UTSA Roadrunners (4-6, 3-3) vs. Florida Atlantic Owls (7-3, 5-1)

5 p.m. | Nov. 23, 2019

Alamodome (36,582) | San Antonio, Texas

TV: ESPN+

Radio: Ticket 760 AM

Opening drive

• UTSA will honor its senior class in a pregame ceremony on Saturday.

• This will be the second meeting between UTSA and Florida Atlantic.

• The Owls won the only previous matchup, 41-37, in 2014.

• UTSA needs three tackles for loss to tie the program's single-season record of 77 set in 2016.

• The game will air on ESPN+, marking the 83rd straight UTSA contest to be broadcast.

Setting the scene

UTSA will honor its senior class on Saturday against Florida Atlantic for the final home game of the season. Kickoff for the second meeting between the Roadrunners (4-6, 3-3 C-USA) and Owls (7-3, 5-1) is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Alamodome and the Conference USA matchup will air on ESPN+ and Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area.

Tuning in

The game will air on the ESPN+ digital network, which can be found online at plus.espn.com and via the ESPN app. David Saltzman (play-by-play), LaDarrin McLane (analyst) and Brooke Shoemaker (reporter) have the call. The contest will air live on the Roadrunners Sports Network and can be heard in the San Antonio area on Ticket 760 AM. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (sideline reporter) will call all the action. The pregame show will begin at 3 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The broadcast also can be heard live online at goUTSA.com and ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app, as well as Sirius XM Internet channel 978.

About ESPN+

UTSA's game at UTEP will stream live on the ESPN+ digital network. ESPN+ is a direct-to-consumer (no cable or satellite subscription needed) streaming service that costs $4.99 per month. ESPN+ can be found online at plus.espn.com and via the ESPN app. Subscribers will receive access to thousands of live events, original shows and films and an on-demand library, which is not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. ESPN+ is NOT included with your cable/satellite subscription, and ESPN+ does NOT include other ESPN content (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ESPN3, etc). It is a completely standalone subscription.

Who's counting?

Saturday's league tilt will mark the 105th game in UTSA history and the 53rd home contest. The Roadrunners are 45-59 all-time and 26-26 at the Alamodome.

Similar startups

Saturday's Conference USA matchup will feature a pair of NCAA modern startup programs. After a practice season in 2010, UTSA began playing football as an FCS Independent in 2011. The Roadrunners made the move to the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012 season and then joined Conference USA in 2013. The Owls started playing the sport in 2001 as an FCS Independent and joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2005 before moving into C-USA beginning with the 2013 campaign.

Scouting Florida Atlantic

The Owls, who were off last weekend, enter Saturday's game with a 7-3 overall record and they are tied atop the East Division with a 5-1 mark. After opening the season with back-to-back setbacks to a pair of nationally ranked teams in Ohio State and UCF, Florida Atlantic has won seven of its last eight contests with its only loss a narrow 36-31 decision to Marshall on Oct. 18. The Owls are averaging 33.5 points and 434.8 yards per game and they are allowing 24.1 points and 393.2 yards per outing. Sophomore quarterback Chris Robison has completed 212 of 337 passes for 2,637 yards and 18 touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Deangelo Antoine is the top pass catcher with 51 receptions for 590 yards and four TDs. Senior tight end Harrison Bryant has hauled in 48 passes for 708 yards and a pair of touchdowns and freshman running back Malcolm Davidson is the top rusher with 517 yards and eight scores on 79 totes. Linebackers Akileis Leroy and Rashad Smith are the top tacklers with 76 stops apiece, while Leroy paces the defense with 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Head coach Lane Kiffin is 23-13 in his third season in Boca Raton.

Wilson's connection to Kiffin

UTSA head coach Frank Wilson spent the 2009 season as an assistant coach for Tennessee under head coach Lane Kiffin. Wilson tutored the wide receivers in his only year in Knoxville, helping the Volunteers to a 7-6 record and Chick-fil-A Bowl appearance. Additionally, Lane's father, Monte, who currently serves as a defensive analyst for Florida Atlantic, also was on that Tennessee staff as the defensive coordinator that fall.

Series history

This will be the second meeting between UTSA and Florida Atlantic. The Owls scored a 41-37 victory in the only previous matchup between the two teams.

