By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
When Texas State and UTSA line up for Saturday’s “Battle for I-35” at the Alamodome, the spotlight will be on two programs separated by just 50 miles.
But beneath the rivalry’s surface lies another tie that runs hundreds of miles east in the rich Texas high school football culture of East Texas.
The most prominent connection is on the sidelines.
Texas State head coach G.J. Kinne played quarterback for current UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor at Gilmer High School in 2006.
That Buckeye team went 10-0 in the regular season, winning a district championship behind Kinne’s arm and Traylor’s leadership. Nearly two decades later, their mentor-player relationship has evolved into one of Texas college football’s more compelling storylines: the student facing off against his teacher.
“Everyone knows how much I care about coach (Traylor), and the respect I have for him and their program,” Kinne said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “It’s not just Jeff, either. It’s Kurt (Traylor), coach (Jess (Leopp). They’ve got tons of guys over there that I played for. Luke (Turner) one of the assistant coaches on offense, my mom taught him how to do a back flip.”
The relationship didn’t end in high school. Kinne later joined Traylor’s staff as a graduate assistant at SMU in 2017, and they crossed paths again at Arkansas in 2018. The familiarity between the two only adds fuel to Saturday’s meeting as UTSA looks to get redemption for last year’s 49-10 loss in San Marcos.
“GJ has done a fantastic job over there and definitely out-coached us last year. Anytime you get your butt handed to us like we did last year better ignite something, or you’re not a competitor,” Traylor said.
The son of longtime NFL quarterback Josh McCown, Owen grew up steeped in East Texas football tradition before making his way to college ball.
McCown enters this season as one of the American Athletic Conference’s top passers, even lanEast Texas ties fuel Texas State–UTSA rivalry as Gilmer alum coaches clash, Rusk QB Owen McCown leads UTSA, and Bobcat players rep the Piney Woods.ding on multiple preseason watch lists including the Davey O’Brien and Maxwell Awards. His presence under center gives the Roadrunners yet another East Texas stamp on the program.
“He’s kind of the leader of that whole team,” Kinne said of McCown. “He’s a great kid, from a great framily. He’s the real deal. Besides for when we play them on Saturday, I root for that kid.”
Traylor isn’t the only former Gilmer Buckeye that will be on the sideline at the Alamodome this weekend. Several UTSA assistants cut their teeth alongside him in East Texas.
Kurt Traylor, UTSA’s run game coordinator and offensive line coach, is Jeff’s younger brother and coached with him during Gilmer’s state championship runs.
Nick Graham, assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach, worked under Traylor and has been recognized among Dave Campbell’s Texas Football “40 Under 40.”
Together, they help carry forward the Gilmer DNA that has powered the Roadrunners’ rise in the Traylor era.
Texas State also brings East Texas roots on the field. The Bobcats’ roster features former Brownsboro standout Javarius Bell, and Tyler Junior college transfer Jayden Lawton.
For both sides, East Texas is more than a recruiting footprint, it’s a shared heritage.
Traylor’s résumé at Gilmer is legendary with a 175-26 record, three state championships and eventual enshrinement into both the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor and Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.
Kinne’s legacy as a Gilmer quarterback is equally etched into the region’s lore.
That shared background will write another chapter in the budding rivalry along I-35.
Saturday’s matchup will attract headlines in South Central Texas, but the subtext is East Texas’ continued impact on the college football landscape.
For Traylor, it’s another chance to prove his East Texas brand works at the highest level. For Kinne, it’s an opportunity to show he can go toe-to-toe with the coach who shaped his football foundation.
Game info
UTSA (0-1) vs. Texas State (1-0)
When: 2:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio
TV/Radio: ESPN+, KTSW 89.9
