San Antonio’s First Division I Football Team Makes its Debut

Dear UTSA: Are you sure you didn’t secretly play football last year somewhere? Because you sure didn’t look like a first-time football team in your inaugural game last Saturday.

I attended Texas A&M, but I miss the spirit and enthusiasm college football. So I made my way downtown with 56,000 others to witness a bit of history. Visit my YouTube channel for a short video.

VIA prepared well for the horde, with 20+ buses queued at the Crossroads Park and Ride. One lot filled by 10:30 am. Almost everyone sported some form of orange and blue. And the range of ages surprised me—kids all the way up to retired folks. I saw more alums than students. UTSA car flags flapped wildly on the drive to the Alamodome. This town was ready for some football!

I arrived just in time to see the Spirit of San Antonio band march through the plaza, to huge cheers from the crowds. As I meandered through the parking area, the aromas of grilled meat and onions (and a whiff of funnel cake) wafted on the air. Tailgate hosts distributed beer, sodas and water aplenty (I even saw a bottle of Jim Beam). Hip-hop, rock, and country music blared as I wandered past the pavilions. The sun beat down relentlessly (92 degrees already at 11:00 am), heating up the asphalt. The lot provided little shade, except under the tailgate pavilions. The welcome breeze cooled my face, but sweat still streamed down the back of my legs.

I wanted to spend more time in the tailgate area, but the heat drove me under cover at CPS Energy’s pavilion. Sea World brought Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck; the actors must have sweltered in those costumes.

Once the doors opened, I found my seat in the rafters. The band marched into the stadium to raucous cheers. As a former marching band member, it warms my heart when the crowd cheers for the band. (The Express-News said they expected 150 to volunteer. When 220 showed up, a mad scramble for more uniforms ensued.)

A deafening roar went up as the football team ran onto the field. In my experience, the only other stadium this loud is Kyle Field. The crowd booed as the opposing team entered the stadium, which saddened me. I think it’s poor sportsmanship to boo the opposing team; if there’s no opponent, there’s no game.

UTSA won the coin toss (huge cheers again) and elected to receive. They got right to business, scoring on their first three possessions. I’ll leave it to the experts at the San Antonio Express-News for details on the game. But QB Eric Soza and WR Kam Jones executed some amazing plays, finding holes and making catches. Soza found his target nearly every time; one pass bounced off the receiver’s chest. They all played like young men who, well, have waited a long time to play. Coach Larry Coker prepped them well and made sure they channeled their enthusiasm in the proper direction. With every successful play, the crowd roared even more.

Overall, I was impressed with both the team and the crowd. Families would enjoy future home games, and ticket prices are reasonable. A fine addition to the San Antonio sports scene.

From a loyal Aggie…..Go Roadrunners!