UTSA Football: Roadrunners prepare for rapid rebuild in 2020

How will UTSA football fare in 2020?

There is plenty of potential for UTSA in 2020 with great playmakers both on offense and defense.

The C-USA will have multiple teams contending for the conference title that could include the Roadrunners — though it’s a major long shot. While they have a tough schedule and a first-year head coach in the collegiate ranks, UTSA can surprise multiple teams throughout the season.

Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the Roadrunners in 2020:

• Game 1: at LSU (L) – The Roadrunners will start 2020 on a tough road loss to the reigning national champs.
• Game 2: at Texas State (W) – UTSA gets its first win of the season versus a Bobcats team that will struggle significantly.
• Game 3: vs. Grambling (W) – The first home game of the season for the Roadrunners will showcase their potential high-scoring offense.
• Game 4: vs. Memphis (L) – Memphis returns eight offensive players that was ranked eighth in the nation in points per game (40.4).
• Game 5: at UAB (L) – The Roadrunners face another tough road test against a UAB team projected to win the C-USA.
• Game 6: vs. Old Dominion (W) – Both teams are on a rebuilding process, but the Monarchs only won one game last season.
• Game 7: vs. Louisiana Tech (L) – The Roadrunners can pull an upset at home, but they won’t be able to outscore the Bulldogs in a potential shootout.
• Game 8: at Florida Atlantic (L) – Florida Atlantic has much more immediate talent in the starting lineup than UTSA.
• Game 9: at Rice (L) – The Owls will have one of the top defenses in the conference, which will be too much for the Roadrunners to handle.
• Game 10: vs. UTEP (W) – As of now, the Miners are one of the worst teams in the entire FBS.
• Game 11: at Southern Miss (L) – The Eagles are looking to make that big step back in the title hunt for the C-USA title.
• Game 12: vs. North Texas (L) – This will potentially make a case in which team stays out of the bottom two teams in the west.

Prediction: 4-8 (2-6 C-USA)

The Roadrunners are going through their first legitimate rebuilding process in program history. It will take time for them to be back in the chase for a postseason bowl appearance.

Athlon Sports has the Roadrunners winning four games in 2020 with two of them being conference games. It’s highly likely that they will beat UTEP and Old Dominion. There are some wildcard games at Rice, at home against North Texas and at home against Louisiana Tech that the Roadrunners can win.

The program has made it clear that it wants to build a significant presence in the state of Texas through recruiting. Nine of the top 10 recruits of the Roadrunners for the 2020 class hail from the state of Texas. Their projected starting right guard in Ernesto Almaraz was ranked ninth overall in UTSA’s 2020 recruiting class.

What determines the Roadrunners’ success for 2020 is who they will have as the starting quarterback. Sincere McCormick will help push them into an explosive offense and could be a potential all-conference running back.

The Roadrunners will need to establish their new defensive system efficiently. What will help with that will be more playmakers to put pressure on the opposing offense in the backfield.

Look for a more aggressive but determined Roadrunners team as they begin the rebuilding process.