UTSA coach Jeff Traylor remembers his last trip to face Tulane as the type of game "you work your whole life for," making the eventual defeat even more crushing.
The Roadrunners were fighting for a berth in the American Conference championship during the program's first year in the league, clashing with the Green Wave in a battle of unbeatens on the final day of the regular season.
But UTSA committed five turnovers as longtime quarterback Frank Harris played his final game in a 29-16 loss to Tulane on Nov. 24, 2023, at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, propelling the Green Wave to a spot in the championship game.
As the Roadrunners return to meet the Green Wave again at 7 p.m. Saturday, UTSA's program is still trying to recapture those heights.
Tulane played for the American championship in 2024 and 2025, too, while UTSA was enduring consecutive 7-6 seasons. The first half of 2026 looked to be a turning of the tide, with the Roadrunners jumping out to a 6-1 start while the Green Wave dropped three of their first five games under new coach Will Hall. But then Tulane surged to a 31-17 win against Memphis last week, reigniting faith around the program.
"They're going to be sky high. The momentum's going back their way," Traylor said. "We're going to have our work cut out for us, for sure."
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Tulane is also riding a streak of 10 straight home wins, while UTSA is venturing out of state for the first time in 2026.
The Roadrunners struggled away from the Alamodome with a 3-10 record between 2024 and 2025, but this season has shown signs of a turnaround. UTSA picked up a critical 31-26 win at Texas State on Sept. 12, but also slogged to a 30-6 loss at Texas on Sept. 19 and a 16-14 win at Rice on Oct. 3.
Traylor said the Roadrunners have approached away games with the correct mindset, and the players believe this year's roster has the maturity to better handle those spots.
"I'm very confident. I think this is an older team," UTSA defensive lineman Jameian Buxton said. "We're able to take road games much more serious now and better than what we have before, and that's just all showing right now."
UTSA (6-1, 3-0 American Conference) at Tulane (3-3, 1-1)
When:
Where: Yulman Stadium, New Orleans
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 760 AM
All-time series: UTSA leads 2-1
Last meeting: UTSA won 48-26 on Oct. 30, 2025, in San Antonio
UTSA at Tulane betting info
Spread:
Over/under: 51.5
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What to know about Tulane
Last game:
Players to watch:
When UTSA has the ball
UTSA's offensive line play has been up and down this season, and Traylor said the group showed that inconsistency last week against Navy, starting slow before playing a strong second half. The Roadrunners are bracing for a physical Green Wave defense that forced six turnovers in last week's win against Memphis, but Traylor said UTSA isn't straying too far from the usual focus on ball security through the week.
"You don't want to ever do anything radically different," Traylor said, "because you don't want to make your kids even more wound than they already should be."
UTSA vs. Tulane: 5 players to watch as Roadrunners aim to keep rolling
When Tulane has the ball
The Green Wave made a change at starting quarterback last week, as freshman Trace Johnson took the reins for the first time and went 11-for-21 passing with 165 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the win against the Tigers. Tulane ranks No. 116 nationally in passing offense at 179.7 yards per game, but Johnson could provide a spark as he enters his second start.
Key matchup
UTSA vs. Fatigue
Traylor stopped short of using the word "gingerly" to describe the way the Roadrunners moved around practice this week, but the training room was full of players seeking treatment after a physical battle with Navy on Saturday. UTSA will be playing for an eighth straight week ahead of next week's open date. Tulane, meanwhile had an open week to start October and enjoyed an extra day of rest following last week's Friday night kickoff against Memphis.
Prediction
UTSA 27, Tulane 24
The Roadrunners' late-game magic is inexplicable, but the trend has gone too long to ignore. Even on the road, Owen McCown will find a way to lead another game-winning drive in the closing minutes.
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There’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at UTSA vs. Tulane football: Preview, scouting report, betting info and prediction.