The USF Bulls (7-2, 4-1 American) returned from their bye week with an explosive performance, dismantling the UTSA RoadRunners (4-5, 2-3 American) 55-23 on Thursday night at Ray Jay.
The Bulls’ defense set a frantic tone early, scoring two touchdowns before the offense even took the field, establishing a commanding 45-10 halftime lead that proved insurmountable.
The defensive dominance began on the very first snap when USF safety Tavin Ward intercepted UTSA quarterback Owen McCown and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, just eight seconds into the game. Later in the first quarter, the defense struck again.
Cornerback Jarvis Lee Jr., who was a menace all night, forced a fumble on a sack of McCown, which was scooped up by safety Fred Gaskin and returned 85 yards for a second defensive score.
The Bulls’ defense finished the night with six sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and held UTSA’s leading rusher, Robert Henry, to just 27 yards on the ground.
When the offense finally got on the field late in the first quarter, it was a blur of efficiency. Quarterback Byrum Brown was lights out, completing 14-of-15 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 109 yards and a touchdown on the ground for 348 total yards.
Running back Nykahi Davenport contributed with a career-best 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a 59-yard sprint. Wide receiver Keshaun Singleton had a career day with 122 yards on four spectacular catches, reeling in touchdown grabs of 16 and 40 yards.
UTSA’s offense struggled to find rhythm against the fierce USF pass rush, but Owen McCown did connect on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Overmyer. Backup QB Brandon Tennison added a late 19-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Anderson for the RoadRunners.
Post Game Quotes:
Head Coach Alex Golesh:
“These dudes came out to play. They answered the bell. They got challenged [after the loss to Memphis], and they answered the bell. The down is inevitable. The bad things are going to happen. How you respond is either going to be your prison or your testimony. These guys responded the right way.”
QB Byrum Brown:
“The defense gave us a 14-0 lead before we even strapped on our helmets on the sideline. That takes all the pressure off. We just had to execute our plan, be efficient, and we did that. Our offensive line was incredible all night—zero sacks and opening up huge holes.”
CB Jarvis Lee Jr. (6 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble):
“We preach delivering the first punch. We know how fast their offense is, so we wanted to make them uncomfortable from the start. That first sack and the fumble return—that was the tone-setter. When we’re locked in like that, we’re a tough unit to move the ball on.”
UTSA RoadRunners
Head Coach Jeff Traylor:
“That was a brutal start. You can’t give a team of USF’s caliber 14 free points on the road and expect to compete. They were faster, more physical, and they executed. We talked all week about avoiding the self-inflicted wounds, and we failed on the first two drives. We have to look in the mirror, clean up the turnovers, and focus on finishing this season strong.”
QB Owen McCown:
“I take full responsibility for those early turnovers. We just got completely out of sync, and their defensive front brought way more pressure than we anticipated. We showed flashes, especially on that touchdown pass, but we couldn’t sustain anything. It’s a tough loss, but we have to find a way to bounce back next week.”
Next Up
USF will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to face the Navy Midshipmen next Saturday, while UTSA returns home to host the Charlotte 49ers. Bulls are in the driver’s seat for a shot at the playoffs, but need to take care of business the next three games, which are winnable.
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