ORLANDO – After winning their second consecutive Conference USA Championship, the UTSA Roadrunners (11-2, 8-0 C-USA) are getting ready to face the Troy Trojans (11-2, 7-1 Sun Belt) in the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl.
Led by head coach Jeff Traylor, the Roadrunners arrived at their team hotel in Orlando on Monday afternoon with several goals to accomplish.
“We have a lot of things we’re playing for,” Traylor said. “You know, we have an opportunity to beat a top-25 team. We’ve never done that in the history of our school. We have an opportunity to finish in the top 25. It’s never been done. We have an opportunity to win a bowl game for the first time. That’s three pretty important things to play in a season that’s already been very historic.”
UTSA is playing in its fourth bowl game overall and third in the last three seasons. This time around feels a bit different.
“I don’t want to sound like we’re arrogant or obnoxious, but our kids expect that,” Traylor said. “And I think that whenever you win the first one, I’ve said this a million times before, I think you’re all shocked. I think coaches are shocked. Fans are shocked. The media (is) shocked. Everybody’s kind of like, ‘Wow, we actually could do this.’ And then once you do it, unfortunately, your media, your fan base, everybody expects it, which you just act differently. So, we’re a more mature team. We just -- we expect success.”
UTSA is ranked No. 22 in both the AP and Coaches Top 25 polls and No. 25 in the College Football Playoff Rankings.
UTSA will play Troy on Friday at 2:00 p.m. in Orlando.