Wanting to ensure UTSA’s home field advantage despite an 11 am kickoff’s potential impact on attendance, coach Jeff Traylor began sifting through ideas on the fly.
Offering tequila could be a legal issue, and tacos seemed like a logistical challenge, but then he landed on one that seemed feasible.
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“I’ll pay for the Health students. I’ll pay for the first 100 of those guys’ tickets,” Traylor said. “Whatever it takes, I’ll do.”
Within a few hours Tuesday, UTSA athletics found a way to make it official, and for more than just the first 100 takers. All students at UT Health San Antonio can claim free tickets for UTSA’s game against Colorado State at 11 am Saturday in the Alamodome, courtesy of Traylor.
UTSA and UT Health San Antonio completed their merger last year, but amid a mountain of logistical hurdles, the policy regarding health campus students’ access to athletics tickets was slow to come together.
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UTSA announced about a week before the Sept. 5 opener that tickets to the game would be free for UT Health students. For the remaining five home games, the health campus students would be allowed to purchase tickets at the student guest price of $11.
Health campus enrollment is estimated at about 4,000, and those students do not pay the athletics fee that is part of tuition for students enrolled at UTSA.
University of Texas at San Antonio football coach Jeff Traylor gives instructions for a drill during the first preseason practice at the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence in San Antonio on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (Katina Zentz/San Antonio Express-News)
Traylor has led the Roadrunners to a 34-5 record at the Alamodome through his tenure, but this week’s game will be just his second home date kicking off at 11 am, accommodating a national broadcast on ESPNU.
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UTSA has hosted just one 11 am or earlier home kickoff since 2016, beating Memphis 44-36 on Nov. 2, 2024, and the timing had a clear impact on attendance. The announced crowd of 17,198 was the second-lowest turnout since the 2021 season, and the scanned-in ticket count of 8,958 was UTSA’s lowest since 2021.
Sitting 2-1 after wins against UTRGV and Texas State and Saturday’s loss to Texas, UTSA can post the program’s best start since 2021 with a victory this weekend.
“Our kids have played at such a level the first three games that our crowd should understand the importance of us finishing nonconference 3-1,” Traylor said. “We have a real chance to be back to a place we have not been here, and going into conference with confidence.”
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This article originally published at UTSA coach Jeff Traylor covers ticket costs for UT Health students ahead of early kickoff.
