Bijan Robinson ran for 183 yards and three touchdowns and Jahdae Barron returned an interception 44 yards for another score as No. 21 Texas came from behind to beat Texas-San Antonio 41-20 on Saturday in Austin, Texas.
Robinson, the Longhorns’ preseason All-America running back, scored on runs of 3, 41 and 78 yards, the latter being the longest in his career, to help Texas (2-1) shrug off a loss to then-No. 1 Alabama on Sept. 10 and outplay the Roadrunners after halftime.
Hudson Card, drawing the start at quarterback for the injured Quinn Ewers, passed for 161 yards and a TD and ran for 35 more yards for Texas.
Frank Harris threw for 222 yards for UTSA but none of his 24 completions were for more than 13 yards. Harris was forced from the game early in the fourth quarter one series after a sack that was flagged for targeting.
The Roadrunners (1-2) got on the board first via a 24-yard field goal by Jared Sackett with 3:28 left in the first quarter. Texas answered on a Card-to-Roschon Johnson 11-yard TD pass with 14:03 to play in the second quarter.
Brenden Brady pounded into the end zone on a 2-yard scoring run with 10:07 left in the second. UTSA then stunned the Longhorns with a successful onside kick and further surprised Texas with a backward pass to Brady that he uncorked for a 35-yard TD to Zakhari Franklin and a 17-7 lead.
Robinson pulled Texas to within 17-14 with his 3-yard TD run at the 5:20 mark of the second quarter. The Longhorns’ Bert Auburn tied the game with a 44-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the half.
It was the first time in 15 seasons the Longhorns were tied or trailed a Group of Five opponent at halftime.
Robinson ripped off his 78-yard TD run on Texas’ second offensive snap of the third quarter to push Texas to the lead at 24-17. UTSA cut into its deficit with a 30-yard field goal by Sackett with 3:21 to play in the third.
But the Longhorns responded with a big defensive play when Barron intercepted an overthrown pass by Harris in the right flat and returned it for a score to give Texas a 31-20 advantage heading into the final 15 minutes of play.
Robinson capped his game with a 41-yard scoring run with 9:36 to play. Auburn’s 26-yard field goal finished the scoring for Texas.
–Field Level Media
