THE UTSA ROADRUNNERS made history last season, but one goal was never attained: a victory on the road. The football team wasted little time this season, winning their first-ever away game against the South Alabama ….
[s2If current_user_is(s2member_level2)]
Jaguars in Mobile Sept. 1.
The Roadrunners won 33-31. Four South Alabama turnovers resulted in 20 of the Roadrunners’ 33 points. Kicker Sean Ianno earned the game ball, after hitting four field goals, including the game winner. Ianno cemented the game with a career-long, 51-yarder with 0:16 left to play and the Roadrunners down by one point, 31-30.
“I wanted to show everyone I was ready to make that kick to finish off all the hard work we put into the game,” he said. The Roadrunners and Jaguars traded the lead like prizefighters trade punches. The Jaguars made an opening 75-yard drive to take an early 7-0 lead. They were unable to hold onto the lead, however, as the Roadrunners took advantage of two Jaguar turnovers, changing the score to 14-7. Ianno added to the team’s lead in the second quarter with two field goals, one coming as a direct result of another Jaguar fumble. South Alabama took back the lead early in the fourth quarter when Kendall Houston scored a touchdown on fourth down and one from the 1-yard line. An interception thrown by UTSA quarterback Eric Soza set up the score for South Alabama.
UTSA didn’t stay down long. They scored three-and-a-half minutes later on a touchdown pass from Soza to Earon Holmes on a fourth down and six yards to go. A 21-yard Ianno field goal pushed the Roadrunners further ahead, 30-24. The Jaguars answered with a 65-yard kick return that set them up 35 yards away from pay dirt. They reclaimed the lead with a 34-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Bennett to Jereme Jones with 2:46 left to play. The Roadrunners, behind Soza, who finished the day 18-of-30 for 215 yards and a school record three touchdowns, started the winning drive from their own 46-yard line. Ianno notched the game winner and the Roadrunners began their membership in the Football Bowl Subdivision victoriously. “We’ve got 11 more games,” head coach Larry Coker said. “We have the opportunity to have a good season.”
[/s2If] [s2If current_user_is_not(s2member_level2)] The rest of this article is available to Digital Subscribers only. Login or Subscribe to continue reading. [/s2If]
Discover more from Horns Illustrated
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.