Last meeting

Jaquez Johnson's 15-yard touchdown pass to Nate Terry with 20 seconds remaining capped a furious fourth-quarter rally in the final eight minutes and Florida Atlantic stunned UTSA by a score of 41-37 on Sept. 27, 2014, in Boca Raton, Fla. Johnson, who was 24-of-34 for 295 yards and three touchdowns, helped the Owls overcome a 10-point deficit in the final frame by completing a dozen passes for 175 yards and two TDs. After Sean Ianno gave the Roadrunners a 37-27 lead with his third field goal of the contest, a 27-yarder with 7:54 remaining, Johnson promptly led FAU on a 11-play, 75-yard touchdown march that culminated in a 21-yard scoring toss to Lucky Whitehead with 4:10 to go. The Owls got the ball back after a three-and-out and Johnson then connected on passes of 10 and 36 yards to Jenson Stoshak and Whitehead, respectively, to reach the UTSA 34 and help set up the go-ahead score. The Roadrunners had a chance to win the game with seven seconds remaining following Kam Jones' program-record 87-yard kickoff return, but Tucker Carter passes intended for Cole Hubble and Marcellus Mack from the 13-yard line fell incomplete.

Last time out

Lowell Narcisse turned in the seventh 300-yard passing game in UTSA history but Southern Miss outscored the Roadrunners 20-7 in the second half in a 36-17 victory in Conference USA on Saturday night at the Alamodome. Narcisse completed 21 of 40 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns to lead UTSA to 422 yards of offense, the second straight game with 400-plus yards. Zakhari Franklin nearly recorded his second straight 100-yard receiving game, as the freshman wide receiver caught a team-best seven passes for 97 yards. Carlos Strickland II was on the receiving end of five passes for 79 yards and his team-leading third touchdown of the season, while Joshua Cephus caught three balls for 95 yards and his first career TD, a 75-yard catch-and-run that opened the scoring for the Roadrunners.

Close to home

The 2019 schedule has kept the Roadrunners close to home, as the first eight games on the slate all were played in the state of Texas. That stretch ended with a trip to Norfolk, Va, on Nov. 9 for the 24-23 road win over Old Dominion. UTSA will play the second of back-to-back home games this Saturday against Florida Atlantic, as the Roadrunners will play 10 of their first 11 games in the Lone Star State. The only other regular season contest outside the state borders will be against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 30 in Ruston.

Ground attack

UTSA has used a potent ground attack to power its offense this season. The Roadrunners have piled up 1,630 yards through the first 10 games, an average of 163.0 per contest, which ranks sixth in Conference USA. They are rushing for 173.0 yards per game in league play, good for fifth in the circuit. UTSA has recorded two of the top eight team rushing yardage totals in program history this season, as the Roadrunners gained 320 (No. 3) in the 26-16 win over UTEP on Oct. 5 and tallied 284 (No. 8) in the 35-7 triumph over UIW on Aug. 31. UTSA has registered four individual 100-yard rushing performances this fall — two by quarterbacks — and is one of 21 FBS teams to boast at least three 100-yard rushers in 2019. In the season opener versus UIW, sophomore signal caller Frank Harris set a program record for rushing yards by a QB with 123 on 15 carries. A pair of Roadrunners topped the century mark in the C-USA victory at UTEP, as freshman tailback Sincere McCormick gashed the Miners for a school-record 189 yards on 22 totes and sophomore quarterback Lowell Narcisse carried 19 times for 115 yards. McCormick topped the century for the second time in his young career with 134 on 23 carries in the 24-23 win over Old Dominion. He leads the team with 788 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while Narcisse has tallied 472 yards and four scores on the ground.

