UTSA had won the previous two Conference USA championships and had a chance to compete in the American Athletic Conference title game, but an error-filled game against Tulane foiled the plans.
The Roadrunners have experienced an uneven season, but they were playing their best football of the year, with a seven-game win streak when visiting Tulane in a defacto playoff game. Tulane won 29-16 and advanced to the AAC title game, where the Green Wave will host SMU on Saturday.
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There was a question as to how competitive the six teams that joined the AAC from Conference USA would fare. The AAC has long been considered the top G5 conference, but it took a hit when UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston left after last season for the Big 12 (where all three struggled mightily).
UTSA was more than competitive, but in fairness, the Roadrunners got a break with their regular season AAC schedule until the Tulane matchup. The Roadrunners and Tulane were both 7-0 in AAC play entering the title game, but one wouldn’t call UTSA’s conference schedule overtaxing.
Keep in mind that the AAC was top-heavy. There are only four teams that have a winning record both overall and in the conference. The four are Tulane (11-1, 8-0), SMU (10-2, 8-0), UTSA (8-4. 7-1), and Memphis (9-3, 6-2).
UTSA’s seven AAC wins came over Temple (3-9, 1-7), UAB (4-8, 3-5), Florida Atlantic (4-8, 3-5), East Carolina (2-10, 1-7), North Texas, Rice (6-6, 4-4), and South Florida (6-6, 4-4). Those seven were a combined 25-47 overall and 16-32 in the AAC.
Tulane had beaten Memphis, so on that win alone, the Green Wave had passed a much bigger conference test entering the championship game.
The biggest reason UTSA isn’t competing for a title is turnovers.
The Roadrunners committed five turnovers in the game that led to 17 Tulane points. Meanwhile, Tulane committed one turnover that led to zero UTSA points.
This is to take nothing away from Tulane. The Green Wave forced the turnovers and took advantage of them.
The turnovers went against the way UTSA had played all season. Entering the contest, the Roadrunners had lost just five fumbles in the first 11 games before coughing up two against Tulane.
UTSA had also thrown nine interceptions in the first 11 games before throwing three against Tulane.
When it came down to it, this was a game that was likely to be decided by the play of the two high-profile quarterbacks, Michael Pratt of Tulane and UTSA’s Frank Harris.
Pratt, who didn’t look 100 percent physically, was far from dominating. He completed 9 of 22 for 125 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
It must be noted that he was without two of his top two receivers Lawrence Keys III and Jha’Quan Jackson, who were injured.
Pratt did lose a fumble for the only Tulane turnover. He also rushed for 50 yards on 10 carries but made the plays when he needed to.
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Harris, last year’s Conference USA Player of the Year, was 25 for 38 for 198 yards, one TD and two interceptions. (The other UTSA interception was thrown by tight end Oscar Cardenas on an ill-advised fake punt).
Harris, a great dual-threat QB, rushed for just 28 yards on 13 carries and was sacked three times.
A seventh-year player, Harris deserves credit for even competing this season. He went through four different surgeries on his left knee from January to April and wasn’t sure he would play this season.
He entered training camp healthy but would miss two early season games due to turf toe.
Yet Harris entered the Tulane game coming off his best performance.
In the previous week’s 49-21 home win over South Florida on Senior Night, Harris accounted for 523 of a school-record 643 yards of total offense.
Harris threw for 411 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 112 yards and three more scores.
He wasn’t able to come close to duplicating that effort against Tulane and thus his final AAC game was a disappointment to a Roadrunners team that had legitimate championship aspirations before imploding in the final conference game of the season.
