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By Dan McCarney - Express-News

UTSA took another major step in the construction of its football program, releasing on Friday a first-year schedule featuring an inaugural game against the alma mater of head coach Larry Coker.

Beginning with Northeastern (Okla.) State on Sept. 3, 2011, the fledgling Roadrunners will embark on an eclectic campaign that includes everything from two fellow startup teams to an NAIA school that discontinued its football program for 43 years.

“It is one of the most challenging first-year schedules ever put together,” UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey said. “But that’s what coach Coker wanted.”

Hickey said UTSA hopes to play as many as five home games in 2013 against Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams as the school nears its intended jump to college football’s top flight as an independent in 2015.

Multiple sources told the Express-News that Baylor has agreed to a three-game series with UTSA. Though the years are unclear, two games will be played in Waco and one at the Alamodome.

“We’re not ready to say much about schedules beyond 2011 and 2012,” Coker said. “But we’re getting good response from FBS schools.”

Several members of UTSA’s first signing class said the pursuit of FBS opponents matches what they were told during the recruiting process.

“I’m excited,” receiver Jake Wanamaker said. “I didn’t pick UTSA to play small-time football.”

But with a startup program that will be composed mostly of freshmen and sophomores, the Roadrunners have to start somewhere.

Led by former Alabama coach Bill Curry, Georgia State will play its first season this fall as a Football Championship Subdivision independent. South Alabama started last year, going 7-0 against an assortment of non-scholarship schools.

McNeese State, Sam Houston State and Northwestern (La.) State are all members of the Southland Conference, with which UTSA is affiliated in 16 Division I sports. The Roadrunners had considered joining the league in football before electing to pursue FBS status as an independent.

A Division I-AA finalist in 2002, McNeese went 9-3 last season. Sam Houston State finished 5-6, five years removed from a four-round playoff run in 2004. Northwestern State lost all 11 games.

UC Davis and Southern Utah both won 5 games last season as FCS programs in the Great West Conference.

Northeastern State went 2-9 in Division II. Coker won three letters with the RiverHawks before graduating in 1970.

Minot (N.D.) State went 8-3 last season, losing to the University of Sioux Falls in the opening round of the NAIA playoffs. Also an NAIA school, Bacone College — located in Muskogee, Okla. — hadn’t played football in nearly five decades before reinstating its football program in 2001.

A Division III school, McMurry (4-6 last year) competes in the American Southwest Conference.

Southern Utah, Sam Houston, UC Davis and McNeese will play at UTSA, while the Roadrunners will play at South Alabama and Georgia State, in 2012.
2011 schedule

Sept: 3: Northeastern (Okla.) State
Sept. 10: McMurry
Sept. 17: @Southern Utah
Sept. 24: Bacone College
Oct. 1: @Sam Houston State
Oct. 8: South Alabama
Oct. 15: @UC Davis
Oct. 22: @Northwestern (La.) State
Oct. 29: Georgia State
Nov. 12: @McNeese State
Nov. 19: Minot (N.D.) State



UTSA home games at the Alamodome.

Southern Utah, Sam Houston, UC Davis and McNeese will all play at UTSA in 2012; UTSA goes to South Alabama and Georgia State in 2012.

Bring 'em on baby.

Surprised Cal Poly isn't going to San Antonio for a game.

Looks like UTSA is going the ODU route for their inaugural campaign. Play some patsies, get some wins to boost morale and hope that Conference USA West will secede and revive the Southwest Conference.

It'll be most interesting to see the matchup of the newbies (UTSA/USA, UTSa/GSU) and if they win any of the road games, the season will be a success.

If CUSA West did split to form a new Southwest Conference, who would join those teams? Interested to get everyone's take on that...I've suggested some potential members...

Existing:
Houston
SMU
Rice
UTEP
Tulane
Tulsa

Poential:
Southern Miss
LA Tech
Arkansas St.
UL-Monroe
UL-Lafayette
Texas St.
UTSA
SUU???? A stretch I know haha
North Texas

THE KIDD wrote: Sept: 3: Northeastern (Okla.) State
Sept. 10: McMurry
Sept. 17: @Southern Utah
Sept. 24: Bacone College
Oct. 1: @Sam Houston State
Oct. 8: South Alabama
Oct. 15: @UC Davis
Oct. 22: @Northwestern (La.) State
Oct. 29: Georgia State
Nov. 12: @McNeese State
Nov. 19: Minot (N.D.) State



UTSA home games at the Alamodome.

Schedule looks good. Plenty of very weak teams for the roadrunners to beat up on in SA. One team is noticeably absent though, TXST.

I spoke to our (TXST) Athletic Director Larry Teis and he told me that he talked to UTSA to try to schedule a home-and-home series. They declined. He then tried to sweeten the pot by offering to PAY them to come to San Marcos and we would return the game for FREE.

They still said no.

UTSA is very scared to play the Bobcats and/or really want us to stay out of San Antonio.

MINOT? They're playing a NAIA team from North Dakota? How the HELL did they get Minot to agree to play them, let alone go all the way to Texas to get their asses kicked. My school is D-III and we dominated 2 teams from the same conference as Minot.

