UTSA outlasts North Texas in dramatic finish to rivalry game

Before Clark’s game-winning catch, Harris transformed fourth-and-2 with a move to Zakhari Franklin, then hit tight finish Oscar Cardenas down the center for a 33-yard one-handed seize.

Entering a much-needed open week, the injury-plagued Roadrunners (6-2, 4-0 C-USA) sit alone atop the league standings, snapping an eight-game C-USA win streak for the Mean Green (4-4, 3-1).

After a gradual offensive begin for each side, the Roadrunners and Mean Green exchanged the lead seven occasions in the second half.

UTSA pulled forward 24-20 when Harris hit Joshua Cephus for a 6-yard landing with lower than three minutes to play, however North Texas answered in lower than a minute. A 46-yard move from Austin Aune to Var’Keyes Gumms arrange first-and-goal on the 4-yard line, and North Texas punched in a landing on its third strive with a 1-yard connection from Aune to Isaiah Johnson.

Harris completed 27 of 39 for 238 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, whereas Brenden Brady ran for 112 yards and two scores.

The Mean Green entered ranked sixth in the nation with 251.3 dashing yards per game however mustered simply 22 yards on 21 carries Saturday.

UTSA’s offense struggled to discover a footing early, with Harris throwing an interception on his first move try of the game.

The Roadrunners’ subsequent three drives resulted in a turnover on downs, a missed 36-yard subject aim and a punt earlier than Jared Sackett put UTSA on the board with a 32-yard kick late in the second quarter, pulling the rating to 6-3 at halftime.

UTSA’s protection responded to the offensive stoop by holding North Texas underneath wraps.

The Roadrunners appeared content material to play one-on-one protection on most snaps, however the Mean Green passing game hardly ever punished, as Aune was simply 6-of-15 passing for 92 yards at halftime.

North Texas’ 5 first-half drives amounted to two subject targets and three punts.

UTSA punched in the game’s first landing on its opening drive of the second half, as Brady plunged in from 3 yards out for a 10-6 lead. The Roadrunners transformed three third-down conditions on the drive, together with Harris connecting with Joshua Cephus for 15 yards on third-and-10.

North Texas wanted simply greater than a minute to reply with its first landing of the day, as Aune hit Roderic Burns for a 54-yard achieve down the precise sideline after which linked with Jake Roberts for a 10-yard landing and a 13-10 benefit. With the Roadrunners sucked towards the road of scrimmage by play motion, Roberts snuck out the again facet of the formation and was vast open, strolling into the tip zone uncontested.

UTSA pulled again forward 17-13 early in the fourth quarter, with Brady punching in a 1-yard landing to cap a 12-play, 72-yard drive.

But the Mean Green once more pushed forward on the next collection, changing a third-and-5, a third-and-15 and at last a third-and-6 with a 44-yard landing move to Gumms. Catching a brief move over the center, Gumms plowed by way of the sort out try of UTSA’s Kelechi Nwachuku and had a clear run to the tip zone for a 20-17 lead with just below 10 minutes remaining.

After the groups exchanged punts, UTSA began at its personal 45-yard line and went on a seven-play drive to the tip zone. Facing third-and-5, Harris ran a bootleg and located Cephus streaking throughout the again of the tip zone for a 6-yard rating and a 24-20 lead.

greg.luca@express-news.internet

Twitter: @GregLuca