College football countdown | No. 119: Texas at San Antonio

[Harry]

Two years ago today, Texas at San Antonio was preparing for year one as a football program. Two years later, UTSA is preparing for year one in Conference USA, having skyrocketed through the following stages in the span of 22 games: planning, forming, creating, building and winning.

UTSA won eight games in 2012, its first season playing a pseudo-Football Bowl Subdivision schedule, and notched a 4-4 record against FBS competition. (The Roadrunners went 4-0 against teams from college football's lower levels.) For now, ignore the fact that UTSA's four FBS victories came against South Alabama and Texas State, another pair of new FBS additions, and Texas State and Idaho, a pair that went a combined 2-22 in 2012.

Who cares? Led by former Miami (Fla.) coach Larry Coker, UTSA is moving quicker than any program in FBS history. Before anointing UTSA as the next great program to come out of Texas, however, let's wait and see how the Roadrunners fare against a 12-game schedule loaded with teams like Oklahoma State, Arizona, Houston and Tulsa.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION

Wins and losses don't matter. Well, they do – no one wants to lose – but they don't. This season won't be judged on Texas at San Antonio's won-loss record; it'll be judged by progress of another sort, the kind that can't be seen in the standings but remains, without a doubt, the most important task at hand as the program begins its second season of existence. It'll be ugly at times. One win against true FBS competition – not counting South Alabama or Texas State – would be a tremendous accomplishment. What seems far more likely is no more than three wins, with two of those coming against the FCS. Keep the long-range vision in mind when watching this team: UTSA could one day be somebody. Today, the Roadrunners are nobodies.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: Wins! Eight wins, to be exact. Who saw that coming? (Not me.) Here's what UTSA was heading into 2012: young. No, not the team – though the 2012 team was quite young and extremely inexperienced. The program itself was young, having played only 10 games as an FCS independent before transitioning up to the FBS and the WAC a season ago. All the Roadrunners did as the youngest, weakest, least-experienced team in the FBS – and perhaps in FBS history, believe it or not – was win eight games, half of which came against FBS competition. There was no precedence for a team winning eight games this quickly as a member of the FBS, just as there was no precedence for a program moving so quickly from nonexistence to the top level of college football. So … what's next?

— High point: The four wins against FBS competition. It seemed hard to top the first, a 33-31 win over similar FBS greenhorn South Alabama complete with a hard-to-believe 51-yard field goal with 16 seconds left. But UTSA would close with three wins in a row to end the year, the last two against FBS foes: 34-27 at Idaho and 38-31 against Texas State.

— Low point: A four-game losing streak in October and November. Yes, the four losses – the only four on the season – came against the only strong FBS teams on UTSA's schedule. The Roadrunners lost to Rice, San Jose State, Utah State and Louisiana Tech by the combined score of 185-82.

— Tidbit: UTSA's roster includes only 10 seniors, befitting a program entering its third season of existence on any level. In all, UTSA's roster leans in two directions: young and Texan. The Roadrunners' 105-player roster includes 31 freshmen, whether true or redshirt, and another 19 sophomores. UTSA also has 45 juniors, which is an abnormally high number – and means that the 2014 squad should have more seniors than any other team in the FBS. UTSA also has 92 players from Texas, compared to 13 players from the other 49 states: five from California, three from Florida and one from Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland and Oklahoma.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/05/13/texas-at-san-antonio-utsa-college-football-countdown-2013-preview-larry-coker/2156359/

[untjim1995]

UTSA is going to be lucky to win 2 games this year. I actually think if they do that, that Coker shoudl be in the running for Coach of the Year. No way that they have a team ready for that kind of jump in competition.

For comparison sake, in 1995, after we played 1-aa ball for 12 years and had been a 1-a team for many decades before, our limited roster won 2 games as 1-a team again in 1995. That included a win over Oregon State and Idaho State. UTSA is going into the next year playing much better teams than they have ever played. It won't surprise me if they go 0-12 this fall. But I agree with the article--they might be something down the road, but for now, they are nobodies. Any FBS team that loses to them this year should really be embarrassed and fire their coach. That's what Oregon State di when we beat them in 1995--a loss that their alums believe is the worst loss in modern school history and was their low point to build inot being a very solid program today.

[Harry]

I admire the optimism of their fans --- and would hate to damper that enthusiasm but Jim is right they have a tough year ahead of them. That schedule is different than anything they've seen thusfar; very reminiscent of 1995 for us.

That being said - optimism is a powerful thing and they may be able to ride that wave to some improbable results this year. Will be interesting to watch.

