Texas State football aims to tame the Roadrunners once more

Last season, the I-35 Showdown saw a first for Texas State football (1-0)  as it finally took down UTSA (0-1) for the first time in series history. The Bobcats thumped the Roadrunners 49-10.

Now, Texas State looks to continue that momentum in 2025, but this time in an entirely new, yet familiar, setting: The Alamodome.

Since Jeff Traylor became UTSA’s head coach in 2020, the Roadrunners have been dominant in the Alamodome, compiling a 29-3 record at home. Texas State has yet to beat UTSA in the Alamodome since the two programs started playing FBS football in 2012.

Head Coach G.J. Kinne and company now seek to become just the fourth visiting team since 2020 to come away with a victory against the Roadrunners in the Alamodome.

UTSA is looking for a bounce-back season following a down year in 2024, after going 7-6. Compared to seasons under coach Traylor prior to last season, the Roadrunners struggled greatly due to their defense being one of the American Athletic Conference’s worst, along with a struggling offense that was working to find its footing.

Going into 2025, the offense is expected to be potentially one of the most productive among non-power four programs. The Roadrunners will be led by redshirt junior quarterback Owen McCown, who was UTSA’s starting quarterback last season.

While Texas State was more than able to handle McCown in last year’s matchup, it might be a tougher challenge this season, given that he will have the comfort of playing at home and will have plenty of veteran playmakers to help him out.

The Roadrunners offense will feature several returners in the receiving corps, including wide receivers David Amador II, Willie McCoy III and Devin McCuin. The tight end room is arguably the best in the American Conference, featuring Houston Thomas and Patrick Overmyer as reliable targets.

The same cannot be said regarding returners when it comes to defense. UTSA will have a lot to work on when it comes to patching up and crafting an effective defense.

The Roadrunners statistically had one of the worst defenses in college football last season as they gave up an average of 30.1 points per game. On top of that, numerous defensive starters departed for the transfer portal, leaving questions regarding UTSA’s defense going into this upcoming season.

Texas State sophomore wide receiver Chris Dawn, Jr. (1) converts a touchdown catch in the end zone against UTSA, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at UFCU Stadium. (Sarah Manning)

Texas State will head to San Antonio looking for its first victory in the Alamodome with a mix of new and old faces.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Brad Jackson, who was announced to be the starting QB by Kinne during a post-practice conference on Aug. 26, will presumably start against the Roadrunners in what will be one of his first tests as the starting QB.

Jackson had minimal playing time across three games last season, showing mostly his running abilities as he rushed for 162 yards on 22 attempts, notching four touchdowns.

Jackson will have plenty of weapons at his disposal to counter McCown’s, featuring wide receivers Chris Dawn Jr, Beau Sparks, Tyrin Smith and L.J. Johnson Jr to air it out. On the ground, the Bobcats will have plenty to choose from as well, with such options as running backs Lincoln Pare and Greg Burrell.

The Bobcats and Roadrunners had similar issues, particularly on defense and discipline, that they both hope to correct this season.

Texas State had a middle-of-the-pack defense last year as they gave up 24.5 points per game, and many starters from the previous season left through the transfer portal, with most of them landing new roles at schools in power conferences.

Both programs also dealt with plenty of issues regarding discipline. The Roadrunners were one of the most penalized teams last season, committing 113 penalties that resulted in a total of 1,054 yards, according to cfbstats. In comparison, the Bobcats committed 88 penalties that tallied 834 yards.

Texas State looked impressive in week one, putting up over 600 yards of total offense on the Eastern Michigan defense leading to a 1-0 start to the season. UTSA had a rougher go in week one, running into the No. 19 ranked Aggies. UTSA pulled within one score of the Aggies in the second quarter, but A&M’s depth ultimately led them to a 42-24 victory.

The week two matchup between the Bobcats and Roadrunners will be an early test for both teams as the I-35 Showdown shifts back to San Antonio. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Alamodome. It will be available to stream on ESPN+.