High Stakes Showdown: UTSA Faces South Florida in Thursday Night Clash
The college football spotlight is turning toward Tampa this Thursday night, as the UTSA Roadrunners hit the road to face the South Florida Bulls in a pivotal Week 11 matchup. This game carries a lot of weight for both programs — one fighting to stay in the American Athletic Conference title race, and the other aiming to build momentum after a much-needed win.
For UTSA, confidence is high coming off a dominant 48-26 victory over Tulane just last week. That win not only gave them their fourth victory of the season, improving to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the AAC, but also marked head coach Jeff Traylor’s 50th career win with the program. Under Traylor, the Roadrunners have quietly become one of the most consistent teams in college football, going 50-24 since 2020 — tied for the 12th-most wins in the FBS over that span.
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This Thursday’s matchup, however, won’t be easy. South Florida enters the game with a strong 6-2 record and a perfect 4-0 mark at home. The Bulls are led by dynamic senior quarterback Byrum Brown, who has been a dual-threat nightmare for opposing defenses. In just eight starts, Brown has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding another eight scores on the ground. He’s coming off a huge performance against Memphis, where he accounted for over 300 total yards and three touchdowns despite the team’s narrow loss.
On the other side, UTSA will rely on junior quarterback Owen McCown, who’s been on fire lately. In the win over Tulane, McCown completed an incredible 31 of 33 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns — one of the most efficient performances in college football this season. Complementing him in the backfield is senior running back Robert Henry Jr., who’s already rushed for 955 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging an impressive 8 yards per carry.
Statistically, the odds lean toward South Florida. The Bulls are currently 14-point favorites, and oddsmakers have set the over/under at a high 67.5 points — suggesting fans could be in for an offensive shootout. Still, UTSA has been strong in non-Saturday games, winning their last five weekday contests, and their record in November under Traylor has been exceptional.
The Roadrunners will need to overcome the challenge of playing in the Eastern time zone — where they’ve struggled historically — and deal with a raucous Raymond James Stadium crowd. But with the way both teams are playing, this could easily turn into one of the most entertaining matchups of the week.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, as UTSA looks to hand South Florida their first home loss of the season — and keep their own postseason hopes alive.
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