SAN ANTONIO (Interstat) — Owen McCown passed for three touchdowns and the Texas-San Antonio defense scored twice, overwhelming the Rice Owls in a 61-13 rout on Saturday night at the Alamodome.

The Roadrunners erupted for 21 points in the first quarter and never looked back, improving their season record to 2-3. Rice fell to .500 at 3-3.

McCown, a quarterback from Rusk, Texas, was efficient and effective, completing 15 of 21 passes for 236 yards. He connected with AJ Wilson on a 20-yard touchdown and found Devin McCuin for a 2-yard score in the first quarter, staking UTSA to a 21-3 lead. His third touchdown pass, a 43-yard strike to DJ Allen Jr., extended the lead to 28-10 in the second quarter.

The Roadrunners’ defense and special teams provided the knockout blows early in the second half. On the first play of the third quarter, linebacker Kendrick Blackshire of Duncanville, Texas, intercepted a pass and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. On Rice’s ensuing possession, linebacker Shad Banks Jr. of Houston scooped a fumble and returned it 41 yards for another score, pushing the UTSA lead to 45-10 and turning the game into a laugher.

The Roadrunners’ ground game was equally dominant. Will Henderson III broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and added a 57-yard scoring dash in the third. Robert Henry Jr. added a 1-yard touchdown plunge in the first quarter.

Rice’s offense, which cycled through multiple quarterbacks, never found a rhythm. The Owls managed just a 36-yard field goal from Enock Gota in the first quarter and a 3-yard touchdown run by Daelen Alexander just before halftime. Chase Allen added a 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the final margin.

Lucas Scheerhorn of Spring, Texas, Drew Devillier of Plano, Texas, and Chase Jenkins of Katy, Texas, all saw action at quarterback for the Owls, combining for 76 passing yards. The Rice run game showed flashes, with Alexander breaking a 57-yard run and Tyvonn Byars adding a 32-yard gain, but it was not enough to sustain drives against a relentless UTSA defense.

The Roadrunners’ defensive effort was a collective swarm, with 10 players recording at least three tackles. Linebackers James Walley Jr. of Missouri City, Texas, and Nnanna Anyanwu of Hampton, Georgia, each had five tackles, while safety Elijah Newell of Maumelle, Arkansas, led all players with seven.

The lopsided victory defied the pregame projections, which had Texas-San Antonio as a 9.5-point favorite with an expected total score in the 40s. The teams instead combined for 74 points, easily surpassing the over/under line of 48.5.

Rice will look to rebound when it hosts Connecticut on Oct. 25. Texas-San Antonio travels to face North Texas on Oct. 18.