Sincere success

UTSA tailback Sincere McCormick has enjoyed a record-breaking start to his collegiate career and he recently was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Midseason Watch List for his performance this fall. Through 10 games, the 5-9, 200-pounder has rushed 148 times for 788 yards and eight touchdowns, all team highs. He is posting 78.8 rushing yards per contest, good for sixth overall in the league and first among freshmen. In fact, the Converse Judson High School product stands fourth among all FBS freshmen in both rushing yards and rushing yards per game. On Oct. 5, he gashed UTEP for 189 yards on 22 carries to eclipse by three yards the school record for single-game rushing yardage previously held by Jarveon Williams, also a former Judson Rocket. He topped the century mark for the second time with 134 yards and a pair of TDs on 23 totes in the 24-23 victory at Old Dominion on Nov. 9. As the first true freshman to start at tailback in a season opener since the inaugural game in 2011, McCormick gained 74 yards on 12 totes with a long of 47 in the 35-7 victory over UIW. He followed that performance with 87 yards and two scores on 12 rushes, including a season-long 54-yard TD scamper, against Baylor. McCormick, who rushed for 3,407 yards and 43 touchdowns during his prep career, posted 53 total yards and scored his third rushing TD of the season versus Army. He added 62 rushing yards on 16 carries against North Texas before his record-setting night in El Paso that featured a 51-yard TD dash in the fourth quarter. He ran for 94 yards and a TD on 14 carries in the 31-27 victory over Rice and added 43 rushing yards to go along with a 44-yard reception against Texas A&M. McCormick leads the Roadrunners with 962 all-purpose yards and his average of 96.2 per game stands sixth among FBS freshmen. He is chasing Williams' single-season rushing yardage record of 1,042 (2015) and all-purpose yards standard of 1,121 (2016) and he is one TD shy of Jalen Rhodes' single-season mark of nine from 2016.

Sophomore signal caller steps up

Sophomore quarterback Lowell Narcisse has stepped up in his role as UTSA's starter after an injury to Frank Harris on the second snap of the North Texas game on Sept. 21. The 6-3, 230-pound lefthander has passed for 1,140 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 472 yards and four TDs this fall. He saw limited action in the first three games but did score his first touchdown in a UTSA uniform on a 2-yard keeper against Army. A native of St. James, La., Narcisse entered the North Texas contest off the bench and carried the ball 15 times for 98 yards and completed 16 passes for 124 yards. In his first start as a Roadrunner, he rushed for 115 yards and a TD on 19 attempts to become the second QB this season and third in UTSA history to top the century mark on the ground. He also provided a highlight-reel play in the third quarter of that contest when he scrambled to his left and tiptoed near the sideline before tossing an off-balance throw to Blaze Moorhead for an 18-yard scoring connection. He added a game-high 86 rushing yards and his third TD of the season in the UAB contest and followed that by completing 19 of 29 for 212 yards and a pair of TDs in the 31-27 victory over Rice on Oct. 19. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 240 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown pass with 2:41 left to play, in the 24-23 victory at Old Dominion before enjoying his best passing performance as a Roadrunner in his last outing. He threw for a season-high 325 yards and a pair of TDs on 22-of-40 passing against Southern Miss, the seventh 300-yard passing game in program history and the first in two seasons. His touchdown passes went for 75 yards to Joshua Cephus and 51 yards to Carlos Strickland, and his performance now ranks third on the school's single-game passing yardage list. Narcisse has thrown for 867 yards and five TDs on 65-of-86 passing in his last four contests, with 777 yards and all five scores coming in league play. With at least a pair of games left on the fall slate, he is only 73 yards shy of UTSA's single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback of 545 set by Dalton Sturm in 2017. Narcisse, who redshirted in 2017 at LSU before transferring to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for the 2018 season, was a four-star recruit and rated as the fifth-best dual-threat QB in the nation as a prep senior in 2016.

Franklin bursts onto scene

After appearing in just three of UTSA's first six games, true freshman wide receiver Zakhari Franklin has burst onto the scene over the last four contests. Entering the Oct. 19 matchup with Rice with only three receptions for 30 yards to his name, the Cedar Hill High School product has hauled in 23 passes for 303 yards and a pair of touchdowns during the last four outings. He emerged as a reliable target with four catches for 26 yards, including a pair of 8-yard TD grabs — in the 31-27 victory over the Owls. Franklin again was on the receiving end of four passes for 46 yards at Texas A&M on Nov. 2 before opening eyes with a record-setting performance against Old Dominion on Nov. 9. The 6-1, 185-pounder had six receptions for 134 yards, including a season-long 65-yarder in the opening quarter. His performance ranks third on UTSA's single-game receiving yardage chart and is the top showing by a freshman in program history, bettering Kam Jones' 120-yard game at McNeese State in 2011. Franklin nearly turned in his second straight 100-yard receiving game with 97 yards on a season-best seven catches against Southern Miss in his last action. For the year, he ranks second on the team with 26 catches, 333 yards and two TDs and his 47.6 yards-per-game average paces the receiving corps.

