Spring football is ongoing across the state of Texas now that spring break is over. The 13 FBS programs in the Lone Star State are allowed to participate in 15 on-field practice sessions, including 12 involving contact. Spring games are littered throughout April with most taking place on April 15 or April 22. Houston goes first when the Cougars play their spring game on April 7. 

The 2023 season is one of change. Sam Houston is moving up to Conference USA from the FCS ranks. Houston is now in the Big 12. UTSA, North Texas, and Rice are preparing for their first season in the American Athletic Conference. 

But what is the best and worst case that can happen for each team in 2023? Here’s where we stand on the UTSA Roadrunners. 

UTSA ROADRUNNERS 

2022 record: 11-3

2023 schedule
Sept. 2 at Houston
Sept. 9 Texas State
Sept. 16 Army
Sept. 23 at Tennessee
Sept. 30 IDLE
Oct. 7 at Temple
Oct. 14 UAB
Oct. 21 at FAU
Oct. 28 East Carolina
Nov. 4 at North Texas
Nov. 11 Rice
Nov. 17 South Florida
Nov. 24/25 at Tulane 

Best case: The Roadrunners enter the AAC with as much momentum as any team left in the league thanks to consecutive C-USA titles. They are 30-10 in the three years under Jeff Traylor, including a 23-5 mark over the past two season. Traylor is 20-3 in conference play as a head coach. The competition stiffens in the AAC, but UTSA is poised to make a splash in year one thanks to 10 returning offensive starters and roughly half the defensive production. Quarterback Frank Harris and his four favorite targets are back, while the defense gets a boost from safety Rashad Wisdom, who was sidelined with an injury for most of 2022. 

The non-conference schedule is tough, but a 3-1 record isn’t out of the question. A Week 1 win over Houston, a team that beat UTSA in triple overtime last year, would jumpstart the 2023 campaign for the Roadrunners. UTSA could win nine or 10 games and reach the AAC championship game if the group remains healthy, and the defense finds new playmakers. A season-finale trip to Tulane might be the deciding factor. 

Worst case: The downside to a tough non-conference schedule extends beyond the record. UTSA found that out last year during a brutal start to the year that cost the Roadrunners with dozens of injuries. The same challenge remains in 2023 with a four-game slate to start the season that includes Houston, Army, and a trip to Tennessee. Injuries can derail any team, especially at UTSA if one of those is Harris. It is hard to see them slipping too much if Harris remains healthy for 12 games. The good news, bad news for Traylor is that he’s built expectations and a move up a conference won’t stop the noise if UTSA falls to the middle of the pack, regardless of the reason. 

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