2025 First Responder Bowl, UTSA vs FIU, 12-26-25 | Photo Gallery

Head coach Jeff Traylor led UTSA (7-6, 4-4) into the 2025 First Responder Bowl knowing that FIU would provide a tough test. The difficulty of the task became increasingly difficult due to the team’s roster movement prior to the contest. 16 players would not play either due to injury or the transfer portal.

“We’ll be a shell of ourselves, but whoever we got out there, we’re going to go out there and play the best we can,” Traylor said.

It would not be easy. They were facing a team led by Willie Simmons in his first-year as an FBS coach. He led FIU (7-6, 5-3) to a third-place finish in Conference USA. The team started the year 3-5, but they reeled off four straight wins to earn bowl eligibility. The former Clemson quarterback carries a gaudy 73-30 career record at three head coaching stops (Prairie View A&M, Florida A&M, FIU).

The game certainly started in a fashion that supported Traylor’s aforementioned warning.

At the 9:26 mark of the first quarter, UTSA was already down 14-0 to Simmons’ Panthers. From there, however, the Roadrunners ran away with the game. Back-to-back Will Henderson III touchdowns tied the score at 14. First Responder Bowl MVP Owen McCown’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Devin McCuin put the team up by 10 points.

By the time Henderson III scored his third touchdown on a five-yard score in the third quarter, the Roadrunners had reeled off 38 unanswered points.

Proven commodity

Traylor went on to lead the team to its third straight bowl victory by a score of 57-20 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. His success dates back to his time at Gilmer High School (Tex.), where he won three state titles. Gilmer named the school’s playing venue Jeff Traylor Stadium in honor of his vast achievements.

His accomplishments have carried over into college football. UTSA’s back-to-back CUSA titles (2021, 2022) preceded its transition into the American Athletic Conference.

The team’s 2025 season will be defined by its vacillations. A 22-point win over a CFP playoff participant in Tulane and its 34-point win over a nine-win ECU squad ranked as the high marks. Some of the lows included a 32-point loss to USF and three-point defeat at home to Army.

Next man up…no way

Regardless of the adversity, the team’s culture has been more recently defined by an ability to finish seasons. Leading the charge has been First Responder Bowl game MVP McCown (18-of-28, 295 yards, 3 TDs), who now sports a 3-0 record in postseason play.

“Really happy for Owen,” Traylor said after the game. “Three straight bowls, that’s not easy to do.”

McCown’s toughness in the first quarter may have given the Roadrunners a spark. On a third down and 11, he got his helmet knocked off by FIU safety Antonio Patterson after a six-yard rush. On the next play, FIU’s Maguire Anderson took a punt back 97 yards for a touchdown to give the Panthers the 14-0 lead.

Yet, on the next drive, McCown was right back out there leading the troops.

“A lot of quarterbacks…they tap. Next guy up,” Traylor explained proudly. “That kid’s just…he ain’t wired that way man. And he got to run tonight. He’s a little more healthy. He’s not healthy, but he’s more healthy. He hasn’t run full speed..only in games..since probably Week 2 or Week 3. We’ve got to get him healed up and get his legs back under him. He’s a really good athlete. Just didn’t get to see it this year.”

We spotlight some of UTSA’s other bowl game stars in our photo gallery recap.

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