Respect on the Road: UTSA Heads to Denton to Face the Mean Green

Respect on the Road: UTSA Heads to Denton to Face the Mean Green

📌 Disclaimer: The following post is a work of fiction created for entertainment within the College Football 26 universe. All characters, events, and storylines—including Coach Clay “Stonewall” Merritt, Frankie “The Horn” Calderón, and the UTSA Roadrunners—are fictional and not affiliated with the NCAA, UTSA, or any real institutions.

The Roadrunners are back on the highway, engines humming up I-35 for another AAC conference clash and an in-state rivalry that always hits different. North Texas may call the Metroplex home, but UTSA has a habit of owning these nights.

This trip also marks a first: it’s Coach Clay “Stonewall” Merritt’s debut against the Mean Green. He inherits a program that already knows how to handle this matchup—and he’s out to keep that edge.

Rivalry Check: UTSA 8–5 All-Time vs. North Texas

Before we get into this year’s showdown, let’s talk history.

• Series Record: UTSA leads 8–5 overall.

• Last Meeting: The Roadrunners handled business in San Antonio last fall, 48–27, showcasing the explosive offense and relentless defense that defined the previous era.

Denton fans love to talk tradition, but the numbers don’t lie—UTSA has held the upper hand more often than not. Now Merritt gets his first crack at adding to that total and stamping his identity on the series.

Mean Green Stars to Watch

North Texas arrives at 4–2 (1–1 AAC) with plenty of talent and a chip on its shoulder:

• QB Reese Poffenbarger – Six feet, 210 pounds, and content to live in the pocket. Last week vs. USF: 32-of-52, 404 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Perfect target for the Southwest Sack Exchange.

• RB Shaddie Clayton-Johnson – 120 rushing yards, a score against the Bulls, and 42 receiving yards.

• WR Dalton Carnes – Six catches for 111 yards and a touchdown; the College Station native thinks he knows UTSA—he doesn’t know Merritt’s version.

• TE Tre Williams III – Nine catches for 85 yards, the go-to when Poffenbarger needs a lifeline.

Their defense has looked tough against lightweights, but it crumbles when challenged by real firepower. Merritt and his steel-toed boots plan to make sure history repeats itself.

Birds Still Flying High

UTSA counters with the stars of a Top-5 national defense and an offense that keeps torching scoreboards:

• QB Owen McCown – Poised and precise, guiding the passing attack like a veteran conductor.

• WR Devin McCuin – A scoring machine who can flip a game in one snap.

• The Southwest Sack Exchange – Still nasty, still relentless.

And then there’s Robert Henry Jr.—the name echoing across the AAC and beyond.

Spotlight: Robert Henry Jr.

Henry Jr. has been more than just a workhorse this season; he’s a statement. Week after week, the junior back shreds defenses with a mix of vision and violence, leaving linebackers grasping at air. In real life, his rise has been just as electric, stacking yards and highlight reels that make national analysts double-take.

His cutback ability is pure artistry, and his finishing speed is a thunderclap. Whether bouncing outside for a 40-yard sprint or lowering the pads for tough yards between the tackles, Henry Jr. gives UTSA the balance that keeps defensive coordinators awake at night. If North Texas focuses too much on McCown’s arm, Henry Jr. will turn Denton’s green turf into his canvas.

Frankie’s Take

Dallas-area fans keep acting like UTSA’s rise is a fluke. They call the Roadrunners a commuter school with a hot streak. Fine. Let them.

Coach Merritt isn’t in Denton for compliments—he’s here to open his own chapter in this rivalry and prove that respect in Texas football is earned the hard way. And with Robert Henry Jr. running like a man possessed, the Roadrunners have the perfect hammer to drive that point home.

Runner Nation, make the drive, wear the orange, and let your chants cut through the green noise. Saturday night, respect isn’t requested. It’s taken.

Stick with FEOTB for the post-game breakdown, exclusive interviews, and the next chapter in the Roadrunners’ climb.