UTSA falls to Rice for first time since 2014 after Owls score winning touchdown with four seconds left
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The 2024 season for the Roadrunners has been an up-and-down campaign with more down moments than up moments.
Saturday night on South Main in Houston might have been the season's lowest point for the Roadrunners. UTSA fell behind by double digits against Rice and then, after a late fourth-quarter comeback to take the lead, saw the Owls snatch the win away with a last-second touchdown that left UTSA on the short side of a 29-27 scoreline.
The final two scoring drives notwithstanding, UTSA had some of the same problems that have plagued them all season. The Roadrunners had more penalty yards (146) than rushing yards (138). UTSA was able to get a turnover against the Owls but could not convert that turnover into points.
UTSA had a few bright spots. The Roadrunners had 394 yards of offense, with 256 of those coming from Owen McCown through the air. McCown accounted for all three of the Roadrunners touchdowns through the air.
McCown's first touchdown came with 1:50 left in the second quarter when he threw a 20-yard score to DJ Allen to give UTSA a 10-6 lead on the Owls. Rice, which before McCown's touchdown had held their first lead in the series since 2019, went on a 17-3 run the rest of the second and third quarters to take a 23-13 lead into the final quarter.
The Roadrunners chipped away at the Owls lead in the latter half of the fourth quarter. McCown and Devin McCuin connected on a six-yard touchdown pass with 5:40 left in the quarter to cut the Owls lead to 23-20.
After the Owls went three and out, the Roadrunners got the ball back with 4:08 to play. Two minutes and two seconds later, the Roadrunners went back in front 27-23 when McCown threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Houston Thomas with 2:06 left in regulation.
It looked like Houston Thomas might be the hero for the Roadrunners in Houston on Saturday night, but EJ Warner and the Owls had other ideas as they took all but four seconds off the clock on their drive that ended with a game-winning touchdown.
Warner finished the night with 347 yards throwing and two touchdown passes. The Roadrunner defense was able to limit the Owls to 42 yards rushing but couldn't stop the Owls when it mattered most on the final drive.
Not much joy in the hills of oak and cedar
The loss at Rice was tough for the Roadrunners on several counts. Rice had not beaten UTSA since November 8, 2014, when the Owls won 17-7 at Rice Stadium. That was the era when Rice was the mountain UTSA couldn't summit, as Rice had won three in a row to open the series.
Now, UTSA is experiencing life after a loss to Rice for the first time in a decade. Gone is the eight-game winning streak built from 2015-2023. Also gone are the good vibes of previous years in the Jeff Traylor era. UTSA's good luck of past years hasn't been there this year and now the Roadrunners are 2-4 for the first time since 2019. They finished that season 4-8.
It isn't much better in terms of the Roadrunners place in the conference standings. UTSA has fallen to 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2017. That year, the Roadrunners fell to 0-2 after losing on a last-second touchdown at North Texas by a score of 29-26. The 2017 Roadrunners were, like this year's Roadrunners club, coming off a bowl trip the previous year. Those yesteryear Roadrunners had one thing to help them avoid a 0-3 start.
They played Rice the week after losing at North Texas. This year, that constant of past years, that no matter what, UTSA could count on a win over Rice, is no longer the case. UTSA has lost its annual constant.
A year that began with dreams of challenging for a conference championship has reached its halfway point, with the Roadrunners just trying to find a way to get four more wins and earn bowl eligibility.
The loss to Rice has put the rest of the season in question. If the Roadrunners can't beat the Owls of Rice, what are their chances against the Owls of Florida Atlantic next week or Tulsa to end this month, let alone the tough games in November against Memphis, North Texas and Army.
UTSA won't throw in the towel. The Roadrunners will continue to compete in the next six games and will hope they get a chance to play in a bowl game this year, but for that to happen, they will have to avoid the penalties and figure out how to find that good luck in close games they had in the last few years, but which has eluded them this year.
With six games remaining, time is starting to run out for the Roadrunners in 2024.
FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way