Sure-handed Strickland

UTSA junior tight end Carlos Strickland II has emerged as one of the top targets for the passing game this fall. A transfer from Kansas State who began his collegiate career at California, he leads the Roadrunners with 29 receptions, 337 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns through 10 games. A former four-star recruit out of Dallas Skyline High School, he posted his best game of the season in the 31-27 triumph over Rice, hauling in six passes for 86 yards on Oct. 19. Strickland was on the receiving end of five passes for 79 yards, including a 51-yard TD reception, against Southern Miss in his last outing. He registered four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening triumph over UIW and also was on the receiving end of four passes for 38 yards versus Army West Point. He caught his second TD pass of the season on an 11-yard reception for the go-ahead score in the 24-23 win at Old Dominion. Listed at 6-4, 230, Strickland joined UTSA as a walk-on for the spring semester before earning a scholarship this summer. The graduate student carries a perfect 4.0 GPA as a special education major.

Experience up front

UTSA boasted one of the most-experienced offensive lines in the nation entering the 2019 campaign. The Roadrunners returned a combined 46 starts from the 2018 season, which ranked 14th among FBS teams going into this fall. Three of the returnees started all 12 contests last fall: Kevin Davis at center, preseason all-conference selection Josh Dunlop at right guard and right tackle and Trevion Shannon at left tackle. Additionally, 2018 Conference USA All-Freshman Team honoree Spencer Burford made starts at left guard in all 10 games he was cleared to play, while Jalyn Galmore drew the starting assignment at right tackle in the first five contests before suffering a season-ending injury. Jacob Graner also is back after starting three games at guard. The experience up front is part of nine total offensive starters back this fall, which is tied for fourth among all FBS teams. UTSA's starting line of Burford, Davis, Dunlop, Shannon and center Ahofitu Maka now owns a combined 106 appearances and 101 starts.

Veteran defensive line boasts depth, experience

Much like the offensive side of the ball, big men lead the defense, especially when it comes to experience. UTSA welcomed back this season 11 defensive linemen who have seen previous action for the Roadrunners. Leading the way and now owning 36 starts in 43 games played is senior defensive tackle Baylen Baker . Fellow senior Jarrod Carter-McLin , who boasts 45 career appearances, started all 12 contests at defensive end last fall and has drawn the start in nine of the first 10 games this season. Senior Eric Banks leads all active players with 46 career appearances, one game shy of the school record, and he has made 19 career starts.

Creating havoc

The UTSA defense has become known for its attacking style during the Frank Wilson era, as the Roadrunners have posted a combined 302 tackles for loss, 93 sacks and 109 quarterback hurries in three-plus seasons. In surrendering just 209 yards of offense in the season-opening win against UIW, the Roadrunners recorded seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage — including four sacks — and pressured the quarterback seven times. UTSA tallied five stops for loss, including a sack by Rashad Wisdom , against Baylor and totaled five TFL and a pair of sacks, to go along with three forced fumbles — two of which were recovered — against the run-happy Army offense. Seven different players had a hand in a stop behind the line against North Texas and UTSA registered nine tackles for loss — including a season-best-tying four sacks — in the 26-16 triumph over UTEP. The Roadrunners added seven stops behind the line against UAB and nine TFL and a pair of sacks — which came on the final two defensive snaps — in the 31-27 victory over Rice. UTSA tackled Texas A&M players in the backfield six times, including a trio of sacks, and then registered a season-high 10 TFL with three sacks in the 24-23 win at Old Dominion. In their last outing, the Roadrunners registered nine stops behind the line against Southern Miss to give them 74 for the season, three short of the program record of 77 set in 2016 in 13 games. Eighteen different Roadrunners have had a hand in a TFL and UTSA now is averaging 7.4 tackles for loss, which ranks second in C-USA and 18th nationally, and 2.0 sacks per game this season.

