The I-35 rivalry, a series often marked by passionate displays of Texas collegiate football, delivered yet another thrilling chapter this weekend. Texas State Bobcats managed to overcome the UTSA Roadrunners with a narrow victory of 43-36, clinging to an unblemished record early into the season. According to reporting from Fox San Antonio, the Bobcats built a substantial lead with 17 second-quarter points before weathering a fierce comeback from the Roadrunners in the final quarter.
It wasn’t just the scoreline that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Brad Jackson's arm and Beau Sparks' hands lit up the scoreboard, too, combining for significant yardage and highlights throughout the night. Specifically, Sparks hauled in five passes for a towering 155 yards, as reported by KVUE. One particular 65-yard touchdown from Jackson to Sparks at the onset of the fourth quarter tipped the scales in Texas State's favor.
The offensive spectacle wasn't only through the air, as Robert Henry showed off his wheels with a 75-yard touchdown run. By the night's end, Henry would amass 159 yards over 17 carries. The Texas State defense also made critical plays down the stretch, forcing a turnover on downs on UTSA's final drive, punctuated by three straight incompletions.
As for defensive standouts, Ryan Nolan tallied 11 tackles, meanwhile Kenard Snyder secured the team's lone sack against UTSA's offense. On the other side, Roadrunner quarterback Owen McCown completed 23 of his 43 passes, throwing for 219 yards and notching two touchdowns, an effort that proved inadequate in their pursuit of their first win. This loss marks UTSA's first time starting the season 0-2 since 2018, a bit of history they'd surely like to put behind them. The ongoing I-35 rivalry demonstrates the ebb and flow of competitive sports, with Texas State now winning their last two encounters against UTSA, according to KVUE's coverage.
