The UTSA Roadrunners will host the UTRGV Vaqueros in the 2026-27 season opener at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Alamodome. Although Saturday will mark the first time that the two UT System institutions have clashed on the gridiron, few college football programs are more familiar with UTSA Football than UTRGV.
The Vaqueros’ head coach is Travis Bush, UTSA’s first-ever offensive coordinator during the practice season in 2010 and the inaugural season in 2011. In addition to Bush’s previous Roadrunner ties, UTRGV co-offensive coordinator Jeff Bowen was a graduate assistant at UTSA for the football program’s first three seasons, while UTRGV director of football operations John Simmons ’14 was a quarterback at UTSA from 2010 to 2013.
Fourteen years after contributing to UTSA’s inaugural football season, these three helped UTRGV launch its own football program in 2025. The Vaqueros are now playing in their second season as a member of the Southland Conference in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) — a campaign that got off to a simmering start last weekend in Edinburg with a 44-0 victory over UT Permian Basin.
On Saturday in the Alamo City, however, the Vaqueros will be playing their first game ever against an opponent from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Roadrunners have high hopes heading into the 2026-27 campaign. UTSA, Navy and Memphis are widely expected to be the most prominent contenders for the American Conference championship this year. UTSA’s Jeff Traylor is now the longest-tenured head coach in the league, and the Roadrunners have an overall record of 53-26 since Traylor’s first season at UTSA in 2020. Only 10 FBS programs in the nation have more wins during that timeframe.
The Roadrunners are poised to have a scintillating offense this year with senior quarterback Owen McCown at the helm. McCown was recently named to the Manning Award Watch List and will be tossing passes to returning wide receivers David Amador II, AJ Wilson, DJ Allen and Jamel Hardy. Sophomore running back Will Henderson III is also back in the orange and blue after a promising freshman season in which he ran for 866 yards and six touchdowns. He’ll be running behind an offensive line with three returning starters: center Ben Rios, guard Darrell Jones and tackle Deandre Marshall.
On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Owen Pewee and defensive end Tai Leonard are the returning starters who will lead a unit with several new faces. However, key contributors such as defensive tackle Jameian Buxton and linebacker Brandon Tucker Jr. are expected to carve out larger roles in 2026 alongside a slew of underclassmen and new arrivals via the transfer portal.
The UTSA football team should see lots of Roadrunner fans in the stands throughout September and October. UTSA’s first seven games will all be held in the Lone Star State — including four home games and road contests at Texas State, Texas and Rice. In fact, the Roadrunners will only play three out-of-state games during the entire regular season.
A huge crowd is expected for Saturday’s showdown, which UTSA Athletics has designated as the “Navy Out” game. All Roadrunner fans are encouraged to wear navy blue to the Alamodome, and the first 10,000 fans through the doors will receive a “Navy Out” rally towel courtesy of Ancira Auto Group that features a replica of the UTSA football field. The home opener is also the traditional moment for the annual Rowdy Rush in which hundreds of UT San Antonio students sprint onto the Alamodome turf to cheer on the football team as it makes its fiery, colorful entrance.
Roadrunner Nation is invited to show its school spirit on Saturday at the following family-friendly events:
Pre-game fun
Rowdy Town Live at H-E-B Plaza
11:30 a.m., H-E-B Plaza and VIA Bridge (north side of the Alamodome)
Rowdy Town Live is the premier pre-game fan zone for the Roadrunner community, featuring a live DJ set and family-friendly carnival-style attractions, including a video game truck, inflatables and more.
Several sponsors will also be on hand with free giveaways, promotional items, vehicle displays and food sampling for fans. The following sponsors will have activations at Rowdy Town Live: AARP San Antonio, Alamo Biscuit Co., Barefoot Campus Outfitter, Bud Light, Circle K, Cowboys AC, Dos Equis, Gameday Men’s Health, Gold’s Gym, Jumex, North Park Subaru, McDonald’s, Región de México, San Antonio River Authority, SeaWorld, South Texas Ford, U.S. Army and UT Health San Antonio.
UT San Antonio Alumni Association’s Forever Rowdy Tailgate
11:30 a.m., H-E-B Plaza (north side of the Alamodome)
The UT San Antonio Alumni Association invites its members to the Forever Rowdy Tailgate at its new location just outside the Alamodome at H-E-B Plaza. At the Forever Rowdy Tailgate, Alumni Association members can check out the latest merch, snag the famous “BEAT” buttons and enjoy quick bites and signature drinks while basking in the unbeatable Roadrunner spirit. Each Alumni Association member is welcome to bring one guest, and children under 12 get in free. An Alumni Association member ID card is required at check-in.
Spirit Walk
11:45 a.m., Roadrunner Alley (between Alamodome Lots B and C)
This exciting tradition brings the Roadrunner community and the UTSA football team together to get pumped up for the game. Join Rowdy, the Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band and UTSA spirit squads as they accompany the team down Roadrunner Alley and into the Alamodome approximately two hours and 45 minutes before each home game. Fans can line the walkway between Alamodome parking lots B and C to cheer on the team.
Student Indoor Tailgate
12:30 p.m., Alamodome Multipurpose Room (field level; guests should enter through Gate 12)
This gathering spot for students will open inside the Alamodome two hours before kickoff. UT San Antonio students are invited to connect, cool down and vibe before the game. Free food and beverages will be available while supplies last. Admission for the indoor tailgate is free for students who check in through RowdyLink.
