The Convention USA Championship Sport will probably be a rematch of an October thriller as UTSA performs host to North Texas with a league title hanging within the stability. When these groups performed in Week 8, the Roadrunners escaped with a 31-27 victory after quarterback Frank Harris discovered receiver De’Corian Clark for the go-ahead landing with simply 15 seconds left.
That performed capped a back-and-forth affair between the in-state foes, that are 5-5 towards one another since turning into league rivals within the 2013 season. They’ve performed each season since then, however it will mark the primary time they’ve performed twice in a season. Each have made pretty latest appearances within the Convention USA title sport — simply not towards one another. In reality, UTSA is the reigning champion after knocking off Western Kentucky 49-41 within the sport final season.
North Texas final appeared within the title sport in 2017, when the Imply Inexperienced fell 41-17 at FAU throughout coach Seth Littrell’s second season as coach. The next seasons featured some ups and downs for North Texas, however this 12 months’s 6-2 league document is this system’s greatest since that 2017 marketing campaign.
With each faculties headed to the AAC after this season, this marks their farewell to Convention USA. Each wish to exit on prime earlier than they enter a brand new league.
UTSA vs. North Texas: Must know
Using Ragsdale: Reaching this sport required a gutty effort from the Imply Inexperienced final week in a 21-17 over Rice. Working again Ikaika Ragsdale hauled in a 6-yard landing move with 10:35 left to place North Texas forward, and the Imply Inexperienced protection got here up with consecutive stops from there to clinch the victory. Rice outgained North Texas 415-362 and led in time of possession by greater than 11 minutes, however North Texas received the turnover battle 2-0 and had the most effective talent participant on the sector in Ragsdale. The redshirt sophomore led the Imply Inexperienced in receiving with 5 catches for 59 yards and in dashing with 122 yards and a landing on 17 makes an attempt.
Run disparity: Shutting down North Texas’ run sport proved important for UTSA in its win over the Imply Inexperienced on Oct. 22. North Texas netted simply 22 yards dashing and failed to attain on the bottom. Alternatively, UTSA rushed for 257 yards whereas racking up 32 first downs versus simply 13 for North Texas. Nonetheless, the Imply Inexperienced managed to hold round behind quarterback Austin Aune‘s three passing touchdowns. North Texas led 13-10 getting into the fourth quarter earlier than the groups mixed for 35 factors within the fourth with the Roadrunners escaping on Harris’ late landing toss to Clark.
UTSA’s ascendance: The Roadrunners have lived simply exterior the nationwide highlight this season after rising as excessive as No. 15 final season throughout a 12-2 marketing campaign highlighted by highway wins over Illinois and Memphis. This season, the Roadrunners got here up simply brief in a 37-35 loss at then-No. 24 Houston in Week 1 and misplaced 41-20 at then-No. 21 Texas on Sept. 17. However since that loss towards the Longhorns, the Roadrunners have ticked off 9 straight wins to safe consecutive seasons with double-digit victories. Whereas the Roadrunners could not have cracked the polls this season, they’ve cemented their standing as one of many nation’s prime Group of 5 applications beneath third-year coach Jeff Traylor as they put together to hitch the AAC.
The best way to watch UTSA vs. North Texas reside
Date: Friday, December 2 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Alamodome — San Antonio, Texas
TV: CBS Sports activities Community | Stay stream: fuboTV (Attempt without cost)
UTSA vs. North Texas prediction, picks
Featured Sport | UTSA Roadrunners vs. North Texas Imply Inexperienced
UTSA has expertise on this spot after successful the Convention USA Championship Sport over Western Kentucky final season. With a veteran star at quarterback in Frank Harris and home-field benefit, the Roadrunners are geared up to repeat as Convention USA champions. Although they narrowly escaped with a 31-27 win over North Texas within the regular-season assembly on Oct. 22, the Roadrunners had been extra dominant than the ultimate rating urged. The Imply Inexperienced struggled to run the ball in that sport and UTSA greater than doubled them up in complete first downs. Search for the ultimate rating to extra precisely replicate UTSA’s standing as a Group of 5 stalwart this time round. Prediction: UTSA -8.5
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