Live updates: UTSA kicks off American Conference season with matchup at Rice
· Yahoo Sports
Aiming to continue the program's best start since 2021, UTSA visits Rice to open the American Conference season, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Saturday in Houston.
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A win would move the Roadrunners to 4-1 on the year, setting the table for a showdown against undefeated South Florida with an ESPN spotlight at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Alamodome.
UTSA is also looking to avenge a heartbreaking loss from the program's last visit to Houston, as Rice converted an 18-yard touchdown pass with four seconds remaining to pull out a 29-27 victory.
Much has changed with Rice since then, as second-year coach Scott Abell installed an option running attack that is poised to test UTSA's struggling run defense.
Follow along for live updates and analysis:
UTSA forces early turnover to jump in front
Rice fumbled the option pitch on the first offensive snap to give UTSA prime field position, but the Roadrunners converted the opportunity into just three points, as Michael Petro kicked a 32-yard field goal to go up 3-0 with 12:52 to play.
UTSA coach Jeff Traylor elected to send the field goal team onto the field facing fourth-and-2 from Rice's 14-yard line - a situation that most analytics would say favors keeping the offense on the field.
How to watch UTSA at Rice
The Roadrunners and Owls will be kicking off at 6 p.m. Saturday from First Community Stadium in Houston with a broadcast on ESPN+. The radio broadcast is 760 AM.
Roadrunners relatively clean on injury report
The start of the American Conference season brings the first player availability report of the year, and UTSA announced relatively few impactful injuries.
Starting guard Ben Rios was listed as questionable and did not participate in pregame warmups, as Colorado State transfer MJ Senegal seems poised to start in his place. Defensive back Willie Nelson is listed out, but the rest of the report covers mostly little-used reserves or seasonlong injuries.
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