Dalton Sturm piled up 253 yards of offense and the UTSA defense held Baylor to its lowest point total in seven years in a 17-10 victory, the program's first-ever against a team from a Power 5 Conference, on Saturday night at McLane Stadium.
Sturm completed 15-of-20 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns and the senior from Goliad added a career-high 98 yards on the ground in leading the Roadrunners to their sixth win in seven all-time season openers.
Junior running back Jalen Rhodes posted his second career 100-yard game with 103 on 20 carries, as UTSA tallied 375 yards of total offense and kept possession for 38 minutes and two seconds.
Meanwhile, the UTSA defense held the Bears (0-2) to 274 total yards and 10 points, their fewest points since a 45-10 setback to TCU on Sept. 18, 2010. Carl Austin III posted a team-high six tackles, including 2.5 for loss, while C.J. Levine added five stops and a pass breakup. Marcus Davenport had three tackles, including a sack that made him the program's career leader with 14.5, while Nate Gaines had a pair of stops and his fifth career interception. As a unit, UTSA registered four sacks and 10 TFLs.
Following a scoreless first quarter, the Bears took advantage of a muffed punt midway through the second quarter to get on the board first. Ross Matiscik's recovery set up the home team at the UTSA 20-yard line. On the next play, Anu Solomon found Denzel Mims in the corner of the end zone for the game's first score.UTSA tied things up just before halftime. On third-and-goal from the seven, Sturm hit Josh Stewart on a crossing pattern and Victor Falcon's extra point made it 7-7 with 27 seconds left before intermission. That capped a 16-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 8:06 off the clock.
It did not take the Roadrunners long to strike in the second half. On the second play of the opening drive, Sturm got loose for a 40-yard dash down the left sideline to the Baylor 29. He then hit Kerry Thomas Jr. in the flat, and the senior wide receiver broke a tackle and took it to the house to give the visitors their first lead of the night. The TD reception was the 14th of his career, a school record.
Falcon extended the UTSA advantage early in the fourth quarter when he split the uprights from 38 yards out to make it 17-7.
Baylor made things interesting late in the fourth when Connor Martin drilled a 20-yard field goal with 2:40 left to cut the deficit to 17-10.
The Bears then forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at their own 39 with just over two minutes remaining. The UTSA defense stepped up the pressure and forced four straight incompletions, giving the ball back to the visitors on downs.
Solomon completed just 10-of-26 for 121 yards and the lone TD, while John Lovett led the Baylor ground attack with 72 yards.
The Roadrunners will open their home schedule against Southern next Saturday, Sept 16. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Alamodome.
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