By: Joseph Jamrosz oleksak
(Photo/ Colton Shultz-The Mojo Network)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — UTSA put together one of its most impressive offensive performances of the season Saturday, defeating Colorado State 59-45 in a high-scoring shootout at the Alamodome.
Colorado State jumped out to a 14-0 lead in less than two minutes, opening the scoring with a 94-yard kickoff return before K’Saan Farrar connected with Terrence Smith Jr. on a 74-yard touchdown pass on the Rams’ first offensive snap.
Then came the Roadrunners, responding with 35 unanswered points, turning a two-score deficit into a 35-14 advantage. UTSA put up touchdowns on five consecutive drives, moving the ball efficiently through both the air and on the ground finishing with 542 total yards, including 303 through the air and 239 on the ground.
The game became a back-and-forth shootout after halftime. Colorado State pulled within a touchdown early in the third quarter, but UTSA immediately answered in spectacular fashion. Mekhi Anderson took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, giving the Roadrunners a two-score cushion again and setting a new UTSA record for the longest touchdown in program history.
This was really the story for the remainder of the game, every time Colorado State appeared ready to make things uncomfortable, the Roadrunners had an answer.
Quarterback Owen McCown threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, while UTSA’s rushing attack averaged 5.7 yards per carry. The Roadrunners also scored seven touchdowns, falling just two points short of the program’s single-game scoring record.
The 104 combined points made for one of the highest-scoring games in recent UTSA history, but more importantly, the performance continued to show what this Roadrunners offense is capable of.
At 3-1, UTSA is starting to look like one of the more overlooked teams not only in the state of Texas but in the country. The Roadrunners have already shown they can put up points in a hurry, and Saturday’s performance provided another reminder that this is a team capable of making noise as the season progresses.
UTSA is on the rise, and it may be time to start paying attention.