Willie wrote:MINOT? They're playing a NAIA team from North Dakota? How the HELL did they get Minot to agree to play them, let alone go all the way to Texas to get their asses kicked. My school is D-III and we dominated 2 teams from the same conference as Minot.

Simple. Its an all expense paid trip. We kick ASS, sell lots of tickets, lots of food and yes lots of BEER!

Northeastern OK - DII
McMurry - DIII
Bacone - NAIA
UC Davis - DII
Minot - NAIA

Alot of their team will never even have experienced the speed of college football and if they get embarrassed by any of these teams, that "we're gonna pack'em in" mentality may wane before the Minot game; especially with most of the away games on the schedule.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to why they will play SAM or McNeese but not TXST?

CatMom wrote:Northeastern OK - DII
McMurry - DIII
Bacone - NAIA
UC Davis - DII
Minot - NAIA

Alot of their team will never even have experienced the speed of college football and if they get embarrassed by any of these teams, that "we're gonna pack'em in" mentality may wane before the Minot game; especially with most of the away games on the schedule.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to why they will play SAM or McNeese but not TXST?

UC DAVIS is now FCS

UC DAVIS is now FCS

Happy to put y'all on the schedule...UC Davis and Cal Poly both need those OOC games like crazy.

THE KIDD wrote:

CatMom wrote:Northeastern OK - DII
McMurry - DIII
Bacone - NAIA
UC Davis - DII
Minot - NAIA

Alot of their team will never even have experienced the speed of college football and if they get embarrassed by any of these teams, that "we're gonna pack'em in" mentality may wane before the Minot game; especially with most of the away games on the schedule.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to why they will play SAM or McNeese but not TXST?

UC DAVIS is now FCS

Somebody go update Wiki

Wasn't the point anyway

The UC Davis Aggies (or Ags) compete in NCAA Division I sports in the Big West Conference. For football, the Aggies compete in Division I FCS (formerly known as Division I-AA), and are members of the Great West Conference, granting UC Davis the distinction of being one of only three UC campuses to field a football team (Cal and UCLA being the other two). The Aggies are also members of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in gymnastics and lacrosse, the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association in rowing, and an associate member of the Pacific-10 Conference in wrestling.

CatMom wrote:Northeastern OK - DII
McMurry - DIII
Bacone - NAIA
UC Davis - DII
Minot - NAIA

Alot of their team will never even have experienced the speed of college football and if they get embarrassed by any of these teams, that "we're gonna pack'em in" mentality may wane before the Minot game; especially with most of the away games on the schedule.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to why they will play SAM or McNeese but not TXST?

You already know the answer to your question...yet you continue to ask it. Its an idea that is full of win for a TxSt fan....zero travel expenses, 45 min drive for your fans...and a guranteed win. But you already knew that game was NEVER going to happen. Utsa's stated goal from day one is to put a wall around SA, keep as many recruits at home as possible, and try to build support with the media and public. Playing you does nothing to advance those goals. TxSt fans call it a pussy move, UTSA fans call it a wise move......thats the one thing we can agree on. The goal here is to progress to FBS football, not to get hung up on a rivalry that doesnt really exist. Both schools could be in a fight for an FBS spot a couple years down the road, why give TxSt any advantage in that fight with head 2 head wins over UTSA.

This is a decent schedule considering the 2011 team will consist of about 45-50 redshirt freshman and a slew of walk-ons. There is an opportunity to get some early wins at home against the lesser division schools, try to build some confidence before the level of competition ramps up. I most interested to see the games against the other startup programs.....will be a good measuring stick for UTSA


Cant wait for kickoff!

Looks like a decent first year schedule to me (at least unlike Georgia State they dont get Alabama or some team like that ) Cant wait to see you guys play up in Cedar!

Have to call it a pussy move by UTSA - sorry.

UTSA, Baylor announce 3-game football series

03/15/2010

Associated Press


UTSA and Baylor will play three times beginning in 2017 in the first deal with a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the new Roadrunners program.

UTSA announced Monday that the Roadrunners will play at Baylor in 2017 and 2019, and host the Bears in 2018. Head coach Larry Coker said he was thrilled to attract a team "of that caliber into the Alamodome for a home game."

UTSA makes its football debut in 2011. The Roadrunners plan to play as an independent in the Football Championship Subdivision for two years, then elevate into FBS, formerly known as Division I.

I wanted opinions from folks from other FCS conferences but you decided to answer. Not my fault.
And BTW UTSA and TXST do have rivalries...baseball, bball. That's why the baseball games are always split.

(edit: Baylor is not high caliber FBS football and don't try for UT, they won't play SLC schools. They go for the bottom of the FCS)

USTA is going to take the ULL (concerning McNeese) approach when dealing with Texas State. They will holler and scream and cry how great they are and superior to your school but never dare play you in Football because they know they are going to get their ass handed to them and they cannot afford to lose the recruiting battle at home. That being said, I seriously doubt Larry Coker is going to recruit heavily in the SA area after the program gets up and rolling (my 2 cents)

The Pokes will rough em up a little for you

CatMom wrote:I wanted opinions from folks from other FCS conferences but you decided to answer. Not my fault.
And BTW UTSA and TXST do have rivalries...baseball, bball. That's why the baseball games are always split.

