SAN ANTONIO – The Roadrunners are eyeing a record-winning streak at the Alamodome as they host Texas State on Saturday afternoon in the “Battle for I-35.”
UTSA has won 10 consecutive home games and is 29-3 under coach Jeff Traylor. It leads the series with Texas State with a 5-1 record, including a 3-0 mark in San Antonio.
Last season in San Marcos, the Bobcats hammered the Roadrunners 49-10 for their first-ever win in the series.
Texas State coach G.J. Kinne said the rivalry with UTSA didn’t truly become competitive until recently. The Bobcats’ 2024 win solidified the matchup as a legitimate rivalry.
Traylor is still salty about last year.
“They totally embarrassed us last year,” Traylor said. “We couldn’t stop their passing game or their running game. They did whatever they wanted to us last year.”
UTSA opened this season on the road, losing at Texas A&M 42-24 on Aug. 30.
The Roadrunners (0-1) gave the Aggies a scare, trailing 21-17 early in the third quarter after a Robert Henry Jr. 75-yard touchdown run.
The Aggies (1-0) ultimately pulled away from there, but Henry grabbed Kinne’s attention.
“You can tell he (Henry) changed his body in the offseason,” Kinne said. “He’s faster, he’s stronger. They were doing some really good schemes with him on offense, showing some new wrinkles.
“To rush for 177 yards is one thing, but to do it against an SEC defense at their place is another,” Kinne continued. “He’s circled on the depth chart and the game plan. And we know we have to stop him.”
Texas State won its season opener at home, 52-27, against Eastern Michigan last Saturday.
Bobcats quarterback Brad Jackson, a redshirt freshman from Reagan High School, was sharp in his first start, going 18 for 26 for 214 yards in the air and four touchdown passes, all to Beau Sparks.
This week, Jackson will face the Roadrunners, who are trying to break their all-time home attendance record at the ‘Dome of 56,743 fans.
The Bobcats are doing all they can to get him ready for the noise. Jackson said going back to San Antonio is no big deal.
“For me, it’s just treating it like it’s another game,” Jackson said. “Every game has equal importance because it’s the next game. There’s no emotion, because when you tie emotions and start putting personal ties into that, that’s when it gets a little bit dangerous.”
Jackson is taking a team-first mentality as he looks to help the Bobcats start 2-0.
“I’m approaching it from a team standpoint,” Jackson said. “We’re going into San Antonio against a really good UTSA team, so we have to come to play. They’re going to have a good crowd, so we’re just going in there and doing the best we can.”
UTSA will host Texas State inside the Alamodome at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. That should enough motivation for Traylor’s squad.
“This isn’t the week the head coach should have to use any motivational tricks,” Traylor said. “If you do, then you’ve got the wrong team.”
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