Record-setting offensive output propels UTSA to 48-27 victory over North TexasRecord-setting offensive output propels UTSA to 48-27 victory over North Texas
Antonio Morano/UTSA Athletics
Football

Record-setting offensive output propels UTSA to 48-27 victory over North Texas

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA used a balanced offensive attack to set a school record for total yards and Zah Frazier picked off two passes for the second time this season to help guide the Roadrunners to a 48-27 victory over North Texas in American Athletic Conference action on Friday night at the Alamodome.

The Roadrunners racked up 681 yards of offense on the night, rushing for a season-high 302 yards and passing for 379 in their fourth straight win over the Mean Green (5-5, 2-4 AAC). UTSA also extended its home winning streak to nine games — one shy of program record — in improving to 5-5 on the season and 3-3 in the league. The Roadrunners ran their home record to 28-3 (.903) under fifth-year head coach Jeff Traylor, who has now led UTSA to a 15-2 (.882) mark in the month of November.

Owen McCown directed the record-setting offensive output, completing 29 of 43 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns to notch his fourth 300-yard game of his redshirt sophomore campaign. The Rusk, Texas, native also rushed for a career-best 88 yards on 10 attempts, giving him 467 yards of offense.

Meanwhile, Robert Henry Jr. gashed the Mean Green for a career-best 168 rushing yards and a pair of TDs on 20 carries. His career-long 83-yard touchdown dash with fewer than three minutes remaining helped seal the win and pushed the Roadrunners’ ground game over the 300-yard mark for the first time since gaining 304 in a road win versus Western Kentucky in 2021.

David Amador II also topped the century mark through the air, piling up 122 yards and a TD on nine catches to mark the third straight game with a Roadrunner surpassing 100 receiving yards. Willie McCoy added 66 yards on three receptions and Patrick Overmyer caught six passes for 56 yards to help lead the air attack.

Defensively, Frazier’s second two-interception game of the year and Tyan Milton’s late sack helped UTSA extend its streak to 20 consecutive games with both a takeaway and a sack. Frazier also broke up three passes and registered four tackles, including one for a loss.

Martavius French paced the defense with eight stops, while Owen Pewee pitched in with six. Jermarius Lewis posted five stops and a pair of PBUs.

UTSA scored first on a 1-yard plunge by Kevorian Barnes at the 6:38 mark of the first quarter. That touchdown was set up in part by a 25-yard reception by Overmyer down to the UNT 20-yard line.

The Roadrunners went up by two scores when Amador hauled in a short pass from McCown and raced 51 yards to paydirt. Tate Sandell’s extra point made it 14-0 with 3:41 left in the opening period.

The Mean Green got on the board early in the second stanza after ending a UTSA drive deep in their own territory with a fourth-down stop followed immediately by a 79-yard touchdown dash from Shane Porter.

UTSA pushed its lead back to 14 points later in the second quarter when Dan Dishman grabbed a pass in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard score.

Sandell split the uprights from 42 and 44 yards over the final 4:20 of the half to give the Roadrunners a 27-7 advantage at the intermission.

The Mean Green cut into the deficit with a 39-yard touchdown run up the middle by Porter on a fourth-down-and-one play. Kali Nguma’s PAT made it 27-14 midway through the third quarter.

Sandell drilled his third field goal of the day, this one from 28 yards, but UNT answered quickly, covering 75 yards in just two plays on a 32-yard strike over the middle from Chandler Morris to Oscar Hammond followed by a 43-yard touchdown rush by Porter. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the score at 30-20 with 1:28 left in the third.

Sandell, a sophomore from Port Neches, Texas, equaled the school record by making his fourth field goal of the night, a 34-yarder that gave UTSA a 33-20 edge early in the final quarter.

UNT again responded with a touchdown, this time on a 14-yard reception by Blair Conwright that pulled the visitors within 33-27 with 12:27 remaining.

The Roadrunners pushed the lead back out to 14 on their next possession, marching 82 yards in just six plays, the last a 2-yard TD rush by Robert Henry Jr. The drive was highlighted by a 52-yard pass from McCown, who took a handoff from Henry and connected with Willie McCoy down the left sideline.

Following a fourth-down stop — UTSA’s fourth of the game — Henry iced the win with his 83-yard sprint to the end zone.

Morris threw for 241 yards and a touchdown on 21-of-36 passing, while Porter rushed for a game-high 193 yards and three TDs on 13 attempts to lead the Mean Green.

The Roadrunners will close out the regular season home slate on Friday, Nov. 22, when they host Temple. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Alamodome and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Fans can purchase tickets online or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays.

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