Following a 29-16 loss to longtime SEC foe Florida last weekend in The Swamp, Tennessee (2-1 overall, 0-1 SEC) will look to regroup and bounce back this Saturday as the Vols host AAC program UTSA at Neyland Stadium. The Roadrunners (1-2) head to Knoxville after losing 37-29 vs. Army last Friday.
Heading into Saturday's game on Rocky Top, what's the overall outlook on UTSA's team? VolReport publisher Tyler Mansfield takes a look at the Roadrunners' makeup entering Week 4.
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– AN UNCHARACTERISTIC START: UTSA, which has been one of the more dominant Group of Five teams in college football over the past few seasons, has gotten off to an odd start to the 2023 campaign. Expected to be 3-0 at this point, the Roadrunners are instead 1-2 – having lost to both Houston and, most recently, Army, with their lone win coming against Texas State (and by a narrow 20-13 margin).
Looking back at last Friday's loss to Army, UTSA dug itself into a 14-0 hole after the first quarter and was never able to take a lead – ultimately falling short on its home turf. The Roadrunners allowed Army to put up 442 yards of offense and had the ball for just 15:35 compared to the Black Knights' 44:25.
UTSA quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough for the Roadrunners' offense to overcome the team's defensive woes.
– NO HARRIS, BIG PROBLEM: Frank Harris – who has been UTSA's starting quarterback for four seasons – didn't suit up for the Roadrunners in last Friday's loss to Army due to a lingering toe injury he suffered on September 9 against Texas State. Alongside his injury, Harris hasn't quite started his fifth season of college football the way he had hoped – having thrown just two touchdown passes compared to three interceptions.
Harris' shaky start to the season is highly uncharacteristic, especially considering that the signal-caller entered 2023 having tallied 9,352 passing yards and 74 touchdowns – in addition to 1,820 rushing yards and 24 more touchdowns – over his five seasons with UTSA.
When Harris is fully healthy and at his best, UTSA is very hard to beat. If the Roadrunners can get him back to full strength by Saturday, then Tennessee's defense will certainly have its work cut out for them. If he's not back, then the Vols will most likely face Marburger, who was solid against Army.
– A DOMINANT WIDEOUT: Now in his fifth season at UTSA, versatile wide receiver Joshua Cephus is one of the primary playmakers inside the Roadrunners' offense. Throughout his time in San Antonio, Cephus – a 6-foot-3, 185-pound wideout – has reeled in 248 receptions for 2,735 yards and 20 touchdowns. So far through three games in 2023, Cephus has reeled in 24 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns.
Tennessee's secondary will have to keep its eyes on Cephus from start to finish on Saturday afternoon or they'll get beat on the deep balls – that's for sure.
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