RE: UTSA GameWeek
UTSA is having the kind of season I hoped UAB would have. The difference in stats rankings largely reflects two things: A slightly softer and more favorably cadenced schedule for UTSA (this really makes a difference, not just who you play but WHEN you play them), and a much lower level of self-defeating plays. They haven't beaten themselves, and that's a big improvement from the past two years. Lot of that is the QB making much better decisions and gaining the experience he needed, staying healthy.
These programs mirror each other in many ways. Definitely similar team culture and philosophies around physical play, big linemen, aggressive D, run-first mentality. These two head coaches seem to be extremely similar. Strategies are a little different, but UTSA likes to do what UAB does: Run the ball, hit you with big-chunk passing plays, take the run away from you and then chase that QB in bad down-distance situations. Big on "culture" and "family." Lots of respect there.
I'd like to think UAB would have similar results against the UTSA schedule, but I don't think we would have played clean enough ball to avoid dropping at least one. UTSA has won its two biggest games that easily could have been Ls (Illinois / Memphis). I'd rate those two as lesser teams than UGA, obviously, and lesser than Liberty (largely because of Willis the QB). They held off bad UNLV at home the way UAB held off bad Tulane on the road. I think Tulane is better than UNLV. They got their ugly one out of the way last week. UAB dropped its ugly one to Rice. They took care of business against Rice and La Tech, whereas UAB could have easily posted similar results but penalties, etc., prevented that.
Bottom line, UTSA has played cleaner than UAB all season. Otherwise, very similar talent. They haven't had a lot of adversity, haven't been rotating players in all over the place due to injuries. They also haven't yet really faced a team that could smack them in the mouth quite like UAB will try to do. I think it helps UAB to come in with the underdog label. I think we play better when back against wall.
Gonna be a war. Most physical team, with the fewest turnovers and penalties, will win this game. Glad it is going to continue in the AAC because I think these two programs are going to push each other bigtime over the years and become big rivals regardless of division. To go next level, I think it really matters to have someone you're competing against who pushes you to raise the bar.
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