Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
UTSA piled up a season-high 536 yards of offense and a school-record 35 first downs and held Houston Christian to just 177 yards in a 45-7 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome.
With their 13th win in the last 14 home games, the Roadrunners evened their record at 2-2 on the season in their first meeting with the Huskies (1-3). UTSA also improved to 25-3 (. 893) at the Alamodome and 16-6 versus teams from the state of Texas under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor.
UTSA’s offensive output added up to the most yards since a school-record 643 against South Florida on Nov. 17, 2023, and featured a balanced attack with 269 rushing yards – the most since 287 versus North Texas on Nov. 4, 2023 – and 267 passing yards. The 35 first downs eclipsed the previous UTSA standard done five times before, most recently in the win against South Florida last fall.
Bryson Donnell and Brandon High Jr. each rushed for a game-high 74 yards, while Kevorian Barnes added 64 yards to lead the ground game, and Owen McCown completed 18 of 25 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Devin McCuin had a team-best five receptions for 43 yards and a TD, and Willie McCoy racked up 85 yards and a score on two catches.
Defensively, Jimmori Robinson had seven tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal to help the Roadrunners limit the Huskies to seven points and 50 rushing yards, the fewest allowed since Rice ran for 47 on Nov. 11, 2023.
UTSA totaled seven TFLs, including four sacks, as Joe Evans, Owen Pewee and Ronald Triplette joined Robinson in the sack column. The Roadrunners also kept their turnover streak alive on Robinson’s forced fumble and recovery in the first quarter, extending the stretch of consecutive games with a takeaway to 14.
The Roadrunners struck first, marching 61 yards in eight plays for a 26-yard field goal by Chase Allen. They pushed their lead to 10-0 after a 5-yard touchdown pass from McCown to McCuin late in the opening period.
HCU appeared to get on the board initially in the second quarter, but a holding penalty negated a field goal. On the ensuing try, Robinson blocked the kick and Denver Harris recovered it at midfield. That marked the first blocked field goal for the Roadrunners since Tariq Woolen against Marshall on Nov. 17, 2018.
UTSA took advantage of the block, as High ripped off a 28-yard rush to help set up his 9-yard TD run up the middle on third down. Allen’s PAT made it 17-0 with 6:14 left to play until halftime.
The Huskies officially broke through for points later in the second stanza, as Jesse Valenzuela got loose around the left side for a 20-yard touchdown scamper.
The Roadrunners responded with back-to-back touchdown drives to close the half.
Willie McCoy got free down the right sideline for a 59-yard TD reception from McCown with just over two minutes remaining in the second quarter. Robert Henry then capped a five-play, 55-yard march with a 17-yard catch and run up the middle to paydirt. Tate Sandell’s extra point provided the 31-7 halftime margin.
The Roadrunners picked up where they left off to start the second half, as Kevorian Barnes’ 8-yard touchdown rush put an exclamation point on a nine-play, 68-yard drive.
Jamel Hardy made a one-handed grab on the sideline in the end zone on a 5-yard pass from Eddie Lee Marburger to help push the advantage to 45-7 early in the final frame.
HCU’s Eli Brickholder passed for 83 yards and AJ Wilson led the Huskies with four catches for 71 yards.
The Roadrunners will open American Athletic Conference play next Saturday, Sept. 28, against East Carolina. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT in Greenville, North Carolina, and the game will air on ESPN+ and Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket.