UTSA squeaks out ‘trap game’ win over Rice 

HOUSTON — All week long, UTSA football preached “be where your feet are.” 

The Roadrunners were selected for a primetime slot on ESPN for a pivotal week six matchup against the University of South Florida, but they first had to handle the “lowly” 1-3 Owls in week five. 

“This was a trap game, man,” coach Jeff Traylor said. “If you want to be very honest, this was a trap game from Hell. We had cheese everywhere.” 

Sure enough, Rice came to play. The Owls led late in the first quarter, but the Roadrunners battled through an underwhelming day on offense and churned out a 16-14 win over Rice Saturday at the newly named First Community Stadium. 

“Isn’t it crazy? — coaching 18 to 23-year-old men,” Traylor said. “Last week, we couldn’t stop anybody; no one could stop us. This week, we were the Purple People Eaters on defense. On offense, we looked like an offense from the 70s as well. 

“We weren’t as bad if you look at it. We did some really good things. We just kept killing ourselves with lack of protection, or a drop, or a turnover at critical times. But our defense kept a great spirit, and our special teams were fantastic — minus the one field goal.” 

The Roadrunners had one of the best starts to the game you could ask for. On the second play from scrimmage, Rice running back Tyvonn Byars put the ball on the turf, and UTSA linebacker Cam Cooper picked it up. The turnover set the Roadrunners up at the Rice 22-yard line, but UTSA managed only a 32-yard field goal from kicker Michael Petro.

After another quick Owls’ three-and-out, running back Will Henderson III rushed for 21 yards on three carries, putting UTSA within field goal range. An incomplete pass from quarterback Owen McCown on third down forced the field goal unit out. Petro knocked in the 53-yard field goal — the second-longest made field goal in program history.

Rice responded with a 38-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Jacurri Brown to take the lead.

On the ensuing UTSA possession, the Roadrunners converted a key fourth-and-one, which eventually led to a 12-yard rushing touchdown by Henderson. Henderson bounced the handoff out to his right and turned the corner for his third touchdown of the season.

UTSA capitalized on a Rice turnover on downs and rode a couple of chunk plays from Henderson and sophomore wide receiver Mekhi Anderson into field goal range. The Roadrunners took the three points after losing a yard on third-and-four, extending their lead to 16-7 with a 22-yard field goal from Petro.

That was all the offense could muster for the remainder of the game. Following Petro’s third field goal, UTSA’s drives ended in a punt, a turnover or a missed field goal up until they took victory formation.

But as the offense sputtered, the defense continued battling. Rice cut its deficit to one possession early in the fourth, but the UTSA defense executed when it mattered. For the third straight week, the Roadrunners’ dominant side of the ball fluctuated. And for the third straight week, the dominant side avoided an over-celebratory attitude, instead focusing on uplifting their teammates.

“After the game, I went around to pretty much every offensive player and was like, ‘This is a team win,'” defensive end Jeremiah Bailey said. “Last week [the defense] didn’t show up and [the offense] showed up for us. Just being there for each other and letting them know, ‘Yeah, you probably played whatever.’ They might be down on themselves, but them knowing that we got their back each and every week and each and every play, it just helps the team.”

On the Owls’ final possession, the UTSA pass rush got home twice. Traylor mentioned earlier in the week that he felt his front seven were “making quarterbacks get off the spot,” but were failing to get QBs on the ground. On a night when the Roadrunners’ defense kept UTSA in the game, it was only fitting that they closed it out with authority.

“It was a big burden lifted off our shoulders,” Bailey said. “I ain’t going to lie. The first four weeks without a sack and finally getting one tonight – a few of them tonight – it was kind of like ‘Okay now we’re alive. Now we’re feeling this.'”

UTSA will return home to face South Florida at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Alamodome.