Despite a record breaking performance from sophomore quarterback Owen McCown, The University of Tulsa defeated UTSA 46-45 on Saturday at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
After scoring a season-high 35 points in the first half, the Roadrunners (3-5, 1-3 AAC) were out scored 39-10 in the second half as the Golden Hurricane (3-5, 1-3 AAC) took advantage of a banged up UTSA defense. McCown and the offense ran out of steam as the game progressed and could not produce the game winning score on their final possession.
“We lost momentum and never could get it back,” coach Jeff Traylor said. “They kept making play after play and we couldn’t respond. That’s about as good as we can play in one half, and we didn’t play very well in the second half.”
The UTSA offense found the endzone on its first possession. Senior running back Robert Henry Jr. accounted for 31 total yards on the scoring drive, which ended with McCown finding senior tight end Oscar Cardenas for a 9-yard screen pass touchdown.
Following six consecutive punts from both teams, UTSA found the endzone once again, this time a 69-yard bomb from McCown to senior wide receiver Chris Carpenter. This is the longest touchdown pass McCown has thrown since arriving at UTSA.
At the top of the second quarter, McCown found junior tight end Dan Dishman over the middle of the field for a 23-yard touchdown, giving UTSA a 21-0 lead.
Tulsa scored its first and only points of the half on its next possession; backup quarterback Cooper Legas found running back Bill Jackson for a 31-yard score.
UTSA responded immediately after, with Henry Jr. scoring his second touchdown of the season with a 9-yard scamper to the right edge of the end zone.
Before the half ended, UTSA senior linebacker Jamal Ligon stripped Legas and the ball bounced into the hands of freshman defensive lineman Daemian Wimberly. Wimberly walked into the endzone for the score.
With the momentum on their side, the Roadrunners took their foot off the gas, and paid the price in the second half.
On UTSA’s second possession of the half, McCown was stripped by Tulsa defensive lineman Vontroy Malone. The ball was scooped up and taken 35 yards into the endzone.
The Golden Hurricane cut deeper into their deficit a few minutes later with a 37-yard field goal from kicker Seth Morgan.
Trying to fend off the comeback, the UTSA offense marched down the field in under three minutes and scored. McCown, evading the Tulsa pass rush, escaped the pocket and found senior wide receiver Willie McCoy Jr. for a 5-yard passing touchdown.
Tulsa responded by scoring on its next two possessions. Legas found receiver Kamdyn Benjamin for a 74-yard touchdown and then connected with running back Viron Ellison Jr. for a 4-yard score.
UTSA, after allowing back-to-back scoring drives, watched its 28-point lead shrink to 10 with 14 minutes remaining in the game.
Legas led back-to-back touchdown drives and found Benjamin twice for 20-yard and 4-yard touchdown passes, respectively.
McCown notched a career high four touchdown passes and broke former quarterback Frank Harris’ single game passing yardage record with 434 in the loss. UTSA tied the school record for sacks and tackles for loss with seven and 14, respectively. Sophomore tight end Houston Thomas also enjoyed a career day, leading all UTSA receivers in yards with 132. Carpenter recorded his first 100-yard game of his career against Tulsa and UTSA remains winless on the road in 2024.
UTSA will next face University of Memphis at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Alamodome.
