7:30 PM EST, ESPN – Line: UTSA -2.5, Over/Under: 49.5
The bowl season continues tonight with the Frisco Bowl as a pair of non-Power-5 programs look to end stellar campaigns with a victory, with the UTSA Roadrunners battling the (No. 24) San Diego State Aztecs in what is essentially a home game from Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. You would be hard-pressed to find a program that has grown more over the past two years than UTSA (12-1, 8-1 in CUSA), who prior to the arrival of (Head Coach) Jeff Traylor had experienced very little success in the rather brief history. Debuting back in 2012, the Roadrunners quickly joined Conference USA a year later, and managed just two winning seasons with an appearance in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl serving as their only postseason feature. Picked by many pundits to finish last in the CUSA West Division last year, Traylor’s troops impressed greatly, finishing a surprising 7-5 and 5-2 within the conference. Offensively, they ascended from 117th in the nation in scoring (20.3) to sixty-seventh (28.2), and defensively they went from allowing 33.9 points per game (112th in FBS) to permitting a much more respectable 25.7 (41st in FBS), with all of this progress occurring despite the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted nearly every program, particularly those ushering in new coaching staffs. Now with a proper offseason to recruit, evaluate the roster, and implement his strategies, Traylor would go on to lead the school to its most successful campaign ever, winning all but one of their thirteen contests and outlasting Western Kentucky in the conference championship game to secure their first CUSA title. That showdown was a wild one, folks, as the Roadrunners managed to stave off a furious rally from the Hilltoppers to earn a 49-41 triumph. After trading scores throughout the first period, the West Division Champs ran off twenty-eight unanswered points during a 15:00 period between the second and third quarters to amass a commanding 42-13 lead midway through the third period. However, Western Kentucky would then string together three straight touchdown drives with a successful two-point conversion cutting the deficit to eight points with just over eleven minutes to play. (Senior Quarterback) Frank Harris (66.4%, 2,906 YDS, 8.0 Y/A, 25 TD, 5 INT) then engineered a 10-play, 75-yard drive culminating in a 28-yard touchdown strike to (Junior Receiver) De’Corian Clark (46 REC, 683 YDS, 14.8 Y/R, 6 TD) that shaved 4:43 off the game clock. CUSA MVP, Baily Zappe responded with a similar drive to get the difference back to eight, and after forcing UTSA to punt on the ensuing possession set up the East Division Champs with an opportunity to send the affair into overtime. Unfortunately, Zappe would barely breach his opponent’s half of the field before being picked off by (Redshirt Sophomore Safety) Jahmal Sam (36 TKL, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 1 FR, 2 INT, 2 PD), effectively ending the game and crowning the Roadrunners as conference champions. In the end, the two teams combined for a staggering NINETY points, TWELVE touchdowns, and 1,124 total yards, Traylor’s charges turned the tide on the strength of four takeaways and a decisive difference in rushing offense, outgaining the Hilltoppers 304-9 on the ground granting them a commanding advantage in time of possession (36:44). Harris was excellent in completing 19-of-28 passes for 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while rushing for another eighty-one yards and a score on eleven attempts, with (Junior Receiver) Zakhari Franklin (73 REC, 938 YDS, 12.8 Y/R, 11 TD) and the aforementioned Clark combining for ten receptions, 126 yards and a touchdown apiece. With that said, the star of the show was none other than (Junior Tailback) Sincere McCormick (299 CAR, 1,479 YDS, 4.9 Y/A, 15 TD), who rushed for a season-high 204 yards and three scores on thirty-six carries, including a 65-yard jaunt midway through the second quarter to break the game open. A year after setting a school record with 1,467 rushing yards, McCormick raised the bar to an FBS-leading 1,479 after that performance further cementing his status as 2021 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. Armed with twenty-one returning starters from last year’s team, the Roadrunners have bene true to their name on both sides of the football, averaging 37.8 points per game (12th in FBS) on 443.3 total yards, including 254.3 yards through the air on a healthy 8.0 yards per attempt, and another 189.0 yards on the ground on 4.6 yards per carry. Harris has once again been a solid dual-threat at Quarterback, topping 500 rushing yards for the second consecutive season, even catching a touchdown to boot. Defensively, Traylor’s side returned every starter from 2020 and has continued to grow; UTSA has allowed 23.6 points per game (44th in FBS) thus far, snuffing out the run on 111.2 yards and 3.2 yards per attempt, with the likes of (Hybrid Linebacker) Clarence Hicks (35 TKL, 16.0 TFL, 10.0 SK, 1 FF, 1 INT, 2 PD) and (Ole Miss Graduate Transfer) Charles Wiley (33 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 3.5 SK, 2 FR, 1 TD, 1 PD) accounting for twenty-five tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. As a team, Texas-San Antonio has been one of the most opportunistic in the nation, logging TWENTY-SEVEN takeaways this year, forcing at least two in all but three games. Sixteen different players have a turnover to their name, with the aforementioned Sam posting a team-high three despite missing three games due to injury. 2021 has been a year of firsts for this program, who after winning their first conference championship and enjoying their first stretch in the AP Poll, rising as high as fifteenth at one point, can now add a bowl win to their ledger. Traylor led them to an appearance in the First Responder Bowl a year ago, with his charges coming up short in a 31-24 contest against Louisana-Lafayette. The Roadrunners fell behind early but rallied back from a 24-7 deficit to tie the game early in the fourth quarter, only for the Ragin’ Cajuns to deliver the final blow on the following drive. McCormick and Harris rushed for 213 yards and a touchdown on forty-one carries, with the latter completing 13-of-21 passes for 208 yards, a touchdown and what proved to be costly interception. A win tonight would indeed be another feather in the cap of Traylor, who has no doubt risen up the coaching ranks, with the 53-year-old sure to attract attention from bigger schools in the near future.
