#13 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners
Alamodome – San Antonio, Texas
Saturday, September 7, 2013, 12:00 pm Eastern, TV: Fox Sports 1
Opening Line: Oklahoma St -24 1/2
Current Line: Oklahoma St -26
Opening Total: 59
Current Total: 59
Opening Money Line: OSU -3000 / UTSA +1500
Current Money Line: OSU -5000 / UTSA +2500
The #13 Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners both won their season openers last week. Now the two schools meet for the first time ever Saturday in San Antonio. The Roadrunners will make the trip to Stillwater in 2014. This is the fourth straight game OSU has played in the state of Texas dating back to last season.
Oklahoma State is coached by Mike Gundy and UTSA is coached by Larry Coker. Coker was the offensive coordinator at OSU in the late 80’s when Gundy was the quarterback for the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State was a 12 point favorite in Houston against Mississippi State and the total was 63. The Bulldogs kicked a field goal midway through the first quarter. Oklahoma State would take a 7-3 lead late in the second quarter on a three yard touchdown run from quarterback J.W. Walsh, who came in for the ineffective starter Clint Chelf. The Cowboys would take that 7-3 lead into halftime. The Cowboys took the second half kickoff and drove down the field for a one yard touchdown run by running back Jeremy Smith to go up 14-3. Smith would add a 20 yards touchdown run early in the fourth. Neither team would score again and OSU grabbed the 21-3 win.
Oklahoma State had 432 total yards including 286 rushing yards. The Cowboys had 22 first downs. OSU was 8/14 on third and fourth down conversions. The Cowboys had no turnovers, but did have 7 penalties for 86 yards. The Cowboys held the Bulldogs to 333 total yards and 17 first downs. MSU was 2/16 on third and fourth down conversions. The Bulldogs had 2 turnovers and 11 penalties for 74 yards.
Walsh was 18 for 27 passing for 135 yards, and also rushed 13 times for 125 yards and a touchdown. He and Chelf were supposed to split the snaps, but Gundy has said Walsh will be his full-time starter until further notice. Smith had 15 carries, 102 yards and a touchdown. Four Cowboy receivers caught 4 passes, but know one had more than 39 yards. Receiver Austin Hays is questionable for undisclosed reasons.
UTSA was a 3.5 point underdog at New Mexico and the total was 54 last week. The Roadrunners moved from the now defunct WAC to Conference USA this year, only their second as an FBS school. New Mexico recovered a fumble 4 minutes into the first quarter and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. The Lobos went for two and failed, making it 6-0. New Mexico would add another touchdown early in the second to make it 13-0. UTSA would score on a one yard touchdown run from running back David Glasco II with 3:10 left in the second. That would be the halftime score. The Roadrunners took the lead early in the third on a 38 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eric Soza to Brandon Armstrong. UTSA would expand the lead to 21-13 with 3 minutes left in the game on an 8 yard touchdown pass from Soza to Glasco. The Lobos drove to the Roadrunner 43 but the drive stalled and they turned it over on downs. UTSA ran out the clock to secure the upset.
UTSA had 394 total yards and 22 first downs. New Mexico had only 277 total yards and 15 first downs. Both teams struggled on third down conversions as the Roadrunners were 3/10 and the Lobos were 2/13. The UTSA fumble in the first was the only turnover of the game.
Soza completed 21 of 34 passes for 237 yards and 2 touchdowns, and also had 11 carries for 48 yards. Glasco had 8 carries for 32 yards and a touchdown, along with the touchdown grab for his only catch of the day. Receiver Kam Jones had 5 catches for 65 yards, along with 4 carries for 39 yards.
Oklahoma State is 5-1 ATS overall, 4-1 after a straight up win, and after rushing for more than 200 yards, 8-3 in non-conference games, 5-2 against teams with winning records, and 1-5 in road games. UTSA is 5-0 ATS in non-conference games, and overall, and 4-1 after a straight up win.
Although this is a road game for the Cowboys, there will likely be more OSU fans in the crowd than UTSA fans. Not that you will be able to tell by looking as both teams feature orange in their color schemes. Still, I think the Cowboys simply have too much for the up and coming Roadrunners. OSU wins in a romp.
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