D-line depth on display

UTSA has used a heavy rotation on the defensive line this season, playing as many as three players at each position. That strategy keeps the unit fresh and spreads the wealth of stats among a dozen players. Of the 74 tackles for loss and 20 sacks recorded by the Roadrunners so far this season, the defensive line has been responsible for 42 TFL and 14 sacks. Leading the way is junior defensive tackle Jaylon Haynes , who has 33 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and three quarterback hurries. Senior defensive end Jarrod Carter-McLin is right on his heels with 31 tackles, 7.5 TFL and three sacks to go along with a pair of QB pressures, one interception, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery, which sealed the 24-23 win at Old Dominion. Meanwhile, junior defensive end DeQuarius Henry has registered 24 tackles, including seven TFL and a team-high four sacks. Fellow junior DE Lorenzo Dantzler has made the most of his 17 stops, with five coming behind the line, including a trio of sacks, to go along with a team-best four QB hurries. Senior DT Baylen Baker has turned in 17 stops with three coming behind the line, to go along with one PBU and a pair of pressures, while senior DE Eric Banks owns 2.5 TFL, a pair of sacks and two QB hurries.

Senior bookends leaving their mark

UTSA's senior defensive end tandem of Eric Banks and Jarrod Carter-McLin forms one of the most disruptive d-line duos in Conference USA. A former high school quarterback in Memphis, Tenn., who weighed 230 pounds as a freshman at UTSA, Banks has turned in 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The 6-5 former two-sport East High School star now weighs 270 pounds and is the most experienced player on the roster in terms of games played with 46, one appearance shy of the school record. Banks has totaled 73 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, five forced fumbles — fifth in school history — and three PBUs during his career. Meanwhile, Carter-McLin has posted 31 tackles, 7.5 TFL and a trio of sacks, two QB pressures and one PBU to go along with an interception against UAB, a forced fumble against Army West Point and a fumble recovery that secured the win at Old Dominion. A product of perennial prep powerhouse Carthage High School, he has appeared in 45 career contests and owns 74 tackles, 13 TFL, four sacks, seven PBUs, two forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries and an interception. The former prep tight end also was on the receiving end of a 30-yard pass on UTSA's first fake field-goal attempt in 2016 against UTEP.

Martel makes most of position switch

UTSA senior Andrew Martel spent his first three seasons as a safety and special teams standout for the Roadrunners. Prior to spring practice this year, he made the move to linebacker to help fill a void left by departed 2018 starters Josiah Tauaefa and Les Maruo . The Richmond, Texas, native has flourished in his new role this season, as he leads the team with 69 total tackles and 47 solo stops. After registering four tackles in each of the first two contests, he posted 10 in back-to-back outings to close out the September slate. His 10 tackles against Army included eight solo stops and he added seven unassisted tackles at North Texas. Making the move from "Will" to "Mike" linebacker during the first off week for the Roadrunners, he picked up where left off by recording seven tackles and a PBU in the 26-16 victory at UTEP on Oct. 5. He added seven tackles in the UAB game, five solo stops in the Rice victory and seven stops — including a sack — versus Texas A&M before turning in eight tackles, a half-tackle for loss, one PBU and a QB hurry in the win at Old Dominion and seven stops (all solo), including a TFL, versus Southern Miss. The Foster High School product owns three career double-digit tackle outings counting the career-high 14-tackle effort he turned in at Southern Miss last fall. Also a standout student, Martel earned his bachelor's degree in multidisciplinary studies in May while graduating with a 3.69 GPA. The four-time C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member was a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy and a member of the Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list.

Senior safety a steady hand in secondary

UTSA safety Carl Austin III has proven to be a steady hand in the secondary in his senior season. A native of Austin, he has posted 59 tackles (42 unassisted), 5.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup and a forced fumble while providing leadership for a unit that ranks fourth in Conference USA and 46th nationally in passing defense (210.3 ypg). Austin III missed all of the 2018 campaign with an injury but has made an impact during his final curtain call. He led UTSA with nine tackles in the 26-16 win over UTEP and followed that with seven stops, including 1.5 behind the line, versus UAB. He turned in a team-best six stops (all solo) in the 31-27 win over Rice and recorded six tackles versus Texas A&M. He made five stops, including 2.5 behind the line, and forced a fumble in the 24-23 win at Old Dominion before tallying seven tackles, including six unassisted and a TFL, versus Southern Miss. Austin III tallied six tackles against both Baylor and North Texas earlier this fall and he stands second on the squad in total and unassisted tackles.

