SAN ANTONIO, Texas — UTSA continues to prove that it is one of the toughest teams to beat at home. The Roadrunners delivered another dramatic performance Thursday night, scoring the decisive touchdown in the closing seconds to defeat South Florida 31-24 at the Alamodome.
The victory improved UTSA’s record to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in American Athletic Conference play, marking its best start since 2021. The Roadrunners have also established an impressive home-field advantage, improving to 26-1 in regular-season conference games at the Alamodome and 36-5 overall at home since 2020.
After the game, head coach Jeff Traylor summed up his team’s determined effort with a familiar question: “Are we not entertained?”
Traylor also praised his players for refusing to surrender when the game appeared to be slipping away.
“You’re gonna have to kill us. You’re gonna have to choke us out. We’re not going to go away… We’re just gonna keep fighting, man. That’s who these kids are,” Traylor said.
His players backed up those words with a clutch fourth-quarter performance.
Trailing 24-23 with 1:56 remaining, UTSA took possession at its own 25-yard line and needed one final scoring drive to preserve its unbeaten conference record. Rather than relying heavily on the passing game, the Roadrunners leaned on their rushing attack, running the ball on seven of their final nine offensive plays.
Quarterback Owen McCown helped spark the drive with a 19-yard scramble toward the right sideline after USF’s defense shut down his passing options. Running back Will Henderson III followed with a five-yard gain before McCown added a seven-yard run and powered ahead for another four yards to move the chains.
McCown continued to push the offense forward with an eight-yard run up the middle before connecting with wide receiver David Amador II for a five-yard completion.
Then Henderson delivered one of the night’s most memorable plays.
The running back broke through multiple tackles and continued fighting for yardage, carrying a defender on his back as he advanced 26 yards to the USF 1-yard line. Although Henderson was ruled down just short of the goal line, his powerful run put UTSA in position to take control.
Running back A’Marion Peterson finished the job, bursting through the middle of the defense for the go-ahead touchdown with just 15 seconds remaining.
McCown then connected with Amador in the end zone for the successful two-point conversion, giving the Roadrunners a 31-24 advantage they would not relinquish.
Peterson led UTSA with 92 rushing yards on 12 carries and scored three touchdowns. Henderson added 86 yards on 13 attempts, while McCown completed 22 of 31 passes for 209 yards and rushed nine times for 52 yards. Amador finished with 70 receiving yards.
Roadrunners answer USF’s early punches
South Florida came out aggressively and struck first on its opening possession. Running back D.J. Crowther broke through the middle for a 15-yard touchdown run, capping a 65-yard drive and giving the Bulls an early 7-0 lead.
UTSA responded with an explosive play of its own. Peterson found a crease in the defense and raced 53 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 with 3:13 remaining in the first quarter.
The back-and-forth contest continued as USF quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. connected with wide receiver Bryson Rodgers on a 42-yard touchdown. Van Buren placed the ball over Rodgers’ head and toward his right shoulder, allowing the receiver to make the catch in stride and reach the end zone just before the quarter ended.
Van Buren completed 16 of 29 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
UTSA came out of halftime determined to regain control. Henderson opened the half with an 11-yard run toward the left sideline, and redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Mehki Anderson followed with a 30-yard burst down the left side to move the Roadrunners to the USF 34-yard line.
Peterson capped the possession with a two-yard touchdown run, tying the score at 17-17 with 10:28 remaining in the third quarter.
The Roadrunners then took their first lead of the evening. Kicker Michael Petro connected on a 41-yard field goal with 2:04 left in the third period, putting UTSA ahead 20-17.
McCown continued to find Amador when the Roadrunners needed a play, delivering a pass that Amador turned into a 16-yard gain. Petro later added a 31-yard field goal after a USF punt, extending UTSA’s advantage to 23-17 with 8:21 remaining.
USF threatens before UTSA delivers the knockout
Despite trailing late, the Bulls refused to go quietly.
A controversial defensive pass-interference penalty against UTSA moved USF 15 yards to its own 48-yard line with 5:31 remaining, providing the visitors with a valuable opportunity to reclaim the lead.
Van Buren capitalized by finding Crowther near the left corner of the end zone. Crowther, a graduate running back, powered through a last-second defensive challenge to complete the touchdown and put USF ahead 24-23 following Nico Gramatica’s extra point.
Crowther finished with 83 rushing yards on 20 carries and two touchdown runs.
With less than two minutes remaining, UTSA faced a defining moment in its season. The Roadrunners responded with a composed, physical drive that showcased their running backs, McCown’s mobility and the team’s determination to finish the game.
Peterson’s late touchdown and the successful two-point conversion completed the comeback, sending the Alamodome crowd home celebrating another memorable victory.
The win improved UTSA to 2-0 in conference play, while South Florida fell to 4-2 overall and 0-2 in the American Athletic Conference.
Looking ahead
South Florida will attempt to secure its first conference victory next Saturday when it hosts Kent State at 7 p.m. CST.
UTSA returns to the Alamodome next Saturday to face Navy at 7 p.m. CST. With its winning streak reaching three games, the Roadrunners will look to maintain their momentum and continue their strong start to the season.