(edit: Baylor is not high caliber FBS football and don't try for UT, they won't play SLC schools. They go for the bottom of the FCS)

When was the last time TXST played a FBS team at home? Our first FBS home game 2013 vs K STATE. Baylor is not high caliber FBS football team. I would like to see TXST played them.

THE KIDD wrote:

CatMom wrote:I wanted opinions from folks from other FCS conferences but you decided to answer. Not my fault.
And BTW UTSA and TXST do have rivalries...baseball, bball. That's why the baseball games are always split.

(edit: Baylor is not high caliber FBS football and don't try for UT, they won't play SLC schools. They go for the bottom of the FCS)

When was the last time TXST played a FBS team at home? Our first FBS home game 2013 vs K STATE. Baylor is not high caliber FBS football team. I would like to see TXST played them.

Our recent FBS games
2005-TXA&M
2006-Kentucky
2007-Baylor
2008-SMU
2009-TCU
2010-Houston

Many FBS teams/conferences do not travel to FCS facilities. One of those happens to be the Big XII. Research KIDD.

If all goes 'as planned' we will likely be doing the same by 2013.

Great schedule by UTSA. They will be loaded with FCS home games in 2012 when they have a better compliment of scholarship athletes. 2013's schedule will be pretty solid too as they look to move into FBS.

And I do see a little of ULL/TCU in UTSA, just like I see quite a bit of SMU/McNeese in TXST. The question is whether UTSA will be like TCU, in that they are far and away, better than SMU in football (at least they have been since the 'split') or if they'll be like a ULL - a team not much better, if better than McNeese...

THE KIDD wrote:UC DAVIS is now FCS

Get use to it when dealing with CatMom...at least she did not call them UC-D.

CatMom wrote:(edit: Baylor is not high caliber FBS football and don't try for UT, they won't play SLC schools. They go for the bottom of the FCS)

Texas played Sam Houston State in '05. They will not play FCS schools, but Baylor does have several SLC schools in the next few years.

CatMom wrote:If all goes 'as planned' we will likely be doing the same by 2013.

Good luck with that. UTSA is already scheduling FBS for down the road (home-and-home deals). I have a hard time seeing TXST in FBS as early as '13 at this point. The 'Drive' is not going as well as many of you are led to believe.

TexasTerror wrote:Great schedule by UTSA. They will be loaded with FCS home games in 2012 when they have a better compliment of scholarship athletes. 2013's schedule will be pretty solid too as they look to move into FBS.

And I do see a little of ULL/TCU in UTSA, just like I see quite a bit of SMU/McNeese in TXST. The question is whether UTSA will be like TCU, in that they are far and away, better than SMU in football (at least they have been since the 'split') or if they'll be like a ULL - a team not much better, if better than McNeese...

THE KIDD wrote:UC DAVIS is now FCS

Get use to it when dealing with CatMom...at least she did not call them UC-D.

CatMom wrote:(edit: Baylor is not high caliber FBS football and don't try for UT, they won't play SLC schools. They go for the bottom of the FCS)

Texas played Sam Houston State in '05. They will not play FCS schools, but Baylor does have several SLC schools in the next few years.

CatMom wrote:If all goes 'as planned' we will likely be doing the same by 2013.

Good luck with that. UTSA is already scheduling FBS for down the road (home-and-home deals). I have a hard time seeing TXST in FBS as early as '13 at this point. The 'Drive' is not going as well as many of you are led to believe.

Yeah cause you would know.

slycat wrote:Yeah cause you would know.

It's just what I've heard talking to others around the Southland Conference. And it's not like those on BobcatFans are giddy with joy over the progress (or lack their of) that they have seen.

The question is how will TXST react. This summer will tell the truth of where they stand. I am projecting 2014 at the earliest unless the school gets back on track this summer with some bold UTSA-like moves. UTSA has obviously taken a much different, quicker route to the 'golden egg'.

Its "easier" for UTSA though to get FBS teams to come. They have the stadium size, city, and the fact that they don't have a FCS history. Am I completely satisfied with the Drive? No. But from what I hear from the inside it is going better then many suspect.

TexasTerror wrote:

slycat wrote:Yeah cause you would know.

It's just what I've heard talking to others around the Southland Conference. And it's not like those on BobcatFans are giddy with joy over the progress (or lack their of) that they have seen.

The question is how will TXST react. This summer will tell the truth of where they stand. I am projecting 2014 at the earliest unless the school gets back on track this summer with some bold UTSA-like moves. UTSA has obviously taken a much different, quicker route to the 'golden egg'.

They may be FBS-Independent before we are, but who cares? Any school can be FBS independent, they just have to schedule the games. The real thing is getting in an FBS conference.

UTSA may be FBS independent in 2013 while the cats are still in the SLC, but once the dominos start to fall, I'd bet that TXST and UTSA go into a FBS conference or conferences at the same time. It won't really matter if the new programs are coming from FBS-indy or from a FCS conference, we're both going to be going into the lowest level of FBS conferences.