Tulane Football Will Face Tough In-Conference Test Against UTSA

The last time the Tulane Green Wave football team faced the UTSA Roadrunners was the 2023 season, a game Tulane won, 29-16, in San Antonio.

That victory shattered UTSA's perfect conference record. This season UTSA has a chance to avenge that loss on Oct. 30 at Yulman Stadium.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Roadrunners have elite potential. UTSA returns quarterback Owen McCown — the son of former NFL star Josh McCown — who threw for 3,424 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his sophomore season.

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Leading rusher Robert Henry returns to join McCown in the backfield. Henry is fresh off of a junior season in which he rushed for 706 yards and seven touchdowns.

McCown will have plenty of viable targets, too. The Roadrunners return Willie McCoy, who lead the team in receiving yards last season with 536. In addition to McCoy, UTSA returns promising tight end Houston Thomas as well as receivers Devin McCuin and David Amador.

Thomas recorded 470 yards and three touchdowns from the tight end position in his sophomore season. McCuin put up 424 yards and a team-leading five receiving touchdowns. Amador recorded 376 yards and a touchdown in his freshman season.

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With all of these offensive weapons returning, each of them seeking a season greater than their last, McCown has an armada on offense at his disposal, one the Tulane defense will have to find a way to contain.

The UTSA defense certainly has more question marks. The heart of the Roadrunner defense will be their linebackers. UTSA brings in Shad Banks Jr. and Brandon Tucker. Banks is a TCU transfer who recorded 62 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss in 2023 with the Horned Frogs. Tucker is transferring in from East Texas A&M, where last season he recorded 131 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.

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For the Green Wave to beat this Roadrunner team, they will have to find a way to slow down the UTSA offense. The front seven, led by Sam Howard and Kameron Hamilton, as well as the secondary with star safeties Bailey Despanie and Jack Tchienchou, will all have to rise to the occasion.

If they can, the Green Wave should be in a good position to win their fourth matchup in conference play.

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