UTSA football came into its matchup against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as 18.5-point road favorites — a fair line considering the 49ers are winless in conference play and 1-9 overall on the season. After a sluggish opening quarter, the Roadrunners ran away with the lead, helped by a defense that pitched a shutout and a breakout performance from an underclassman. Here are three takeaways from UTSA versus Charlotte:
Will Henderson III emerges as the top back
With the way senior running back Robert Henry Jr. opened up the season, fans could not have predicted he might end it as the team’s second option. Coach Jeff Traylor’s decision to roll with Henderson as the lead back against the 49ers is a testament to how electric the two-sport star has been toting the rock recently. Henderson rushed for 185 yards against Charlotte, serving as both an individual and team-high total, surpassing Henry’s mark of 177 against Texas A&M University. Henry had eight carries for one yard against Charlotte but should still remain the starter for the remainder of the season.
Tensions run high
Early in the game, junior quarterback Owen McCown and junior offensive lineman Darrell Jones were caught on camera during a heated moment. McCown attempted to speak to Jones following a 15-yard penalty when Jones threw McCown’s arm off of his shoulder and shouted at him. McCown and Traylor were quick to dismiss the play after the game, citing Jones’ intensity as the source of the outburst, yet still condemning him for his actions. While, yes, this moment is probably nothing, it’s an interaction fans are not accustomed to seeing from Traylor’s program. Winning cures all, but this crack in the team’s image shows how much the failure of this season has weighed on the players — regardless of Traylor insisting in multiple post-game press conferences that his team has remained stoic through 12 weeks of play.
First road win in two years
Fans are well acquainted with the team’s impenetrable nature when facing opponents in the Alamodome. Prior to Saturday, fans hadn’t seen their team beat a conference foe on the road since the ‘Runners defeated the University of North Texas in Denton back in 2023. To be a championship-caliber team, winning in difficult environments is crucial. Though Charlotte is certainly not a championship-caliber team, finally securing that elusive road win is a step in the right direction for UTSA.
The Roadrunners will return home with an opportunity to clinch its fifth-straight bowl game berth against East Carolina University at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Alamodome.
