Staff Predictions: No. 2 Texas Longhorns vs. UTSA Roadrunners

Two teams from the Lone Star State will meet under the lights at Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday when the Longhorns and Roadrunners face off. The meeting between No. 2 Texas and UTSA marks just the second time these programs, which are located a little over an hour from each other, will meet.

The Roadrunners have won nine or more games in each of the past three seasons, but this year might be different for head coach Jeff Traylor’s team. Following their season opening win over Kennesaw State, UTSA was throttled 49-10 by Texas State. The Longhorns are sitting at 2-0 with a decisive win over defending national champion Michigan last week in Ann Arbor.

The last time Texas and UTSA met was two years ago. While the Roadrunners took a tie game into halftime, Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns pulled away in the second half en route to a 41-20 victory.

Texas is five touchdown favorites in this one but needs to avoid the mental letdown that teams sometimes experience following a big win. Can UTSA keep this game competitive? Will the Longhorns play “All Gas No Brakes” for four quarters of football? Our staff gives their thoughts on how the game plays out between the Longhorns and Roadrunners.

Jameson McCausland (2-0)

It wouldn’t be surprising if Texas takes a quarter or so to find their footing coming off an emotional win in Ann Arbor. The good news for the Longhorns is this UTSA team is nowhere near as dangerous as the one that visited Austin in 2022.

The Roadrunners haven’t been able to run the ball or get consistent stops defensively through the first two weeks of the season. That is a bad recipe against this Texas team.

Score Prediction: Texas 42, UTSA 10

Aaron Carrara (2-0)

This game is not about which team will win, but which one will play with heart and fire. Texas looks to avoid complacency after the big road win last week and show they have reached a maturity level to make that happen. Jeff Traylor will coach his guys up for this one but they will fall well-short of an upset over the second-ranked team in the country. Sarkisian stated in his Monday press conference that he wants to give his opponents “60 minutes of hell.” If the Longhorns can play a full game without letting off the gas, it will show they are serious about contending for a national championship physically and mentally.

Score Prediction: Texas 49, UTSA 10

Devon Messinger (2-0)

Following a 49-10 loss to Texas State, the UTSA Roadrunners will look to bounce back against the second-ranked Texas Longhorns. Unfortunately for UTSA, the Longhorns have lived up to their ranking so far this season and look to continue to roll opponents.

For Texas, the key to the game is simply their mentality. If the Longhorns show up hungover from last Saturday’s champagne showers in Ann Arbor, their game against UTSA could be reminiscent of some of the nail-biters in recent years past. However, this season, I feel more confident about Steve Sarkisian’s group from a mental perspective than I have in the past. Expect Quinn Ewers and Jaydon Blue to put up solid numbers in this week’s contest.

Score Prediction: Texas 45, UTSA 7

Marc Henry (2-0)

After an impressive 31-12 victory on the road against Michigan, Texas returns home to face UTSA with the challenge of maintaining focus and avoiding a letdown. The Longhorns must adopt a “business as usual” mindset to carry the momentum from the Michigan win. Quarterback Quinn Ewers and the offense need to continue their efficient play, with an emphasis on controlling the line of scrimmage to establish a balanced attack. Defensively, Texas should aim to create turnovers and pressure UTSA, replicating the aggressive style that worked so well against Michigan. If the Longhorns stay focused and execute their game plan, they should secure a comfortable win against UTSA.

Score Prediction: Texas 56, UTSA 10

Dylan DeRaud (1-1)

Following their big win on the road against Michigan, Texas will face a UTSA team that struggled to get any offense going against Texas State in a 49-10 loss. With quarterback Quinn Ewers playing red hot, the Longhorns should have no problem racking up big numbers early, allowing Arch Manning to get snaps in the second half. The passing attack will be in full force, and it’s likely that two Texas receivers will surpass 100 yards in this matchup. This team is probably the worst matchup for a team to try and have a bounce back game. With how they’re playing, anticipate the Longhorns to enter into SEC play with another big time win.

Score Prediction: Texas 56, UTSA 0

Mitch Lovell (2-0)

UTSA is coming off a 49-10 loss to Texas State and it won’t get any easier. The Roadrunners struggle to stop the run and have a hard time running the ball. The Longhorns will establishe the run on Saturday and its Arch Manning time Somtime in the 3rd quarter.

Score Prediction: Texas 56, UTSA 7