TXST FOOTBALL
While the I-35 rivalry between Texas State and UTSA may be short on the football field, the rivalry between the Bobcats and Roadrunners dates back to the 1990s when UTSA first joined the Southland Conference.
Prior to the UTSA rivalry, Texas State’s most played opponent from San Antonio in football was the Trinity Tigers with the Bobcats leading the series 13-9. The Bobcats have also played a home game in San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium once during both the 1980 and 1992 seasons against Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern. To add to the familiarity of Texas State and UTSA, it is reported that 40,000 Bobcat alumni live in San Antonio.
The origins of the I-35 rivalry started in 1991 when UTSA joined the Southland Conference, of which Texas State had been a member since 1987.
Due to the Roadrunners not having a football team until 2011, the rivalry flourished in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball.
From 1991 through 2012, the Bobcats and the Roadrunners met in a number of clashes, including meeting in the finals of the conference tournament in baseball [1997], men’s basketball [1999], women’s basketball [2003] and volleyball [2005, 2011].
Currently Texas State leads the baseball series [63-40], softball series [52-43], women’s basketball series [38-33], soccer series [6-4-2] and volleyball series [60-14]. UTSA leads the men’s basketball series 37-26.
The rivalry found its way to the gridiron when UTSA announced the creation of their own football program that started play during the 2011 season.
Both Texas State and UTSA made the jump to FBS in 2012 when both schools joined the Western Athletic Conference. It was also the first season both teams would meet on the football field.
Set for Thanksgiving weekend, over 39,000 fans packed the Alamodome for the first ever football game between the schools. The Roadrunners stunned the Bobcats 38-31 after scoring 17 points in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for both schools, it would be the last time both Texas State and UTSA would remain in the same conference.
With members of the WAC conference opting to join the Mountain West, UTSA and Texas State went their separate ways with the Roadrunners joining Conference USA before moving to the American Athletic Conference while the Bobcats found their home in the Sun Belt Conference.
The football series went on hiatus for the next three seasons before the two athletic departments came to an agreement to extend the series.
Texas State and UTSA agreed to meet for the 2017, 2018 and 2020 seasons before agreeing to a nine-game series that is being played from 2023 through 2031.
The anticipated 2017 game saw over 31,000 fans packed UFCU Stadium, making it just the fourth time in stadium history that over 30,000 people attended a football game.
However, the game turned into a blowout with the Roadrunners beating Texas State 44-14.
The two teams met again during the 2018 season in Week 4 back at the Alamodome.
UTSA struck first by taking down Bobcat quarterback Willie Jones III and forcing the fumble, which was then returned for a touchdown. The Roadrunners later scored on a seven-yard passing touchdown to go up 14-0 in the first quarter.
The Bobcats responded by forcing a fumble before scoring on a quarterback sneak by Tyler Vitt, cutting the lead down to 14-7. Trailing 17-7 in the third quarter after a UTSA field goal, the Bobcats responded with a Vitt touchdown pass to tight end Keenan Brown, making it 17-14 going into the fourth quarter.
The Roadrunners tacked on two more field goals in the fourth to make it a 23-14 game but the Bobcats had other plans. Following a blocked punt by Texas State, Vitt found wide receiver Hutch White for a 13-yard touchdown pass to make it a 23-21 game with just five minutes remaining in the game.
The Bobcat defense forced a punt to give the ball back to the offense with less than three minutes remaining in the game though the Roadrunners downed the ball on the Texas State two yard line.
Instead of a glorious 98yard drive to secure the Bobcats first ever win over UTSA, the possession turned into a disaster. On the first play of the drive, the Bobcats opted for the quarterback draw play only for the Roadrunners to make the sack in the endzone for the safety and seal a 25-21 victory.
In perhaps the most memorable game of the series, Texas State and UTSA met again during the 2020 season in the middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Late in the fourth quarter, UTSA returned an interception back for a touchdown to take a 41-28 lead with 3:24 remaining in the game.
The Bobcats responded with a touchdown drive as Vitt found wide receiver Marcell Barbee for the touchdown, cutting the lead down to 41-35 with 1:51 remaining in the game.
The Bobcat defense forced a UTSA drive on the next drive, which wide receiver Jeremiah Haydel caught at the Texas State nine yard line. Haydel then returned the punt 91 yards for the score with the Bobcats tying the game at 41-41.
But once again disaster struck. Texas State missed the extra point attempt that would have given the Bobcats the lead but instead sent the game into overtime for the first time in series history.
Texas State and UTSA traded touchdowns in the first overtime as the game went into a second. The nightmare continued for the Bobcats as Texas State missed the field goal allowing UTSA to hit a game winning field goal to win 51-48.
Following a two-year break, Texas State and UTSA resumed their series for the 2023 season with an added twist. It was student versus apprentice as Bobcat Head Coach G.J. Kinne faced his former High School Head Coach Jeff Traylor.
Over 49,000 fans packed the Alamodome, making it the second most attended UTSA game in program history, as the Bobcats and the Roadrunners renewed hostilities.
UTSA took a 10-0 lead over Texas State before the Bobcats tied the game before halftime following a three yard touchdown run by running back Jahmyl Jeter and a 42yard field goal by Mason Shipley.
The Roadrunners retook the lead at 1710 following a 20-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter as the Texas State looked to respond.
Quarterback T.J. Finley hit Kole Wilson for what would have been a game-tying 55-yard touchdown pass with Wilson appearing to walk into the endzone only to trip up and fall to the turf before scoring. The play allowed UTSA to hold the Bobcats to just a field goal and make the score 17-13. UTSA tacked on another field goal as the Roadrunners held on for the 20-13 win.
Now another chapter will be added to the rivalry when Texas State hosts UTSA Saturday, Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. with the game being broadcasted on ESPNU.
[email protected] Twitter: @ColtonBMc