[meaniegreenie]

So what happens if we lose to them this year?

Do we just shut the program down on 11/24 and start tearing down Apogee?

[MeanGreenTexan]

So what happens if we lose to them this year?

Do we just shut the program down on 11/24 and start tearing down Apogee?

basically, yeah.

[Marty]

Welcome to big boy football UTSA. No more Bacone's or NW Oklahoma's on the schedule.

[MeanGreenHoops]

So what happens if we lose to them this year?

Do we just shut the program down on 11/24 and start tearing down Apogee?

Depends, if we fall to 6-5 with the loss, we'll be mad but get over it, but if we fall to 2-9 all bets are off.

[NT03]

Keep in my mind they had just as many DI wins as we did last year. To pencil in a win for this game is foolish

Edited May 16, 2013 by NT03

[untjim1995]

Keep in my mind they had just as many DI wins as we did last year. To pencil in a win for this game is foolish

It isn't foolish to pencil this game in as a win. They beat the absolute dregs of FBS last year in Idaho and NMSU, as well as Texas State and South Alabama. I'm sorry, but the only win of that bunch that even interests me is Texas State, and that's only because they are in the same place as UTSA. I know we only beat Louisana-Lafayette for the one win that stood out last year, but we are better than UTSA. Losing to them is absolutely unacceptable. Barely beating them, even in San Antonio, is barely acceptable. Losing to a team like Idaho this fall wouldn't be as bad as losing to UTSA.

If we cannot even expect to beat UTSA, we should really just quit FBS play. I'm not kidding. If you cannot beat a program in its third year of existence, after you've been playing football at some level for many decades, it should be very apparent to even the biggest UNT fan that this just isn't our cup of tea. I'm sorry, but this is an absolute w in my mind. I will write that in ink.

[GL2Greatness]

actually you need to keep in mind that UTSA had more wins in D1-A than north Texas did last year

UTSA beat Texas State, Idaho, USA, and NMSU

north Texas beat FAU, USA and Louisiana and Texas Southern which is the dregs of D1-AA

so north Texas beat one terrible team that UTSA also beat (USA) they beat another dreg of D1-A in FAU and they had a "signature" win over Louisiana and then their D1-AA win over one of the worst teams in D1-AA while losing to a bunch of other dregs of D1-A UTSA managed to beat 4 D1-A teams and to beat a D1-A team that beat Houston soundly that then pounded north Texas a few weeks later

so with fewer overall chances UTSA still had more overall D1-A wins vs north Texas while both played some of the worst teams in D1-A

[Cougar King]

actually you need to keep in mind that UTSA had more wins in D1-A than north Texas did last year

UTSA beat Texas State, Idaho, USA, and NMSU

north Texas beat FAU, USA and Louisiana and Texas Southern which is the dregs of D1-AA

so north Texas beat one terrible team that UTSA also beat (USA) they beat another dreg of D1-A in FAU and they had a "signature" win over Louisiana and then their D1-AA win over one of the worst teams in D1-AA while losing to a bunch of other dregs of D1-A UTSA managed to beat 4 D1-A teams and to beat a D1-A team that beat Houston soundly that then pounded north Texas a few weeks later

so with fewer overall chances UTSA still had more overall D1-A wins vs north Texas while both played some of the worst teams in D1-A

Adding onto this, I think the UTSA-UNT game is going to be a dogfight. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if UNT blows them out because there won't be much of UTSA left after New Mexico, Arizona, Okie Light, and we get through with them. Then they have to play through a handful of CUSA teams before they get to Denton.

So it will be a real shame (and an automatic firing imo) if you guys lose to them.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Cougar King

[TIgreen01]

I'm not gonna lie, the future of my season tickets may depend on a W in this one. Provided we don't see a repeat of 2010 and lose half of our team to injury, a W is required---not expected.

[untjim1995]

I'm not gonna lie, the future of my season tickets may depend on a W in this one. Provided we don't see a repeat of 2010 and lose half of our team to injury, a W is required---not expected.

I am right there with you. Its sad to me that people expect that to be a dogfight. Even losing a ton of starters to injuries should put us at even with a team that just moved up to FBS. I'm sorry but this is like playing Sam Houston State. Sure, SHSU is a great FCS program, but there is no excuse for losing to them as a FBS program. Upsets happen, but a new startup program at this level shouldn't be able to even compete with a program that has been playing FBS ball since 1995.

