UTSA outduels Colorado State in 59-45 shootout; highest-scoring regulation game since 2024

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It started with the opening kickoff and never slowed down.

UTSA and Colorado State put on a scoring marathon Saturday afternoon at the Alamodome to a level the sport hadn’t seen in years. The Roadrunners’ 59-45 victory was the highest-scoring regulation FBS game since Texas Tech and Oklahoma State also combined for 104 points on Nov. 23, 2024.

It was the first game to feature 100 combined points this season — a feat which was only attained once in 2025 in Louisiana’s 54-51 double overtime win over Marshall. There were 1,042 yards of offense and two kick return touchdowns in the high-energy showcase.

Colorado State’s Mel Brown commenced the scoring barrage by returning the opening kickoff 94 yards to the house. Less than two minutes later, the Rams reached paydirt on their first offensive snap of the afternoon. Quarterback K’saan Farrar, starting in place of the injured Hauss Hejny, launched a deep shot to Terrence Smith Jr., who was roughly five yards behind his closest defender. Thanks to the 74-yard connection, Colorado State led 14-0 just 104 seconds into the game with just one offensive snap.

But UTSA — 11-2 at the Alamodome since 2024 — wasn’t going to bow out at home. The Roadrunners rattled off five unanswered touchdowns on five drives, securing a 35-14 lead by the 6:48 mark of the second quarter. Five different players contributed to these end zone appearances, including running backs Brandon High Jr., Will Henderson III, and A’Marion Peterson and wide receivers David Amador II and DJ Allen.

“I think it’s a little bit of shock at first, but then the guys just don’t blink,” UTSA quarterback Owen McCown said on the quick 14-0 deficit. “You saw it, we came right back out and executed on offense really well and ended up getting those seven points back on special teams, and the defense played good enough, believe it or not, to keep us in the game and win the game.”

The game of call-and-response continued as Colorado State trimmed its deficit to 35-28 on two consecutive touchdowns, one immediately preceding halftime and the other immediately following. But no team could be barred from the end zone too long in this barnburner, and UTSA responded to the Rams’ mini-comeback with its own kick return touchdown, courtesy of Mekhi Anderson.

Anderson’s contributions weren’t limited to special teams. When Colorado State thinned the margin to seven in the late third quarter, Anderson capped a 10-play drive with a 14-yard touchdown reception. But in this back-and-forth affair, the Rams still had more to give. RJ Vick scored on a reverse with 8:55 remaining to make it 49-42, but despite the offense’s success, Colorado State couldn’t force a stop to possess the ball down one score.

“I think our defense got a little big-headed in my opinion,” UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor said. “They went over to Texas and did a great job, and they deserved all their flowers. But what I learned about my team, they’re happy for each other in there right now, but you can tell our defense is disappointed.”

After the two teams exchanged fourth quarter field goals, the Rams resorted to their only option: an onside kick. However, UTSA recovered, and one play later, Peterson ran in the 47-yard dagger to secure the second-highest point total in Roadrunner history. Fifty-nine points.

As expected, there was no shortage of impressive stat-lines in UTSA’s scoring clinic. McCown threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Henderson (89), High (76), and Peterson (60) combined for 225 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Anderson posted 180 all-purpose yards and two scores.

“It’s a nightmare handling all those personalities. They all want the ball, and they all deserve it, and there’s only one ball. There’s only one ball,” Traylor said. “So it’s a nightmare, but it’s a joy to your point because there’s so many good players on our team. And they do — as much as they want the ball — they block for each other incredibly well. All three running backs scored. It’s pretty impressive.”

Arguably the most impressive statistic had nothing to do with UTSA’s offensive production. The Roadrunners entered the game as the most penalized team in the country, accruing exactly 115 penalty yards in each of the first three weeks. UTSA still committed three 15-yard penalties but was limited to 45 yards, while Colorado State was flagged 11 times for 61 yards.

“Very disciplined tonight except for two plays that just about killed us,” Traylor said. “We wouldn’t have had to kick a field goal if we hadn’t got a 15-yarder. We had a drive kill on a 15-yarder, and then we had an ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct, which is extremely disappointing for 15. Other than that, we only had three penalties. So that was impressive.”

The Roadrunners have now erased multiple double-digit deficits during their 3-1 start. It’s the first time UTSA has recorded a winning regular season non-conference record since 2021, and the only defeat transpired at No. 1 Texas. UTSA’s American Conference slate starts next week at Rice, and its non-conference efforts have allowed the team potential access to College Football Playoff contention, should it be able to thrive in league play.

Traylor wants the city of San Antonio to feel that potential and pack the Alamodome moving forward.

“I told our guys, if we can get this one and go on the road and get Rice, which won’t be easy, as we know the last time we were over there. This will look a lot different on a Thursday night on national TV versus South Florida,” Traylor said. “That’s where our marketing team and our ticket people have got to be ready to roll. That’s got to be — I told my guys today, if you can play great in front of 15 to 20 (thousand fans), which I didn’t know what it was going to be, but I figured it would be around that number, you won’t play in front of 15 or 20 maybe again the rest of the year. So we have a real opportunity, I think, if we can go get this next one. I think everybody’s starting to go, ‘Oh, that’s a pretty tough schedule the guys played, and they’re 3-1.’”

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