By: Louisiana Tech Athletics
RUSTON, La (Louisiana Tech Athletics) — Louisiana Tech held a 3-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but No. 24 UTSA scored 35 unanswered points to pull away for a final score of 45-16 on Saturday night inside Joe Aillet Stadium.
LA Tech (2-5, 1-2 C-USA) came out swinging as Austin Kendall hit Smoke Harris over the middle. The wide receiver then smoked every one as he raced to the end zone for a 47-yard touchdown.
However, UTSA (8-0, 4-0 C-USA) quickly silenced the crowd as they countered with a 75-yard touchdown on their second offensive play of the game.
After those two offensive sparks, both teams had very little success on each of their next two drives, but the Bulldogs used another big play by Harris – 37-yard reception – that set up a 35-yard field goal by Jacob Barnes to retake the lead at 10-7 late in the first quarter.
The LA Tech defense was about to get the offense the ball right back after forcing a three-and-out, but a personal foul called on a late hit out of bounds gave the Roadrunners new life. Twenty-four more penalty yards by the ‘Dogs aided in a two-yard rushing touchdown by Sincere McCormick to give UTSA its first lead of the game early in the second quarter.
The visiting team would never trail again. The Roadrunners went 72 yards on 10 plays to score on their next offensive possession to go up 21-10, which ended up being the halftime score. They ended up tacking on a pick-six, two more rushing touchdowns by McCormick (one coming after a fumbled kickoff return by LA Tech) and a late field goal.
UTSA only outgained LA Tech, 406-381, in total yards, but the Bulldogs tied a season-high in penalties with eight and committed three turnovers.