Going to the game
Tickets
Tickets may be purchased by calling or texting 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting ticketmaster.com. UTSA has transitioned to digital tickets through the Account Manager. For more information, please visit goutsa.com/tickets.
Current UT San Antonio students receive free admission to home athletic events and may purchase up to four guest tickets for the student section. Students enrolled exclusively at the university’s Health Science Center receive free admission to this game and are able to purchase discounted tickets for all other home events.
For walk-up sales, the Alamodome Southwest Box Office will open at 10 a.m. and all other Alamodome box offices will open at noon. Customer service windows are located at the Northeast and Southeast box offices.
Parking and tailgating
Parking in Alamodome Lots A, B and C is limited to fans who already have purchased permits. Alamodome Lots A, B and C will open at 8 a.m. for those who have valid parking passes. Please do NOT enter the lots prior to the scheduled opening time or staff will ask you to vacate your spot(s) and re-enter once the lots are open. The Alamodome parking lots close to tailgating one hour after the conclusion of the game.
Limited ADA parking spots are available in Lot A on a first-come, first-served basis. By state law, veterans with Disabled Veteran plates that do NOT have a valid state-issued disability placard are not permitted to park in ADA accessible spaces. The Disabled Veteran and ADA state-issued accessibility placard are two separate designations.
There are several paid public parking lots in the general vicinity of the Alamodome and downtown San Antonio. For the City’s available downtown parking, visit sanantonio.gov. For more information and City of San Antonio tailgating guidelines, please visit goUTSA.com.
Student transportation
Shuttles will begin service to the Alamodome at 11:30 a.m. Passengers will be dropped off at the Robert Thompson Transit Station at the Alamodome, where return shuttles to the UT San Antonio Main Campus will start service at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The last return shuttle will depart an hour after the game ends. Signs will be displayed at the North Paseo Bus Oval at the Main Campus and the Alamodome for pick-up and drop-off locations for the free shuttle service.
Public transportation
VIA will offer Park & Ride Service with roundtrip travel to the Alamodome for just $2.60 with reduced fares for students, military and others who qualify. Service will be provided from Crossroads Park & Ride (151 Crossroads Blvd., 78201) and the Brooks Walmart (3302 SE Military Dr., 78223) for Saturday’s game. Fans have several convenient ways to pay. Passes can be purchased online, at the Park & Ride location or through the VIA goMobile+ app. Cash and credit cards are accepted at the Park & Ride location.
UT San Antonio students can use their VIA U-Pass for service to the game. VIAtrans customers and children under age 5 ride for free. VIA bus passes are not valid for this service. VIA’s Day Pass, 7-Day Pass, 31-Day Pass and U-Pass are valid for special event service.
Rideshare
The drop-off and pick-up location for rideshare users is located in Parking Lot D next to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center at the corner of Montana Street and Tower of Americas Way.
Alamodome entry
Doors open to the public at 1 p.m. Please enter the stadium well before kickoff to avoid long lines. Speed lanes will be available at security checkpoints for those with no bags. Have your keys, phone and wallet out before getting to the scanners, and be sure your tickets are out or loaded on your phone with the screen brightness maximized before reaching the doors. The Alamodome Clear Bag Policy is in effect all season.
Student seating
Student seating is general admission within sections 122–131. The Spirit of San Antonio band will occupy sections 127–128.
Get ready for game time
UTSA Roadrunners mobile app
Visit the App Store or Google Play to download the UTSA Roadrunners app and immerse yourself in the game day experience. Through this app, fans will enjoy a personalized mobile experience with the ability to manage tickets, shop for official UTSA Athletics merchandise and receive breaking news and score notifications for the teams they follow.
To be part of the Rowdy Light Show during introductions, download and update the UTSA Roadrunners app, click on the MORE menu option at the bottom, then click on Rowdy Light Show and accept all permissions.
Rowdy Campus Store
Looking for some new UTSA gear? Fans can buy the latest Roadrunner apparel and accessories from the Rowdy Campus Store locations at Rowdy Town Live at H-E-B Plaza and near Roadrunner Alley in between Lots B and C. Merchandise sales counters are also located inside the Alamodome on the Plaza Level concourses near section 106 and 118.
Watch, follow, celebrate
Television and radio broadcasts
Saturday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and will also be available on the ESPN app for Apple and Android. David Saltzman will provide play-by-play commentary alongside analyst Brad Hopkins.
UTSA Sports Media Network will air the game live in the San Antonio area on Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket, online at Ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Ed Suarez (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show hosted by Pat Evans will begin at 12:30 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show.
Gameday traditions and social media
First, get into game mode by brushing up on UT San Antonio’s traditions including the fight song and alma mater. Then, stay engaged with fellow Roadrunners by sharing your gameday experiences on social media using the hashtags #LetsGo210 and #BirdsUp. All Roadrunner fans are encouraged to follow UTSA Football and UTSA Athletics on X (Twitter) and UT San Antonio on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Campus experience
During the football season, the Monument lights and Student Union Tower lights will glow blue and orange during home game weeks. When the Roadrunners win, the lights turn orange for the rest of the weekend in celebration.
