Peterson scores with 15 seconds left as UTSA beats South Florida 31-24

A'Marion Peterson scored his third rushing touchdown with 15 seconds left to lift UTSA past South Florida 31-24 on Thursday night at the Alamodome. His 1-yard run finished a frantic response after the Bulls had taken the lead with less than two minutes remaining.

UTSA trailed 24-23 when Michael Van Buren Jr. found D.J. Crowther for an 11-yard touchdown at 1:56. South Florida had just completed a 12-play, 75-yard scoring possession that consumed 6:25. The Bulls' drive looked capable of winning a game in which UTSA had controlled much of the second half.

The Roadrunners answered largely on the ground. Owen McCown ran for 19 yards on third-and-five to move the ball near midfield. Will Henderson III followed with gains of seven and four yards, McCown added eight, and a 5-yard pass to David Amador II brought UTSA to the South Florida 27.

Henderson then broke a 26-yard run to the 1-yard line. Peterson scored on the next play, and Amador completed the successful two-point pass attempt to establish the seven-point margin. South Florida had only seconds to answer and could not get back into scoring position before time expired.

Peterson finished with 92 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. His first score was a 53-yard run in the opening quarter, and his second came from 3 yards out early in the third. Those touchdowns gave UTSA a source of scoring on a night when McCown threw for 209 yards without a passing touchdown.

The first half belonged to South Florida on the scoreboard. Crowther's 15-yard run opened the scoring. After Peterson's long touchdown tied it, Van Buren hit Bryson Rodgers for a 42-yard touchdown with 11 seconds left in the first quarter. Nico Gramatica added a 24-yard field goal late in the second, and the Bulls led 17-10 at halftime.

UTSA worked back into the game with Peterson's second touchdown and Michael Petro's field goals. Petro connected from 26 yards in the second quarter, 41 yards late in the third and 31 yards at 8:21 of the fourth. The last kick gave UTSA a 23-17 lead before South Florida's long touchdown drive.

The Roadrunners finished with 486 total yards to the Bulls' 288 and rushed for 277 yards. Henderson gained 86 yards on 13 attempts, and McCown contributed 52 yards on nine runs. Amador led UTSA's receivers with nine catches for 70 yards.

Van Buren completed 16 of 29 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Crowther gained 83 rushing yards and scored both on the ground and through the air. Rodgers had five catches for 72 yards. Neither team committed a turnover.

UTSA improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the American Conference. South Florida dropped to 4-2 and 1-2. The Roadrunners host Navy on Oct. 17, while the Bulls return home to play Kent State that day.