Owen McCown leads UTSA’s rout of Florida International at First Responder Bowl in Dallas

Owen McCown threw three touchdown passes, Will Henderson III scored three times, and UTSA defeated Florida International 57-20 on Friday night at the First Responder Bowl.

UTSA (7-6) was making its seventh consecutive bowl appearance — eighth overall — and has won three in a row. FIU (7-6) ended a bowl drought dating to 2019.

FIU had an early lead on a touchdown pass by Joe Pesansky and the Panthers made it 14-0 on Maguire Anderson’s 97-yard punt return.

UTSA then scored the next 38 points.

Texas College Sports

Trailing 14-0, Henderson scored on a 2-yard run then tied the score when he caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from McCown. After a field goal, McCown connected with Devin McCuin on a 23-yard touchdown pass.

A’Marion Peterson capped the first-half scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run and a 31-14 lead for the Roadrunners.

UTSA had a 310-93 advantage in total yards in the first half, with 50 yards of FIU’s total coming on a late second-quarter drive that ended on a fourth-down sack of Pesansky.

In the third quarter, Henderson ran five yards for a touchdown to make it 38-14, then Pesansky connected with Dallas Payne for a 22-yard touchdown pass. However, Pesansky’s two-point conversion pass was intercepted and returned for two points by Ahamad Chapman.

UTSA added a McCown touchdown pass and a TD run by Bryson Donnell in the fourth quarter.

McCown completed 18 of 28 passes for 295 yards.

Pesansky was 11-for-31 passing for 102 yards with two touchdowns.

UTSA had 481 total yards compared to 255 for FIU.

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