UTSA Roadrunners @ #23 Tennessee Volunteers: How To Watch & Preview

Date/Time: Saturday, September 23, 4 PM ET TV: SEC Network Radio: Ticket 760 (San Antonio) // Tennessee Radio Network Location: Knoxville, Tennessee - Neyland

© Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

Date/Time: Saturday, September 23, 4 PM ET

TV: SEC Network 

Radio: Ticket 760 (San Antonio) // Tennessee Radio Network

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee - Neyland Stadium 

Betting Line: Tenn -20

All-Time Series Record: First-ever meeting

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UTSA Roadrunners

Time to bounce back next week.#210TriangleOfToughness#LetsGo210 | #BirdsUp 🤙 pic.twitter.com/rGqxl7oR21

— UTSA Football 🏈 (@UTSAFTBL) September 16, 2023

The Roadrunners find themselves in a position they haven't been in often under Jeff Traylor.

They're 1-2 to start the season, with their lone victory coming in a home matchup against Texas State. Their losses were at Houston in Week One and last week's stunner against Army. 

Adding injury to insult, the Roadrunners are once again expected to be without star quarterback Frank Harris, who missed the Army game as well. Jeff Traylor noted last week that his intention is to rest Harris this week, and get to the Roadrunners' bye week after their trip to Knoxville. UTSA begins AAC play the weekend following their bye week. 

In the meantime, UTSA fans will get to see more of redshirt sophomore Eddie Lee Marburger at quarterback. Marburger filled in admirably in the Army loss last week, completing 17 passes on 25 attempts for 239 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensively, the Roadrunners are also leaving a bit to be desired, as the only team in the AAC yet to pick off a pass. There's concern also regarding linebacker Trey Moore, who left last week's loss with an ankle injury. Moore has four sacks through the year's first three games.

Tennessee Volunteers

Final. pic.twitter.com/7bA8WyQ6bb

— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 17, 2023

The Vols started the year on a strong note, but the mood changed a bit after last Saturday. Tennessee lost their SEC opener at Florida, bringing their record to 2-1.

Regardless, quarterback Joe Milton III remains one of college football's most exciting players at the moment. He has thrown for 716 yards and six touchdowns with just one interception through three weeks. He has also added three rushing touchdowns to his total. On Saturday, his 287 yards through the air marked a career-high at UT and were the third-most in a single game of his six-year college career.

Defensively, linebacker Aaron Beasley will be one to watch. Beasley leads the Vols with 20 tackles through three games.

Despite Beasley's performance, UT head coach Josh Heupel, who G5 fans will recognize from his time at UCF, has acknowledged the needed improvement on that side of the ball. 

"We've got to go back to work and continue to grow," Heupel said after his team allowed 26 unanswered points before halftime. 

The week will tell what result that work yields.