UTSA looks to bounce back this Saturday in the home opener against Texas State.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2023 — UTSA’s first game of the 2023 season at the Alamodome? Check. Regional rivalry showdown? Check. Tens of thousands of Roadrunners boldly wearing blue? Check. Saturday’s game has a little bit of everything — even some high school drama.
UTSA will host Texas State in its home opener at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, September 9, at the Alamodome. Saturday’s contest will not only reignite the I-35 Rivalry between the Roadrunners and the Bobcats, but it’s also UTSA’s annual Let’s Go 210/Blue Out Game. All of UTSA’s supporters are encouraged to wear blue to the Alamodome on Saturday.
UTSA and Texas State both played Big 12 foes in Week 1. The Roadrunners are coming off a 17-14 setback at Houston, while the Bobcats scored a 42-31 upset win at Baylor last Saturday. This will be the fifth meeting on the gridiron between the two South Texas universities. The Roadrunners are 4-0 all-time against Texas State. The last victory came on September 12, 2020, when Jeff Traylor made his coaching debut at UTSA. The Roadrunners edged the Bobcats in a 51-48 double-overtime thriller that was widely considered one of the most entertaining games of the college football season.
An offseason coaching hire has lent additional intrigue to this year’s edition of the I-35 Rivalry. In December of 2022, Texas State hired former University of the Incarnate Word head coach G.J. Kinne to lead its football program. What makes this hire so captivating is that Traylor was Kinne’s head coach at Gilmer High School in 2006, and the two have remained close friends for nearly two decades. Their very first matchup Saturday will be one that both head coaches — and thousands of football fans in the Lone Star State — will remember for years to come.
The Roadrunners are hoping to ride a massive home-field advantage to a fifth consecutive win in the I-35 Rivalry. UTSA’s passionate (and very loud) fans have made it hard on visiting foes in the Alamodome in recent years. Four of the program’s eight-largest home crowds have been recorded in the last two seasons. In turn, the Roadrunners have won six straight games at home and have notched victories in 16 of their last 17 home games.
Several pregame activities are sure to get the tens of thousands of UTSA fans boldly wearing blue fired up before the big showdown. Roadrunner Nation is invited to show its school spirit on Saturday at the following family-friendly events:
All UTSA fans are encouraged to wear blue to this Saturday's game against Texas State at the Alamodome.
PRE-GAME
Fan Zone
11:30 a.m., H-E-B Plaza (north side of the Alamodome)
Roadrunner fans of all ages can take part in free pre-game festivities at the Fan Zone, including a free concert by Finding Friday, interactive games, free UTSA gear and prizes, interactive displays and an inflatable obstacle course for children. The Animal Defense League of Texas will also be at the Fan Zone to introduce fans to dogs that are available for adoption.
UTSA Alumni Association’s Forever Rowdy Tailgate
11:30 a.m., Hoefgen Lot (499 Hoefgen Ave.)
The UTSA Alumni Association invites fans to experience the new Forever Rowdy Tailgate. Entry to the tailgate area is now free for everyone. Coupons will be available for guests to purchase to enjoy food and drinks from various vendors, including La Gloria and the 210-famous Alumni Grill Team. In honor of the Blue Out Game, this week’s featured items include the “Blue Out Margarita” and blue corn tortillas filled with shredded poblano chicken, queso fresco, cilantro and chorizo.
Visitors may buy 10 coupons for $10. Alumni Association members will receive five free coupons per tailgate with a minimum purchase of 10. Lifetime members also receive a free branded stadium cup.
Spirit Walk
12:15 p.m., Alamodome, Roadrunner Alley (between Lots B and C)
This exciting tradition gets Roadrunner fans and the UTSA team 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 before each home game. Fans can line the walkway between the Alamodome parking lots B and C to cheer on the team.
UTSA Student Indoor Tailgate
1 to 2:30 p.m., Alamodome, Multipurpose Room (north end of Field Level)
This is the gathering spot for UTSA students inside the Alamodome on game day. Free food and beverages will be available (while supplies last). Students may access the Student Indoor Tailgate by entering the Alamodome near the Fan Zone at H-E-B Plaza and heading down the stairs to the Field Level.
2022 Conference USA Championship Banner Unveiling
2:05 p.m., Alamodome
Fans are encouraged to be in their seats early to see UTSA’s 2022 Conference USA Championship banner unveiled in the rafters of the Alamodome.
Rowdy Rush
2:15 p.m., Alamodome, Northwest Tunnel
In this yearly tradition that takes place moments prior to each season’s home opener, 500 UTSA freshmen will enter the field from the northwest corner of the Alamodome and run to the southeast corner to greet the Roadrunners. After the sprint, the freshmen then form a human tunnel for players and coaches to enter the field just minutes before kickoff. Freshmen interested in participating should RSVP here before spots (and Rowdy Rush shirts) run out.
