Prediction: Army Black Knights VS UTSA Roadrunners 2025-11-29
Army vs. UTSA: A Bowl-or-Bust Showdown Where the Roadrunners Have the Upper Hand (and the Black Knights Need More Than Luck)
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for a clash of West Point discipline and San Antonio swagger as Army (5-5) heads to the Alamodome to face UTSA (6-5) in a must-win battle for bowl eligibility. Let’s break this down with the precision of a drill sergeant and the humor of a stand-up comic who’s seen one too many overtime losses.
The Odds: A Tale of Two Teams
The betting market isn’t pulling any punches: UTSA is a 7.5-point favorite, with implied probabilities hovering around 56-60% across bookmakers. Army, meanwhile, is priced at +345 (moneyline), meaning bookies give them roughly a 22-25% chance to pull off the upset. For context, that’s about the same odds as me correctly predicting the outcome of a UTSA basketball game.
UTSA’s dominance in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) is no fluke. They’re top-10 in defensive rebounds (27.0 per game) and crush opponents’ three-point hopes, holding foes to just 7.6 makes per game—a stark contrast to South Alabama’s porous net. Army, on the other hand, is a team in transition. Their defense? Well, let’s just say they’re struggling to contain the run, allowing 230 rushing yards per game. If Army’s D were a cheese grater, it’d have more holes than a Swiss watch.
The News: Injuries, Resilience, and a Dash of Drama
UTSA’s star power is intact. Jamir Simpson (18.9 PPG) and Baboucarr Njie (4.9 defensive rebounds per game) are the engine of a team that’s 2-1 at home and thriving in the AAC. Their defense? A rebound-hoovering, turnover-forcing machine.
Army’s story is grittier. Head coach Jeff Monken has preached resilience, and the Black Knights have responded with a 6-1 record following losses since 2023. But their recent 26-25 loss to Tulsa exposed cracks: 230 rushing yards allowed, 20 missed tackles, and a defense that looks like a sieve in a monsoon. On offense, Robert Henry (98 ypg) and Will Henderson (68 ypg) are decent runners, but Army’s passing game (241.3 YPG) is about as reliable as a cafeteria coffee machine at 3 a.m.
The stakes? Army needs this win to avoid a 5th consecutive bowl-less season. Monken’s “toughness and brotherhood” rhetoric is inspiring, but it can’t replace a functioning pass rush or a secondary that doesn’t gift-wrap first downs.
The Humor: Puns, Puns, and More Puns
Let’s get absurd. UTSA’s defense is so good at grabbing rebounds, they could probably rebuild the Alamo with the balls they’ve secured. Army’s offense? It’s like a marching band trying to score a touchdown—orderly, but not exactly explosive.
Army’s need for a bowl bid is so dire, they’d probably accept an invitation to the “Bowl of Desperation,” where the prize is a free hot dog and a lifetime supply of hope. UTSA, meanwhile, is the Roadrunner with the remote control, zipping past opponents with Simpson’s 22-point outbursts and Njie’s rebounding wizardry.
And let’s not forget Army’s defensive struggles. If their run defense were a movie, it’d be titled “Run, Don’t Walk Out of the Theater.”
The Prediction: Why the Roadrunners Run Wild
While Army’s “resilience” is admirable, UTSA’s defensive dominance and superior turnover margin (7.4 TOs forced vs. Army’s 6.4 committed) make them the clear favorite. UTSA’s ability to smother three-pointers and dominate the glass will stifle Army’s offense, which relies heavily on grinding it out on the ground.
Army’s best hope? A miraculous collapse by UTSA (think: Simpson tripping over his own shoelaces again) or a Houdini act by Henry and Henderson to exploit UTSA’s 10th-ranked run defense. But let’s be real: UTSA’s depth and home-court advantage make this a 20-point rout waiting to happen.
Final Score Prediction: UTSA 31, Army 17
Why? Because the Roadrunners are faster, stronger, and less likely to trip over their own ambitions. Unless Army’s “brotherhood” includes a secret weapon named “The Hail Mary,” this one’s a layup for UTSA.
Now go bet responsibly—or don’t, because Army’s odds are basically a gamble on hope.
Created: Nov. 29, 2025, 3:09 p.m. GMT