[forevereagle]

Adding onto this, I think the UTSA-UNT game is going to be a dogfight. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if UNT blows them out because there won't be much of UTSA left after New Mexico, Arizona, Okie Light, and we get through with them. Then they have to play through a handful of CUSA teams before they get to Denton.

So it will be a real shame (and an automatic firing imo) if you guys lose to them.

[UNT90]

Adding onto this, I think the UTSA-UNT game is going to be a dogfight. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if UNT blows them out because there won't be much of UTSA left after New Mexico, Arizona, Okie Light, and we get through with them. Then they have to play through a handful of CUSA teams before they get to Denton.

So it will be a real shame (and an automatic firing imo) if you guys lose to them.

I don't know.

You guys couldn't even take care of Texas St. last year. UTSA was even able to take care of that little chore.

Maybe you guys will be on for a dogfight.

[emmitt01]

Adding onto this, I think the UTSA-UNT game is going to be a dogfight. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if UNT blows them out because there won't be much of UTSA left after New Mexico, Arizona, Okie Light, and we get through with them. Then they have to play through a handful of CUSA teams before they get to Denton.

So it will be a real shame (and an automatic firing imo) if you guys lose to them.

Will it be more of a "dogfight" than maintaining academic eligibility was for you at NT?

I sure hope not.

[Cougar King]

I don't know.

You guys couldn't even take care of Texas St. last year. UTSA was even able to take care of that little chore.

Maybe you guys will be on for a dogfight.

Well, considering the fact it was 17-0 within the first 5 minutes of our game against you. (If Levine would've let us follow tradition and ran the score up, it would've easily been 60+) then by your logic (when it comes to idiots like you, I use that term very loosely) if we, a team you guys couldn't hang with, are going to have a dogfight with UTSA, then they're going to blow you out.

Will it be more of a "dogfight" than maintaining academic eligibility was for you at NT?

I sure hope not.

I like how you keep accusing me of failing out yet you can't explain why I was able to transfer to UH, a school with higher admissions standards. Especially for certain colleges. I mean, I know you're not the brightest guy around but surely, you would have came up with an answer for that by now.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Cougar King

[GrandGreen]

Well, considering the fact it was 17-0 within the first 5 minutes of our game against you. (If Levine would've let us follow tradition and ran the score up, it would've easily been 60+) then by your logic (when it comes to idiots like you, I use that term very loosely) if we, a team you guys couldn't hang with, are going to have a dogfight with UTSA, then they're going to blow you out.

I like how you keep accusing me of failing out yet you can't explain why I was able to transfer to UH, a school with higher admissions standards. Especially for certain colleges. I mean, I know you're not the brightest guy around but surely, you would have came up with an answer for that by now.

To the best of my knowledge NT is not scheduled to play UH, so why do you care about NT? I don't give a whole of lot of thought about UH so I wonder why you feel you must post about an university that apparently you don't support or is scheduled to play your favorite team.

Unless you donate big money to UH, you have nothing to do with their recent success; so I fail to understand your glee that now UH is a much better program than NT. Unfortunately something, most schools can claim.

The facts are currently that UH is a step higher on the athletic food chain than NT, but likewise multiple steps lower than the teams in the power conferences. People that support NT are battle tested and certainly not front runners and well aware of the status of NT programs. Other than looking completely foolish by most of your posts here, what do you think you are accomplishing?

[MeanGreenHoops]

Other than looking completely foolish by most of your posts here, what do you think you are accomplishing?

In Internet slang, a troll (pron.: /ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is someone who posts inflammatory,^[4]extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response^[5] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

[JesseMartin]

Well, considering the fact it was 17-0 within the first 5 minutes of our game against you. (If Levine would've let us follow tradition and ran the score up, it would've easily been 60+) then by your logic (when it comes to idiots like you, I use that term very loosely) if we, a team you guys couldn't hang with, are going to have a dogfight with UTSA, then they're going to blow you out.

I like how you keep accusing me of failing out yet you can't explain why I was able to transfer to UH, a school with higher admissions standards. Especially for certain colleges. I mean, I know you're not the brightest guy around but surely, you would have came up with an answer for that by now.

I used to root for Houston any time they played powerhouse teams, had a shot at a BCS bowl or undefeated season, etc. because, like TCU, they were on the way up and breaking into the big time. But lately, I kind of want to see more losses just so you'll have less to talk about.

And plenty of people get "special admission," "conditional admission," and so on. These matters are strictly confidential and left up to the keyholders of the bureaucracy (admissions, department chairs and faculty, and administrators). Emmitt is pretty bright and certainly knows that if this were the case, you could easily say that it never happened because if it did, no one is allowed to say so.