Despite a 1-3 start to the season, UTSA football is back to winning football games after beginning conference play against Temple on Oct. 7.
Now halfway through the regular season, the Roadrunners (3-3, 2-0 AAC) have beaten both the Owls and UAB and look to push it to a third straight game as the team travels to Boca Raton to take on FAU.
Like UTSA, the Owls started the year 1-3 in nonconference play and won their first two league games. FAU is coming off a 56-14 win over South Florida, perhaps the biggest win for the Owls in the last several seasons.
The Paisano’s Sports Editor spoke with FAU’s University Press Sports Editor Maddox Greenberg to help preview Saturday’s matchup. Greenberg will also be broadcasting the game on Owl Radio.
Both UTSA and FAU are entering Saturday with identical records. How similar are these teams’ resumes based on the first half of the season?
“I feel like the experiences of playing out-of-conference matchups definitely could have an edge on how we play now. I remember hearing [FAU’s] head coach Tom Herman. He was saying how, despite the [early 1-3] record that we recently had, the Owls team is much better than that.
In the past two games, two straight wins have proven that the Owls are legit and are a possible threat if they click together on defense, offense, and special teams. The Owls definitely could be someone to look out for in the AAC.”
The Roadrunners faced a gauntlet nonconference schedule, playing two Power Five schools and rival Texas State and Army. What competition has Florida Atlantic had to prepare for UTSA?
“[The Owls] were really close to defeating Illinois, a Big 10 [Conference] school. Clemson really wasn’t good. The starting quarterback, Casey Thompson, got injured and is out for the season with an ACL [injury] from that game. And that’s when we started seeing Daniel Richardson and Michael Johnson Jr both getting snaps.
The Ohio game was really shocking, to be honest. It was hours before the game started. They had the quarterback for Ohio, Kurtis Rourke, who was projected to be injured and missed the game. He ended up playing. I think because of that benefactor, the Owls gave up 10 straight points and let the Bobcats win 17 -10.”
What will be the key for the Owls to move the ball on offense against the Roadrunner defense?
“When you give [quarterback] Daniel Richardson time in the pocket and protect him, he can find someone. Either LaJohntay Wester, Tony Johnson, Je’Quan Burton, or anyone. He can find time and can get to a good weapon. And, for the run game, they also have two great running backs, Larry McCammon and Koby Lewis. I feel like the Owls, if they do get a win, definitely could expose UTSA’s defense, especially the secondary.”
Will the winner of Saturday’s game be on its way to a conference championship game?
“I definitely think so. This is definitely a must-win. Everyone in the NCAA world knows who UTSA is, and no one really knows what is being brewed here in Boca Raton. I feel like this will definitely be a must-win, and definitely a statement-making victory. When I was seeing the schedule and I saw that FAU was playing UTSA, I was like, okay, this is definitely going to be a tough challenge. But if they’re able to get past UTSA, I feel like the rest of the schedule could be a little bit eased, and it could get to be 7-5.”
Who do you think will win on Saturday?
“This game will go down to the wire, I believe. And if so, it’ll probably go down to that fourth-down conversion. Probably FAU’s offense versus UTSA’s defense and goes down to that fourth down. That would be where the game would lie. And I feel like that’s how the game would go.”
UTSA and FAU will face off for the fourth time at 5 p.m. Saturday, in FAU Stadium.
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