Grady shining in curtain call

UTSA cornerback Cassius Grady has shined in his final season as a Roadrunner. The Arlington native leads the Roadrunners with two interceptions and five pass breakups and he also has registered 31 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble this fall. A starter in all 10 games this season and 19 during his two-year UTSA career, Grady has picked off passes in each of the last two games and now owns six for his career, which places him in a tie for third place on the program's all-time list. Additionally, his four INTs in 2018 are tied for the school's single-season mark. He opened his senior campaign with four tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage, and a pair of PBUs in the 35-7 win against UIW. He also registered two pass breakups in the 26-16 triumph at UTEP and another PBU in the 31-27 victory over Rice, and he forced a fumble versus UAB. A product of Arlington High School by way of Northern Illinois and Trinity Valley Community College, he posted a career-best nine tackles, including his first career sack, in a nationally televised game at Texas A&M on Nov. 2.

Aussie makes immediate impact with leg and arm

UTSA freshman punter Lucas Dean has had an immediate impact in his first season as a Roadrunner and he recently was added to the Ray Guy Award watch list for his performance. As the program's first player from Australia, the Dunsborough native is averaging 40.4 yards on 52 punts this season. He has boomed eight punts that have sailed 50-plus yards, including a season-long 56-yard punt against Baylor, and he has pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line 10 times and induced 22 fair catches. A product of ProKick Australia, which boasts more than 60 current NCAA Division I punters, Dean enrolled at UTSA in January and earned the punting job in spring practice. Not only has he made an impact with his right leg, but he also showed off a weapon with his right arm in the Army contest, completing a 22-yard pass to Rashad Wisdom on a fake punt to convert a fourth down.

Kickoff coverage unit shines

The Roadrunners' kickoff coverage unit has shined this fall. UTSA is yielding an average kickoff return of 17.67 yards through the first 10 games, a figure that ranks second in Conference USA and 17th among all FBS teams. Led by kickoff specialist Matthew Cluck , a graduate transfer from Texas Tech, the Roadrunners have 16 touchbacks and have allowed only 18 returns on 41 total kickoffs this fall. The longest return by an opposing team has been 26 yards, which was registered by both UIW and Baylor in the opening two contests. During the last eight games, UTSA has 15 touchbacks and has surrendered a total of 197 yards on 12 kickoff returns, an average of 16.4 yards.

New birds

In the season opener against UIW, 25 players made their UTSA debut, with eight drawing their first starting assignment as a Roadrunner. Sophomore quarterback Frank Harris set a school record by completing his first 13 pass attempts in his debut, while Sincere McCormick became the first true freshman to start at tailback in a season opener since the inaugural game on Sept. 3, 2011. Tight ends Carlos Strickland II and Leroy Watson and center Ahofitu Maka also drew their first starts in a UTSA uniform on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, senior linebacker LaDarian McFarland , junior safety SaVion Harris and true freshman Rashad Wisdom all made their first starts, while senior Andrew Martel started his first game as a linebacker after previously making two starts in the secondary during his career. In the road opener at Baylor, freshman wide receiver De'Corian Clark , junior safety Antonio Parks and junior linebacker Dominic Sheppard all made their UTSA debut, while true freshman Joshua Cephus drew his first starting assignment at wide receiver. In the 26-16 triumph over UTEP, sophomore quarterback Lowell Narcisse and sophomore linebacker Trevor Harmanson made their first starts in a UTSA uniform. Redshirt freshman Kelechi Nwachuku made his first start at safety in the win against Rice on Oct. 19, while true freshman Dywan Griffin earned the start at wide receiver against Texas A&M. One week later, fellow true freshman wide receiver Zakhari Franklin drew his first start in the 24-23 win at Old Dominion. The Roadrunners now have 31 debuts and 14 first-time starters this season. When including special teams and punter Lucas Dean , six true freshmen have made starts this fall, which is tied for 11th-most among all FBS teams. Additionally, UTSA's four true freshmen starters on offense is tied for the second-most in the nation.

Wilson in fourth year at helm

Frank Wilson is in his fourth season as UTSA head coach. The New Orleans native has coached 19 All-Conference USA selections and a pair of Freshman All-Americans during his tenure. Twice he has guided UTSA to bowl eligibility, including leading the program to its first-ever postseason appearance at the 2016 Gildan New Mexico Bowl, as UTSA tied the NCAA modern startup program by reaching a bowl game in its sixth season of play. Wilson came to San Antonio after a six-year stint as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at LSU, where he also was the associate head coach in 2012-15. Armed with more than a decade of coaching experience in the Southeastern Conference, Wilson also has been an assistant coach at Tennessee (2009), Southern Miss (2008) and Mississippi (2005-07). He has coached or recruited more than 40 individuals who have made it to the NFL, including 2018 NFL First Round Draft pick Marcus Davenport of the Saints.

