Editor’s note: This is part six of a 13-part series previewing each of Western Kentucky’s opponents for the 2022 football season. Part six features a look at UTSA. Part seven will preview Middle Tennessee.

ARLINGTON, Texas – UTSA is coming off its best year in program history, and the Roadrunners are expected to have another strong season in 2022.

After falling to UTSA twice last year – including in the Conference USA championship game – the Hilltoppers will get a shot at the defending league champions and preseason favorites Oct. 8 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

“I’ve been blessed because I’ve kind of got to do this before, and I’ve spoken of this – the climb up is always the fun (part) because no one expects you to do anything, but once you get there, staying there’s the hardest part because then you’ve got a target on your back every single week,” UTSA third-year head coach Jeff Traylor said at the C-USA Football Kickoff at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. “Where we got fortunate, one, that first year we really exceeded everybody’s expectations, right? Then year two we were picked at least second, so we had a target on our back. But jumping out to that 10-0, 11-0 – we had a target on us for a long time, so our kids got used to it real quick.”

The Roadrunners went 12-2 last season – the most wins and best winning percentage ever for a program that only began playing in 2011. UTSA climbed as high as No. 15 in the AP top 25 before falling on the road to North Texas in the regular-season finale. UTSA claimed the C-USA title with a 49-41 victory over the Hilltoppers to cap off a perfect 7-0 season in the 36,582-seat Alamodome, and has now won 10 consecutive games there.

Instead of moving to a higher-profile job in the offseason – like many in the industry do – Traylor doubled down on his commitment to the Roadrunners, who will head to the American Athletic Conference next year. After being named C-USA Coach of the Year, AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year and a finalist for three national coach of the year awards, Traylor signed a contract extension though 2031 valued at $28 million.

The expectations are in place to continue to be good in the upcoming season, despite losing players like star running back Sincere McCormick and offensive lineman Spencer Burford – the latter was picked in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the 49ers – on offense, and Tariq Woolen on defense. Woolen was taken in the fifth round of the draft by the Seahawks.

“Pressure is a privilege. It’s just a part of it,” UTSA safety Rashad Wisdom said. “We’ve just got to go out there and handle our business and at the end of the day, football is football and ultimately it’s going to fall on us to take it to where we want to and be as great as we know we can be.”

Wisdom was named the Preseason C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, while quarterback Frank Harris was the league’s selection for Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. In total, the Roadrunners return 15 starters – eight on offense, five on defense and two on special teams.

Harris helped lead an offense that averaged 36.9 points per game last season by throwing for 3,177 yards and 27 touchdowns, and he gets his top three targets back in Zakhari Franklin, Joshua Cephus and De’Corian Clark. Harris also ran for 566 yards and six scores, but UTSA needs to replace McCormick, who ran for 1,479 yards and 15 touchdowns last year on 298 attempts.

Wisdom leads a defense that allowed just 24.6 points per game and was tied for 10th nationally with 25 turnovers gained.

The Roadrunners are the favorite to win the league title, according to the C-USA predicted order of finish that was voted on by a panel of media that covers the league. UTSA received 14 first-place votes. UAB was voted second and received eight first-place votes.

“We were blessed, right? Our first press conference, December the 9th, 2019, I came in there talking we really wanted to be the football team of San Antonio. That was our vision,” Traylor said. “ … It’s been a blessing. I’ve said this a million times before – we’ll look back one day when UTSA is the fulfillment of what we see it as and we will always look back at the leadership of Frank Harris and Rashad Wisdom in helping generate that excitement. Who couldn’t love these two kids? What city? It just so happens we’re the seventh-largest city in the country and they love the Roadrunners. Who wouldn’t love the Roadrunners?”

WKU and UTSA played in two games that came down to the wire last season. The Roadrunners came away with a late interception to escape Houchens-Smith Stadium on Oct. 9 with a 52-46 victory, before holding off a second-half charge from the Hilltoppers after going ahead 42-13 with over 10 minutes to go in the third quarter.

The Hilltoppers were picked to finish third in C-USA.

“I don’t look at any of that stuff. I wish they’d pick us last, to be honest with you. They picked us third? I guess that’s a good compliment. UTSA and UAB should be first and second. They’ve got no excuses. They’re the most talented teams in the conference,” WKU head coach Tyson Helton said at the team’s media day, before pausing and grinning. “I’m trying to challenge them a little bit.”

UTSA leads the all-time series with WKU 2-1 after last season’s victories.

Kickoff for the Oct. 8 game in San Antonio is set for 5 p.m. CT., and will be the first of six consecutive C-USA games for the Hilltoppers.{&end}