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UTSA forced five turnovers and allowed a season-low 259 yards, while Kevorian Barnes registered his third 100-yard rushing game of the season to help the Roadrunners roll past Louisiana Tech 51-7 in Conference USA action on Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome.
UTSA ran its winning streak to seven games in improving to 8-2 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the league, marking the second straight and third season in program history to reach at least eight wins.
Barnes rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 attempts, an average of 9.4 yards per carry, eclipsing the century mark for the second consecutive game. Brenden Brady added 53 yards and a pair of scores on eight totes and Frank Harris went for 47 yards to go along with 216 and a TD through the air on 18-of-26 passing.
Meanwhile, Clifford Chattman, Dywan Griffin and Malik Jones each had an interception and Jamal Ligon and Trey Moore each recovered a fumble, as the Roadrunners registered a season high in takeaways.
Moore’s fumble recovery came off a strip-sack in the second half, as the redshirt freshman from Smithson Valley posted five tackles, including 1.5 for loss.
Ligon and Dru Prox paced the defense with six stops apiece as UTSA held Louisiana Tech to 259 yards, 147 passing and 112 rushing.
The Roadrunners stormed out to a 21-0 lead through the first 11 minutes of the contest and never looked back.
UTSA took advantage of Ligon’s fumble recovery near midfield that halted LA Tech’s opening possession. Harris connected with Joshua Cephus for a 9-yard TD pass to put the home team on the board first. Cephus, a senior from Houston, finished with 81 yards on seven receptions.
Following a short punt of 17 yards, Barnes broke free for 46 yards on the first play to help put UTSA up 14-0 at the 9:30 mark of the first quarter.
Kelechi Nwachuku broke up a fourth-down pass in UTSA territory on the Bulldogs’ next drive to give the ball back to the Roadrunners. Back-to-back receptions by Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, a defensive pass interference penalty and a 22-yard reception by Cephus set up Brady’s 1-yard TD plunge.
The Bulldogs (3-7, 2-4) made it 21-7 late in the opening frame after Smoke Harris’ 32-yard touchdown reception.
UTSA ended the first half with 13 unanswered points to take a 34-7 lead into the locker room, a season high for points in a half. Barnes found paydirt from 27 yards out and Jared Sackett connected on field goals of 29 and 22 yards down the stretch.
The Roadrunners pushed their advantage to 41-7 early in the third quarter when Brady scampered 26 yards to the end zone.
Sackett split the uprights from 46 yards to make it 44-7 late in the third and Justin Rodriguez scored his first career touchdown late in the contest on a 1-yard run in the final minute to provide the 44-point margin, UTSA’s largest of the season.
The Roadrunners will travel to Houston to face Rice next Saturday, Nov. 19. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+ and Ticket 760 AM.