SAN ANTONIO — Evans Okotcha rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown and the UTSA defense held Bacone scoreless for more than 50 minutes in a 54-7 rout of the Warriors on Saturday in front of 33,517 fans at the Alamodome.
Okotcha carried the ball eight times for a 13.2-yard average en route to becoming the program's first running back to rush for more than 100 yards. He joined quarterback Eric Soza, who tallied 102 yards in the season-opening victory against Northeastern State, in the 100-yard rushing club.
The Roadrunners ground attack piled up 216 yards and three scores on 45 carries (4.8 avg.). John Simmons had 45 on five totes, while Chris Johnson rushed for 44 on eight attempts.
UTSA racked up 416 yards of total offense, as Soza passed for 157 and Simmons added 43.
Meanwhile, the UTSA defense forced five turnovers (three interceptions/pair of fumbles) and held Bacone, an NAIA team from Muskogee, Okla., to just 260 yards of offense.
It was the first Warriors miscue of the afternoon that led to the first UTSA points.
Ezell Brown muffed a 47-yard punt by Josh Ward at his own 11-yard line and Nic Johnston recovered at the seven to give the Roadrunners prime field position. Soza promptly scooted in from seven yards out on a keeper on the first play to put the home team on the board.
The defense forced a three-and-out on Bacone's next possession and a poor punt gave UTSA the ball at the 36. David Glasco II capped a six-play drive with a 1-yard rush on the first play of the second quarter for his team-leading fourth touchdown of the season.
Following another three-and-out, Soza hit Brandon Freeman in stride for a 63-yard scoring strike that helped give the Birds a 21-0 lead.
Steven Kurfehs then picked off a Mike Cook pass on the Warriors next drive and returned it 45 yards for the program's first-ever defensive touchdown.
The defense forced another three-and-out to help set up UTSA's next scoring march.
On 4th-and-1 from the Bacone 39-yard line, Okotcha broke through the line and beat a lone Bacone defender in the secondary to the end zone to put the Roadrunners up by five touchdowns.
Sean Ianno drilled field goals from 21 and 45 yards out later in the second quarter to push UTSA's advantage to 41-0 at the half.
Ianno added two more field goals from 25 and 42 yards out in the third stanza, which extended the lead to 47-0.
Mike Wilburn hauled in an 18-yard pass from Simmons early in the fourth and Ianno's sixth PAT of the day made it 54-0.
Bacone broke up the shutout with 9:11 to play in the fourth when Cook found Anthony Ezell for a 71-yard touchdown pass over the middle.
The Roadrunners travel to Huntsville to face Sam Houston State (3-0) next Saturday, Oct. 1.