Meanwhile, San Diego State (11-2, 7-2 in MWC) also finds themselves with an opportunity to make some school history, for with a win tonight they can finish with a school record twelve victories. After a disappointing 4-4 finish in 2020 that left them meandering in the middle of the Mountain West, the Aztecs have matched their previous program best of eleven wins and have thus recorded their fifth ten-win campaign since 2015, amounting to what has easily been the most prosperous period of time in the history of the school. Now in his second year leading the Aztecs after being promoted following the retirement of longtime skipper, Rocky Long, (Head Coach) Brady Hoke has them has his troops back in a bowl following a one-year hiatus. Of course, this is the second go-around for the 63-year-old at the program where he made a name for himself over a decade ago; San Diego State struggled mightily before Hoke’s arrival back in 2009, marshalling no winning seasons since 1998 with just seven since 1980, only to put together a 14-13 record in his first stint, including a 9-4 finish back in 2010. That would then lead to his hiring at Michigan where things unraveled for the coach, eventually leading him back to the Aztecs. Coming into 2021, Hoke was returning a wealth of starters, though the majority were on a Defense that ranked eleventh nationally in points allowed (17.8) and total defense (283.5), while yielding a touchdown on just 15.2% of their opponents’ possessions (4th in FBS). By any metric they’ve met that standard, allowing just 19.5 points per game (17th Overall) on 319.7 total yards, including 242.0 against the pass on 6.1 yards per attempt, and another 77.7 versus the run on a scant 2.6 yards per carry. A year after earning All-MWC honors, (Junior Edge-Rusher) Cameron Thomas (68 TKL, 21.0 TFL, 10.5 SK, 1 FF) led the Mountain West in tackles for loss (21) while ranking second in the league in sacks (10.5), with (Senior Linebacker) Caden McDonald (48 TKL, 7.0 TFL, 3.5 SK, 2 PD) adding another seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. (Defensive Coordinator) Kurt Mattix has one of the most experienced units in the country, particularly in the Secondary were (Senior Safety) Trenton Thompson (41 TKL, 3.5 TFL, 1 FF, 3 INT, 13 PD) has been the chief playmaker within the Aztecs’ 3-3-5 system. With that said, that defense was gutted when we last saw them, as Utah State hammered them in a 46-13 blowout loss in the Mountain West Championship Game two weeks ago. After a scoreless first quarter, the Aggies put their foot on the proverbial gas pedal, particularly in the second half where they would go on to score all but fourteen of their MWC Title Game record forty-six points. It was also the most points relinquished by Hoke in either of his two stints with San Diego State, who were gashed for 383 total yards, including 318 against the pass where (Utah state Quarterback) Logan Banner torched them for four touchdowns on 29-of-43 passing. However, the most disappointing thing about this contest was the performance of the offense, which was flat-out embarrassing in a game in which they suffered some losses at Tight End and the Offensive Line and were thus prevented from holding a full week of practice. The Aztecs simply couldn’t stay on the field, converting just one of fourteen third downs and one of four fourth downs, punting on four of their first five drives, and suffering a safety early in the second quarter. Penalties were also a HUGE problem in this one, with Hoke’s troops flagged nine times for a loss of 120 yards. Then again, this is what we’ve come to expect from them on this side of the football for SDSU simply hasn’t been very threatening this season when in possession, and a lot of that has to do with their Quarterback situation, which was their Achilles heel in 2020. Last season, (Senior Quarterback) Lucas Johnson (61.0%, 1,091 YDS, 5.8 Y/A, 9 TD, 4 INT) started two games before getting hurt, with (fellow Senior) Jordan Brookshire (51.2%, 869 YDS, 7.1 Y/A, 3 TD, 1 INT) getting plenty of reps late in the campaign. In the Spring, a competition broke out between Johnson, Brookshire, and (Mississippi State transfer) Jalen Mayden, though Brookshire would emerge the victor, it wouldn’t be long before Johnson would take over, though Brookshire would get the nod against Utah State; in this case, the upperclassman proved to be completely ineffective in completing just 11-of-23 passes for a meager 117 yards and suffering five sacks on the night. While this offense has been far better on the ground in churning out 175.4 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per attempt, they were contained by the Aggies, who relegated them to 148 yards on thirty-nine carries, with the tandem of (Tailbacks) Greg (221 CAR, 997 YDS, 4.5 Y/A, 8 TD) and Chance (65 CAR, 314 YDS, 4.8 Y/A, 4 TD) Bell combining for eighty-nine yards on seventeen attempts. Simply put, this is a team that wants to pound the football between the tackles and play good defense, and after falling behind so quickly they were forced to abandon that approach altogether. They’ll look to refrain from falling into that same trap against UTSA, who can also score points rather quickly. Tonight’s affair will mark San Diego State’s eleventh bowl appearance in twelve years, where they’ve won five times, while in Hoke’s case it will be the fifth time he’s taken a team to the postseason, winning twice, including a 35-14 victory over Navy back in the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl.