Blanking in Broad Street: Roadrunners Silence Temple, Set Sights on Rice Rivalry in the Dome
Blanking in Broad Street: Roadrunners Silence Temple, Set Sights on Rice Rivalry in the Dome
📌 Disclaimer: The following post is a work of fiction created for entertainment purposes within the video game universe of College Football 26. All characters, events, and storylines — including Coach Clay “Stonewall” Merritt, Frankie “The Horn” Calderón, and the UTSA Roadrunners — are entirely fictional and not affiliated with the NCAA, UTSA, or any real institutions.
Business Trip to Philly
The stage was different, the uniforms were different, but the result stayed the same. Instead of Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles taking the field at Lincoln Financial Field, it was the Temple Owls welcoming the UTSA Roadrunners for the program’s first American Conference matchup.
Coach Clay Merritt’s squad traveled east and treated it exactly how he promised: like a business trip. No distractions, no unnecessary flash — just work.
By halftime, UTSA was in control with a 14–0 lead, powered by quarterback Owen McCown’s steady hand. The junior was nearly flawless through the air, tossing two first-half touchdowns: one to workhorse running back Robert Henry Jr., and the other to emerging playmaker Devin McCuin.
The Sack Exchange Reasserts Its Standard
After a quieter outing in Fort Collins, the Southwest Sack Exchange returned to form in Philly. This time, the club welcomed two new members. Linebackers Kendrick Blackshire and Shad Banks Jr. each notched a sack, joining the defensive front that continues to terrorize opposing quarterbacks.
It wasn’t just about pressure, though — it was about pride. UTSA’s defense slammed the door on Temple every time the Owls sniffed momentum, including a late interception that sealed their third shutout of the season.
Henry Pounds the Rock, McCown Leads the Way
The engine of the offense continues to hum. Robert Henry Jr. once again set the tone on the ground, carrying the ball more than 20 times and cracking the 100-yard mark to go with his receiving touchdown. His consistency allowed McCown to orchestrate the offense with patience, precision, and confidence.
In the second half, UTSA tacked on two more touchdowns — not with fireworks, but with balance. This was Merritt’s blueprint in action: control the line, take what the defense gives, and don’t let the scoreboard dictate discipline.
Next Up: A Rivalry Rekindled
As the Roadrunners head back home to the Alamodome, a familiar Texas foe waits. The Rice Owls — an in-state rival with feathers of their own to ruffle — are swooping in, and this matchup promises more than just bragging rights.
For UTSA, it’s about defending home turf and keeping the rise alive in front of a Dome crowd that’s already buzzing. For Rice, it’s about proving they can walk into San Antonio and trade blows with one of the hottest teams in the nation.
The Lone Star showdown is coming, and if the Roadrunners’ trip to Philly was about business, this one is about pride. Dome lights. State rivalry. Beaks and feathers colliding.
Get ready, San Antonio — this one is going to feel personal.
— Frankie “The Horn” Calderón
Fictional-Frankie "The Horn" Calderon
Frankie Calderón, better known across Texas airwaves as “The Horn,” is a no-nonsense football lifer with a sharp tongue and a soft spot for the underdog. Raised just outside of Pueblo, Colorado, Frankie cut his teeth covering JUCO ball and D2 programs before turning heads with his bold coverage of the Western Colorado Mustangs — and one fiery young coach named Clay Merritt.
When Merritt made the leap to UTSA, Frankie followed — not as a coach, but as the unofficial voice of the program, launching Runner Nation Radio and embedding himself in the culture of the team.
Fans love him. Opposing coaches fear him. And Stonewall? He respects the hell out of him.
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