Roadrunners on national award watch lists

Four Roadrunners earned their way onto national award watch lists. Senior linebacker Andrew Martel was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Martel also was a member of the preseason watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. Fellow senior Grant Merka , a second-team All-Conference USA pick in 2018, is one of 25 players chosen for the inaugural Patrick Mannelly Award watch list for the nation's top long snapper. Freshman Lucas Dean was added to the Ray Guy Award watch list for the nation's top punter, while fellow freshman Sincere McCormick was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Midseason Watch List.

UTSA quartet has NFL ties

Four UTSA players have significant family ties when it comes to relatives who have played in the National Football League. Senior defensive tackle King Newton is the son of Nate Newton, who was a three-time Super Bowl Champion (1992-93, '95) and six-time Pro Bowl offensive guard (1992-96, '98) for the Cowboys. Junior defensive end Solomon Wise is the son of Deatrich Wise, a defensive lineman for the Seahawks and Saints, and his brothers Deatrich Jr. (Patriots) and Daniel (Cowboys) currently play in the NFL. Senior fullback Halen Steward is the younger brother of Tony Steward, a linebacker who logged time for the Bills and Saints, while sophomore cornerback Corey Mayfield Jr.'s father was a defensive lineman for the 49ers, Buccaneers and Jaguars.

Roadrunners roster makeup

UTSA's 112-man roster features 22 seniors, 28 juniors, 28 sophomores and 34 redshirt or true freshmen. The roster lists 76 players who hail from the state of Texas, while the next-closest state is Louisiana with 10. There are six players from Mississippi, five from Florida, four from California, three from Tennessee and a pair from Indiana. UTSA has one player each from Georgia, Hawai'i, Massachusetts, Michigan and Oklahoma, while freshman punter Lucas Dean is the first Roadrunner from Australia.

Degree in hand

Thirteen current Roadrunners already have earned their undergraduate degree, the 11th-most number of graduates among all FBS rosters. That list includes Carl Austin III , Baylen Baker , Matthew Cluck , Brandon Garza , Nick Locken , Andrew Martel , Grant Merka , Blaze Moorhead , Antonio Parks , Dominic Sheppard , Halen Steward , Carlos Strickland II and Brett Winnegan .

Leadership council elected

For the first time in program history, UTSA has elected a Leadership Council made up of representatives from each position group.

QB — Brandon Garza and Frank Harris

RB — Halen Steward

WR — Kirk Johnson Jr. and Blaze Moorhead

TE — Leroy Watson

OL — Josh Dunlop

DL — Eric Banks and Jarrod Carter-McLin

LB — Andrew Martel

S — Carl Austin III

CB — Clayton Johnson

ST — Hunter Duplessis

TV birds

All 12 of UTSA's regular season games this fall have been selected for broadcast. The Roadrunners, who have seen their last 82 outings appear over the airwaves, will make it 84 straight televised/streamed appearances by the end of the regular season.

Few can call a dome home

The Roadrunners are one of only two FBS teams to play their home games indoors. UTSA, which owns a 26-26 all-time mark inside the Alamodome, joins Syracuse (Carrier Dome) as the only FBS programs to play in enclosed facilities.

New playing surface unveiled

The Alamodome and UTSA unveiled on Aug. 26 a new playing surface that features the familiar roadrunner logo at midfield and end zones painted in navy blue with UTSA and Roadrunners word marks in the south and north end zones, respectively. The sidelines highlight the UTSA Athletics hashtag (#BirdsUp) and recognize San Antonio as Military City USA. Manufactured by Hellas Construction, the FusionH XP2 Synthetic Turf is composed of 60-ounce monofilament, slit film and thatch (Fusion HXP2 with thatch) with 1.75-inch pile height, SBR infill only and triple-layer backing with an additional k-29 backing.

Up next

UTSA will travel to Ruston, La., to face Louisiana Tech next Saturday, Nov. 30. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium and the game will air on ESPN+ and Ticket 760 AM in San Antonio.

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