SAN ANTONIO (Interstat) — Texas-San Antonio used a steady passing game from Owen McCown and three field goals from M. Petro to defeat South Florida 31-24 on Thursday at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners improved to 5-1, while the Bulls dropped to 4-2 in the Bowl Division game. A crowd of 17,632 watched UTSA protect its home field and hold off a late South Florida comeback. South Florida scored 24 points as the visiting team, but Texas-San Antonio scored 31 to secure the win. The Roadrunners led for much of the second half and made enough plays in the fourth quarter to close it out. The game was a matchup of teams looking to build on strong starts, and UTSA’s home advantage proved significant.

South Florida opened the scoring when D. Crowther rushed 15 yards for a touchdown. Nico Gramatica kicked the extra point. UTSA answered later in the opening period when A. Peterson broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run, and M. Petro added the extra point. The Roadrunners took a lead in the second quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Petro. South Florida’s Gramatica answered with a 24-yard field goal before halftime. The teams continued to trade points after the break, with Petro connecting from 41 yards in the third quarter. South Florida stayed within reach behind the play of quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. Petro’s kicking proved critical, as he connected on field goals of 26, 41 and 31 yards. Gramatica made a 24-yard field goal for the Bulls. South Florida’s offense had moments of rhythm, but UTSA’s defense tightened in key situations.

Van Buren, a Bowie, Md., native listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, completed 16 of 29 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran five times for 15 yards. His favorite target was Bryson Rodgers, who caught five passes for 72 yards and one touchdown. Mudia Reuben added two catches for 21 yards, Wyatt Sullivan had one catch for 20 yards, Joshua Porter added two for 14 yards, and Evan Dangler had one for 11 yards. Cameron Seldon caught two passes for 10 yards and returned one kickoff for 23 yards. Jason Collins Jr. ran four times for 17 yards and caught one pass for 14 yards. Kade Caton returned a kickoff for one yard. Luke Kromenhoek had one rush for two yards. Van Buren spread the ball to multiple receivers, completing passes to at least seven different targets.

South Florida’s defense had several productive individual performances. Tavin Ward led the Bulls with nine tackles. Ayden Jackson made eight tackles and one sack. Sam Robinson and Grayson Howard each recorded six tackles. Israel Boyce and Teddy Foster each had five tackles. Jabari Smith and Ashton Mosley each finished with four tackles, and Mosley added one quarterback hurry. Michael Williams II had three tackles and three quarterback hurries. C.J. Hicks added three tackles and one sack. Jair Murphy and Amarion Fortenberry each made three tackles. Zavier Hamilton also had three tackles. Levi Smiley recorded two tackles and one quarterback hurry. Terry Simmons Jr., Asani Redwood, Marshon Oxley, Major Dillard, Malcolm Ziglar, Ryan Jenkins, and Tayvion Beasley each recorded one tackle, with Oxley adding a quarterback hurry. Luke Goater punted five times for 229 yards. Gramatica handled the kicking duties. The Bulls could not force enough turnovers, but their defense kept the game within reach until the final minutes.

Texas-San Antonio’s offense was directed by McCown, who completed 22 of 31 passes for 209 yards. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound quarterback also ran nine times for 52 yards. McCown had recently completed 19 of 29 passes for 148 yards in a 16-14 win over Rice. Will Henderson III powered the ground game with 13 carries for 86 yards and caught two passes for 24 yards. Mekhi Anderson had one run for 30 yards and three catches for 24 yards. Brandon Young Jr. caught three passes for 34 yards. AJ Wilson added two catches for 35 yards. TJ West had one catch for 14 yards, Jamel Hardy Jr. had one for seven yards, and Isaiah Butler-Tanner had one for one yard. Brandon High Jr. ran seven times for 18 yards. McCown’s 209 passing yards helped UTSA control possession, and Henderson’s 86 rushing yards gave the Roadrunners a reliable ground threat.

UTSA’s defense was led by Joel Rogers and Owen Pewee, who each made eight tackles. Pewee also recorded one quarterback hurry. Asaad Chapman and Elijah Newell each had four tackles. Bryce Grays and Eze Osondu each added three tackles. The Roadrunners limited South Florida enough to preserve the lead, even as the Bulls moved the ball through the air. UTSA’s win followed a 16-14 victory at Rice and a 59-45 home win over Colorado State earlier this season. The Roadrunners also had wins over Texas State and UT Rio Grande Valley, with their only loss coming at Texas. South Florida entered after a loss to Temple, having previously beaten Bowling Green, Delaware State, Army and Florida International. UTSA’s previous results included wins over Colorado State, Texas State and UT Rio Grande Valley, plus a loss at Texas.

In the fourth quarter, UTSA extended its lead on a 31-yard field goal by Petro. South Florida responded late when Van Buren found D. Crowther on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 1:56 remaining. Gramatica’s extra point cut the deficit to seven points, but the Roadrunners recovered and ran out the clock. South Florida finished with 24 points, and UTSA finished with 31. The Bulls could not complete the comeback despite moving the ball well at times. South Florida will next host Kent State, while UTSA will host Navy. South Florida remains 4-2, and Texas-San Antonio sits at 5-1. The Roadrunners’ victory gave them a second straight win and kept their early-season momentum going. South Florida, meanwhile, will look to regroup after a road loss in which it scored 24 points but could not slow UTSA enough in the middle quarters.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas-San Antonio 42, South Florida 41. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Texas-San Antonio with a 70.7 percent probability to win. South Florida had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +6.5. The total score of 55 went under the over/under line of 49.5.