UTSA Dominates FIU 57–20 to Win First Responder Bowl

Owen McCown throws three TDs, Will Henderson III scores three times as Roadrunners roll

UTSA delivered a dominant performance Friday night, erupting for 38 unanswered points to overwhelm Florida International 57–20 in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas.
The victory capped another successful season for the Roadrunners (7–6), who extended their streak to three consecutive bowl wins and made their sixth straight bowl appearance. FIU (7–6), meanwhile, saw its first bowl game since 2019 end in disappointment after a fast start faded quickly.

FIU Strikes Early, UTSA Responds in Force

Florida International jumped out to a stunning 14–0 lead, fueled by:
• A touchdown pass from Joe Pesansky
• A 97-yard punt return TD by Maguire Anderson
From there, however, it was all UTSA.

Henderson and McCown Spark 38-Point Surge

Trailing by two touchdowns, Will Henderson III ignited the comeback:
• 2-yard TD run
• 40-yard TD reception from Owen McCown to tie the game
McCown then found Devin McCuin for a 23-yard touchdown, followed by a field goal and a 10-yard TD run by A’Marion Peterson, sending UTSA into halftime with a 31–14 lead.
The Roadrunners completely controlled the first half, outgaining FIU 310–93, with the Panthers managing just one meaningful late drive that ended on a fourth-down sack.

Roadrunners Pull Away After Halftime

UTSA kept its foot on the gas in the second half:
• Henderson added a 5-yard rushing TD to make it 38–14
• FIU briefly answered with a 22-yard TD pass to Dallas Payne
• The Panthers’ two-point conversion attempt was intercepted and returned for two points by Ahamad Chapman, pushing the score to 40–20
UTSA closed the game with:
• Another McCown TD pass
• A field goal
• A Bryson Donnell TD run
By the Numbers
• Owen McCown (UTSA): 18-of-28, 295 yards, 3 TDs
• Will Henderson III (UTSA):3 total TDs (2 rushing, 1 receiving)
• Joe Pesansky (FIU): 11-of-31, 102 yards, 2 TDs
Total Yards:
• UTSA: 481
• FIU: 255

UTSA’s Bowl Success Continues

The win marked:
• UTSA’s seventh bowl appearance overall
• A third straight bowl victory
• Continued momentum for a program that has become one of the most consistent in Conference USA and the AAC era