SAN ANTONIO — UTSA racked up a season-high 452 yards of offense and held off a second-half charge to top North Texas, 34-27, on Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome.
Tucker Carter completed 18-of-29 passes for a career-high 277 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a scoring run to lead the Roadrunners, who finished their fourth season with a 4-8 overall record and 3-5 mark in Conference USA action.
Meanwhile, David Glasco II just missed out on a 100-yard day with 99 yards and a touchdown on 15 totes and Brandon Armstrong added another 67 yards and a score as the Roadrunners piled up a season-high 175 yards on the ground.
Andrew McNulty paced the Mean Green (4-8, 2-6 C-USA) with 287 yards and a touchdown through the air, while Carlos Harris had 10 catches and 131 yards.
After receiving the opening kick, Carter and the offense set the tone with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a 24-yard touchdown catch by Marcellus Mack. Carter completed all five of his passing attempts during the drive for 59 yards, including his third scoring toss of the fall.
After a pair of Trevor Moore field goals, the first of four in the opening half, the Roadrunners put together two more scoring drives before halftime.
Carter went to the air for completions to David Morgan II and Kenny Harrison, but UTSA faced a 4th-and-1 at the North Texas 46-yard line. The Roadrunners converted the try with a play-action pass to Seth Grubb for 30 yards. Two plays later, Carter found the end zone on an option keeper to push the advantage to 14-6.
Following another Moore field goal, the Roadrunners went to work with a quick, three-play, 76-yard drive for a 20-9 lead. Glasco II keyed the drive with a 47-yard run before Carter found Armstrong for 27 yards. That set up Glasco II, who finished the drive with a two-yard gallop and his fifth rushing score of the campaign.
However, a second muffed punt led to another Moore field goal and UTSA went to the locker room with a 20-12 cushion.
After forcing a Mean Green punt to start the second half, Carter capped a six-play, 79-yard drive with a 39-yard strike to Kenny Bias for a 27-12 lead.
However, North Texas rallied to tie the score at 27 when Marcus Smith hauled in a 31-yard pass before McNulty dove in from a yard out and found Darius Terrell for the two-point conversion.
Armstrong punctuated the Roadrunners’ second three-play scoring drive of the afternoon with a 21-yard run down the sideline with 4:18 to go. Carter found Cole Hubble for a 30-yard gain during the drive that set up the go-ahead score.
North Texas had one final chance after it forced a UTSA punt with two minutes remaining, but Zac Whitfield tried to field the ball near midfield and could not control it. Mack picked up the loose ball and after picking up a first down, UTSA was able to run out the clock and seal the 34-27 win.