The Owls first fielded a football team in 1894. In the 1930s the Owls were coached by Pop Warner. Notable highlights during his tenure included the Owls playing Tulane in the inaugural Sugar Bowl in 1935 and setting an NCAA record for ties in a season with four in 1937. Temple was an independent from its founding until joining the Mid American Conference in 1958. The Owls went back to an independent from 1970-1990. Temple was in the Big East from 1991-2004, Independent from 2005-06 and returned to the MAC in 2007. In 2012 Temple rejoined the Big East and remained when that conference rebranded as the American in 2013.
Temple has an all-time record of 487-617-52. Since the start of the 2011 season the Owls record is 73-78.
Roadrunners enter the American Conference race
UTSA is one of three teams in the AAC that has yet to play a conference game this season. The other two are Florida Atlantic and North Texas. The Roadrunners will face a Temple team that has started its conference campaign. Last Thursday Temple was at Tulsa and lost 48-26.
Temple is 2-3 overall on the season. The Owls beat Akron in week one and Norfolk State in week three. Temple lost to Rutgers in week two and Miami in week four before losing at Tulsa last week.
The Owls have been outscored 155-105 this season (31-21 per game). Temple has 1,775 yards of total offense this season (355 per game). The Owls have thrown for 1,301 yards (260.2 per game) and run for 474 yards (94.8 per game). Temple's defense has allowed 2,047 yards to opponents (409.4 per game). Opponents of Temple have thrown for 977 yards (195.4 per game) and run for 1,070 yards (214 per game).
UTSA has been outscored 112-77 through the first four games this season (28-19.5 per game). The Roadrunners offense has 1,468 yards (367 per game). Three Roadrunner quarterbacks have combined for 893 yards passing (223.25 per game). UTSA has 575 yards rushing (143.8 per game). The Roadrunner defense has allowed 1,530 yards to opponents offenses (382.5 per game). Opponents of UTSA have thrown for 841 yards (210.3 per game) and run for 689 yards (172.3 per game).
Both UTSA and Temple are struggling in the turnover department. The Roadrunners have lost eight turnovers on offense and has one turnover on special teams, a fumble recovery against Tennessee. Temple has also lost eight turnovers on offense. The Owls have an interception and fumble recovery on defense.
NOTABLE PLAYERS
UTSA could be getting Frank Harris back this Saturday after he's missed the last two games with a turf toe injury. Harris completed 44 of his 73 attempts for 423 yards and two touchdowns in the first two games. Harris still sits 221 yards away from reaching 10,000 career passing yards.
If Harris can't go it will be up to either Eddie Lee Marburger or Owen McCown. Marburger has completed 29 of 47 pass attempts for 300 yards and three touchdowns. McCown completed 18 of his 20 passses in the second half against Tennessee for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Temple knows who their quarterback will be Saturday. E.J. Warner, son of NFL legend Kurt Warner, has completed 111 of his 206 pass attempts for 1,269 yards and seven touchdowns. A fun storyline for the game is the fact that McCown's father and Warner's father were teammates together on the Arizona Cardinals in the mid 2000s.
UTSA has had three running backs sharing the load this season. Kevorian Barnes leads with 64 carries for 285 yards and a touchdown. Robert Henry has 129 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Rocko Griffin has 95 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
The Owls leading rusher is Joquez Smith with 40 carries for 217 yards and a touchdown. Darvon Hubbard has 27 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown.
Joshua Cephus leads the Roadrunner receivers with 31 catches for 305 yards and three touchdowns. Tykee Ogle-Kellogg has 12 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Devin McCuin has eight catches for 126 yards and a touchdown.
Temple's leading receiver is Amad Anderson Jr with 25 catches for 372 yards and a touchdown. Dante Wright has 17 catches for 221 yards and a touchdown.
Stephen's Prognostication
UTSA Roadrunners of old opened their previous conference stays with victory. The 2012 Roadrunners won at New Mexico State to start a short tenure in the WAC. A year later the Roadrunners began a decade in Conference USA with a win at UTEP.
This year's Roadrunners would like to follow in the footsteps of those old Roadrunner teams and begin its American era with a win. On paper it would look like the Roadrunners have a good chance to make it three-for-three in conference debuts.
How it turns out on the field will come down to a few things. The biggest could be turnovers. Both offenses have had issues with ball control in the first month of the season. The defense that is more opportunistic and wins the turnover battle will likely go a long way to deciding the game. The forecast for Philly on Saturday includes rain. This might be a good time for UTSA's defense to join the Roadrunners special teams unit and come away with a turnover.
UTSA's chances for victory will improve if they can get the run game going. If UTSA can keep the ball and run up and down the field at Lincoln Financial Field it will put them on the path to a win.
If Frank Harris is able to come back that will also improve UTSA's odds for victory. If not the Roadrunners will have to call on Marburger or McCown. Regardless of who is QB for the Roadrunners the only way they win the game is to contain Temple's offense, come away with more turnovers and establish the run. If there is rain that could keep the score low.
PREDICTION: UTSA 24 Temple 20
FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way