GOING TO THE GAME
Tickets
Tickets are on sale by calling or texting 210-458-UTSA (8872) or visiting ticketmaster.com. UTSA has transitioned to digital tickets through Account Manager. For more information, please visit goutsa.com/tickets.
All students currently enrolled at UTSA are eligible for free admission to all home football games. UTSA students may purchase up to four guest tickets for student-section seating.
For walk-up sales, the Alamodome’s southwest box office will open at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and all other Alamodome box offices will open at noon. Customer service windows are located at the northeast and southeast box offices.
Parking
Parking in Alamodome Lots A, B and C, as well as in the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) lots, is limited to fans who already have purchased permits. Alamodome Lots A, B and C will open at 8 a.m. and the ITC lots will open at 11:30 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.
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 also several paid public parking lots in the general vicinity of the Alamodome.
Tailgating
Alamodome parking lots will open at 8 a.m. for tailgating and close one hour after the conclusion of the game on Saturday. Tailgating is not permitted in the ITC parking lots. Visit UTSA Athletics online for more information and City of San Antonio tailgating guidelines.
Getting to the game
Students and their guests may park at the UTSA Main Campus and catch a UTSA shuttle to the game at the North Paseo Bus Oval, just outside of the North Paseo Building. Shuttles will begin service to the Alamodome at 11:30 a.m. The last shuttle to the game will depart campus at 2 p.m. To avoid possible delays, students and their guests are encouraged to catch a shuttle early in the departure window. Students will be dropped off and picked up at the Robert Thompson Transit Station at the Alamodome. Buses will begin return service back to UTSA at the start of the fourth quarter and the last shuttle bus from the Alamodome will depart one hour after the end of the game.
VIA will serve UTSA's 2023 home football games. VIA’s Park & Ride Service offers roundtrip travel to the Alamodome for just $2.60. Service to all UTSA home games will be provided from the Crossroads Park & Ride, beginning three hours before game time, and return service will run for one hour after the conclusion of each game. The Park & Ride fare is $1.30 each way with discounted fares available for children, seniors, students and active-duty military. Pre-purchase tickets on VIA’s goMobile+ app, available to download free on Apple and Android devices. Cash and credit cards are accepted on game day at the Crossroads Park & Ride location.
UTSA students can use their U-Pass for service to the game. VIAtrans customers and children under age 5 ride free. VIA bus passes are not valid for this service. VIA’s day pass, 7-day pass, and 31-day pass are valid for special event service.
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. From there, fans may take the walkway across Interstate 37 to the Alamodome.
Alamodome entry
Please enter the stadium early to avoid long lines. Doors open to the public at 1 p.m. Fans should read the Alamodome clear bag policy before entering the stadium, including the list of approved bags. Speed lanes will be available at security checkpoints for those with no bags. Please have your keys, phone and wallet out before getting to the scanners. Please have your tickets out or loaded on your phone with the screen brightness turned all the way up before reaching the doors.
Student seating
Student seating is general admission within sections 122-131. To accommodate increased student attendance, sections 220-226 on the Club Level will also be open for student general admission seating. The Spirit of San Antonio band will occupy sections 127-128.
UTSA gear
Fans can buy the latest UTSA apparel and accessories from the Rowdy Campus Store, which will be set up adjacent to Roadrunner Alley, which is located 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. TWEET. CELEBRATE.
Television and radio broadcasts
Saturday’s television broadcast will air on the ESPN+ streaming service. Lincoln Rose will provide play-by-play commentary alongside analyst Stanford Routt. Morgan Uber will be reporting from the sidelines.
The radio broadcast will air live on Ticket 760 AM in the San Antonio area and on SiriusXM app channel 988. Andy Everett (play-by-play), Jay Riley (analyst) and Pat Evans (reporter) will call the action. The pregame show will begin at 12:30 p.m. and there will be a 45-minute postgame show. The radio broadcast can also be heard online at Ticket760.com and via the free iHeartRadio app.
Game day traditions and social media
First, get into game mode by brushing up on UTSA’s traditions including the fight song and alma mater. Then, stay engaged with fellow Roadrunners by sharing your UTSA game day experiences on social media using the hashtags #UTSA, #LetsGo210 and #BirdsUp. All Roadrunner fans are encouraged to follow UTSA Football and UTSA Athletics on X (Twitter) and UTSA 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. After a win, the lights turn orange in celebration for the rest of the weekend.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
