UTSA (3-4, 2-1 C-USA) vs. Southern Miss (2-3, 1-1)
When, where: Saturday, 6 p.m., Hattiesburg, Miss.
Series history: Tied 2-2
Last meeting: Southern Miss 31, UTSA 29, Oct. 7, 2017, Alamodome
UTSA's last game: Lost to Louisiana Tech 31-3, Oct. 13, Alamodome
Southern Miss' last game: Lost to North Texas 30-7, Oct. 13, Denton
Notable: UTSA is looking for its second consecutive road victory after beating Rice 20-3 on Oct. 6 in Houston . . . Southern Miss beat the Roadrunners 32-10 on Oct. 17, 2015, in the only other meeting between the two teams in Hattiesburg . . . The three teams UTSA has defeated this season -- Texas State (1-5), UTEP (0-6) and Rice (1-6), in that order -- are a combined 2-17. The two victories are against FCS opponents . . . The Roadrunners rank last among the 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense with an average of 255.6 yards a game, 99.9 rushing, and 155.7 passing. Texas State is 117th (333.8), Rice 119th (331.7) and UTEP is 122nd (315.7) . . . The UTSA defense hadn't yielded more than 300 yards in each of its three consecutive victories before Louisiana Tech gained 384 (309 passing) in its win over the Roadrunners last week . . . UTSA has a bye next week.
If it’s true that offense sells tickets, the UTSA Roadrunners could have trouble at the turnstiles in their remaining two home games at the Alamodome this season.
To say the UTSA offense was ineffective in last week’s 31-3 homecoming loss to Louisiana Tech would be an understatement. The Roadrunners did manage to muster 286 yards of total offense, but they failed to score a touchdown for the first time since last year’s season-ending 20-6 loss to Louisiana Tech at the Alamodome.
Junior quarterback Cordale Grundy led UTSA with 60 yards rushing on 11 carries and completed 17 of 38 passes, with one interception, for 191 yards. Wide receivers Blaze Morehead, who caught six passes for 87 yards, and Marquez McNair (4-54), but the pickings were slim after that.
Dogged by inconsistency, the Roadrunners’ offensive unit has struggled to find its rhythm and sustain drives.
UTSA offense is so bad statistically that it ranks dead last among the 129 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, averaging 255.6 yards a game – 99.9 rushing and 155.7 passing.
The Roadrunners, 3-4 overall and 2-1 in Conference USA, will get back on the horse and try again Saturday night when they play at Southern Miss (2-3, 1-1) in a league game. UTSA is tied with North Texas and Louisiana Tech for second in the C-USA’s West Division race. The Roadrunners end their season at home against North Texas.
While UTSA’s offense was kept out of the end zone last week, coach Frank Wilson said it was more a case of the Roadrunners self-destructing than being overwhelmed by Louisiana Tech’s defense.
“You get a chance to go back and reflect and watch the game tape and here’s what you saw: a (UTSA) defensive unit that yielded a touchdown on the first series, then to come back and go five consecutive series of making an opponent punt and give it to an offensive unit that at times put together five-play, seven-play, eight-play drives and at times went three-and-out and way too inconsistent.
“La Tech defense didn’t necessarily dictate that. We self-destructed ourselves and didn’t do the things that we needed to do. It forces us to go back and really reflect on what we’re asking of our team. And is it too much? We’ll see. We’re taking intense study in evaluating ourselves and what we’re asking of our team.”
Wilson went back to what he’s said since he took over the UTSA program in January 2016: The Roadrunners’ depth chart is etched in sand.
“We’re looking at personnel from top to bottom to see the players that give us the greatest opportunity to have success,” Wilson said.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Weeks came off the bench with 1:00 left and quarterbacked the Roadrunners last possession. He completed both of his passing attempts for 10 yards and rushed for six yards on one carry.
UTSA had won three straight games to get to .500 after a 0-3 start before last week’s defeat. The Roadrunners beat Rice Oct. 6 in Houston for its first 2-0 conference start in the history of the program.
“We just have to keep a positive mindset and keep the offense uplifted,” senior safety C.J. Levine said. “We do have a great offense capable of making plays. They have to allow themselves to continuously make plays each and every drive, but they’re getting better and better each and every day.
“When they go up against us, as a great defense as I see ourselves, we’re getting them better each and every time we step on the field. It’s just a matter of time until the right pieces come together.”
UTSA ranks No. 59 nationally in total defense, allowing an average of 371 yards – 117.6 rushing and 253.4 passing.
