UTSA Tops UTRGV 45-16 as McCown Throws Three Touchdowns

A season-opening win validates the move to a more vertical attack, signaling immediate work remains on penalties and tackling before conference play.

Overview

The Roadrunners beat UTRGV 45-16 on Saturday, piling up 525 yards of offense while Owen McCown completed 22 of 27 passes for 275 yards and three touchdown throws before leaving with about 10 minutes remaining.
New offensive coordinator Rick Bowie’s vertical, air-raid–leaning approach produced multiple explosive plays, including a 36-yard touchdown to AJ Wilson Jr., a 62-yard screen score to DJ Allen Jr., and a 75-yard run by Will Henderson III.
Coach Jeff Traylor called the offense “inconsistent” after the game and flagged discipline issues that stalled drives, with UTSA finishing with 11 penalties for 115 yards and a defense that missed tackles.
UTRGV, playing an FBS opponent for the first time, generated 422 yards of offense, scored a late touchdown, and sent a large traveling crowd after selling its ticket allotment.
The result offers early proof of UTSA’s offseason identity shift and McCown’s post‑hernia recovery, but the staff will focus on cleaning up penalties and tackling as the Roadrunners move toward conference play.