SAN ANTONIO – Clayton Tune threw four interceptions in Week 1 of the 2021 loss to Texas Tech in a game that Houston led 21-7 at half. A year later, the senior quarterback engineered an 18-play, 77-yard drive that took up 10:30 of game time to secure a 24-21 lead with 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter after trailing 21-7 entering the final period. 

The bad news for the Cougars? That wasn’t enough. UTSA quarterback Frank Harris completed two passes to push the Roadrunners into field goal position, and a 37-yard kick by Jared Sackett forced overtime with the two teams tied at 24. 

Yet, it was Tune again in the overtime period who propelled his Cougars to a win one year after that Sept. 4 loss to Texas Tech. Tune was 22 of 32 for 206 yards and three scores. He also led the Cougars in rushing with 51 yards and a score on 15 carries. His summersault into the end zone in triple overtime gave the Cougars a 37-35 win over the Roadrunners in an instant classic. 

Tune continues upward trajectory 

The senior quarterback threw nine interceptions in seven games during the 2019 season. He threw for 10 more in an eight-game 2020. Tune started 2021 with a four-interception performance against Texas Tech last season. He’s only thrown six in his last 14 games. Four of those six interceptions took place over the last 12 regular season games for the Cougars, and in that time, Houston is 12-0. When Tune takes care of the football, Houston wins. He’s thrown for more touchdowns than interceptions in 13 of Houston’s last 14 contests. 

Tune entered the 2022 season as “The Best Quarterback in Texas” by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football in the 2022 summer magazine, but the first half was a forgettable one for the Carrollton Hebron product. Tune finished the first half with only 59 yards passing and without a completion for more than 12 yards. The third quarter wasn’t much better, but he came alive with the game on the line. A reversal of outcomes from Week 1 in 2021 to Week 2 in 2022 that could determine the success of this Houston program. The Cougars went on an 11-game winning streak to close the 2021 regular season. The win over UTSA marks 12-straight regular season wins. An undefeated record isn’t out the question for Tune’s Cougars. 

UTSA can’t close 

The loss represented a rare sight for the Roadrunners under third-year head coach Jeff Traylor. The game against Houston was his 27th in charge of UTSA. He entered the contest 13-3 in one-score games as a college head coach. The 37-35 loss to Houston dropped his record to 13-4 in those games. UTSA has played in one-possession games in 63 percent of the games Traylor has coached them in over two seasons and one game. A worry for Roadrunner fans is if that success in one-score games evens out over the next year. Statistically, a team should only win about 50 percent of those games. UTSA won 81.25 percent of those one-score games in Traylor’s first two seasons. 

Week 2 looms large for both programs

Week 2 could prove pivotal for both programs. Houston heads to Lubbock to face Texas Tech in hopes of rectifying last year’s come-from-ahead loss to the Red Raiders. The Cougars don’t face Cincinnati in the regular season of AAC play, so a win over Texas Tech puts Houston in position to run the table to a 12-0 regular season record. Dana Holgorsen’s squad won 11-straight to close out 2021’s regular season, so it isn’t a ridiculous notion. They’ll be favored in every remaining regular season game if the Cougars scrap past Texas Tech. 

For UTSA, the Houston loss must be put in the rear-view mirror quickly because the next two weeks are daunting. The Roadrunners are on the road in Week 2 against a pesky Army squad that presents unique challenges. Texas awaits in Week 3. The Roadrunners hope to avoid an 0-3 start, and Army represents the more winnable of the next two games. Over 35,000 people were at the Alamodome for the thriller against Houston. To keep that type of attention on the program, the Roadrunners need to win. UTSA is still building fan support throughout the city, and even if it is unfair, casual fans will abandon ship if the product isn’t championship level. The good news for UTSA is that Conference USA is winnable regardless of the out-of-conference record. 

Game Ball – Houston quarterback Clayton Tune 

When the Cougars needed a play, Tune was there to make it. He threw for two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. He rushed for a score in the second overtime, and then connected with Nathaniel Dell for a two-point conversion. In the third overtime, Tune scrambled right and flipped over a UTSA defender into the endzone in what proved to be the game-winner. Tune wasn’t perfect, but he played winning football. Comparing his composure and maturity in Week 1 of 2022 compared to Week 1 of 2021 paints a clear picture. As Tune goes, Houston goes. It was true last year, and it was true again to start 2022.