SAN ANTONIO — In a tale of two halves, the Blue accumulated 228 total yards, including 168 after halftime in a 20-14 comeback victory against the Orange in the Sixth Annual UTSA Football Fiesta Spring Game presented by HealthTexas on Saturday afternoon before an estimated crowd of 2,500 at the Alamodome.
Jaylon Henderson engineered the Blue offense with 176 passing yards that included a 48-yard scoring connection to Aron Taylor that helped start the second-half comeback from a 14-0 deficit.
Brett Winnegan hauled in three of Henderson's passes for 43 yards and he added 20 yards and the go-ahead score on the ground.
JaColbie Butler led the Blue defense with five tackles and an interception.
Dalton Sturm led the Orange offense with 179 total yards, 133 through the air and 46 on the ground. The junior quarterback led a pair of first-half scoring drives to give the Orange a 14-0 lead at the break.
JaBryce Taylor led all receivers with 84 yards on seven receptions, including an acrobatic 38-yard sideline completion from Sturm.
Jalen Rhodes capped an 8-play, 62-yard drive with a 5-yard plow into the end zone following a 14-yard strike from Sturm to Kerry Thomas Jr. on the Orange's second possession of the day.
La'Kel Bass of the Orange defense forced a Tyrell Clay fumble that was recovered by Josiah Tauafea, giving the Orange possession midway through the second quarter.
The Orange's second score was set up by a 14-yard "flea-flicker" from Sturm to Thomas Jr. to the Blue 36-yard line. Sturm later used his feet for an 11-yard scamper to the Blue 19.
Rhodes then punched in his second touchdown from three yards out for a 14-0 lead with 2:41 left in the first half.
On the first possession of the second half for the Blue, Henderson hit Taylor for a 48-yard touchdown bomb down the right sideline, cutting the Orange lead in half, 14-7.
On the Blue's next drive, Henderson found Dannon Cavil for an 11-yard passing connection down to the Orange 34-yard line and later rushed another 11 yards to the 19.
Following a 19-yard dart by Derrick Dick to the 1-yard line, Corbin White plunged into the end zone for the Blue's second score to end the third quarter and tie the game at 14-14.
After the two teams traded possessions, Winnegan waltzed to paydirt on 4th and inches with 4:00 left in the final quarter to finish a 6-play, 55-yard drive that was set up by Butler's interception near midfield.
Victor Falcon's extra point was blocked by the Orange's N'Keal Bailey, who led all players with six tackles, but the Blue held on for the six-point after the Orange's final drive ended in a punt.
The Roadrunners will open their 2016 campaign against Alabama State on Saturday, Sept. 3, at the Alamodome.
After the game, first-year head coach Frank Wilson handed out spring awards to Marcos Curry (special teams iron man), Juan Perez-Isidoro (outstanding effort on offense), Austin Pratt (weight room), JaBryce Taylor (most productive offensive player), Josiah Tauaefa (most productive defensive player) and Jonathan Tuiolosega (outstanding effort on defense).
