UTSA pulls through in another tight finish, winning see-saw battle against Navy

As he slid forward to evade a Navy defender grabbing at his left ankle, UTSA quarterback Owen McCown left himself defenseless, throwing his full force into a 50-yard bomb down the field.

Navy linebacker Coleman Cauley had a clean shot at McCown on delayed pressure and took advantage, lowering his shoulder and slamming into McCown’s midsection.

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McCown was slow to get up, wincing in pain as he grabbed toward his ribs. He was helped to his feet but immediately hunched forward, struggling to catch his breath after having the wind knocked out of him for a second straight week. He was thankful offensive coordinator Rick Bowie called a run on the next play, allowing a momentary reset.

“Just take a second, catch your breath, and you’re back rolling,” McCown said.

The feeling was a familiar one for McCown and the Roadrunners, who have been locked in one-score games in the fourth quarter of all five matchups against Group of Six competition this season.

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UTSA had to withstand plenty of blows Saturday, falling into an early 14-point hole and then giving up the lead two more times in the fourth quarter as Navy surged for late touchdowns. But just as they have all season, McCown and the Roadrunners had an answer.

A’Marion Peterson broke loose for a 41-yard touchdown reception with less than three minutes to play as UTSA remained undefeated in one-score games this season, outlasting Navy 38-34 on Saturday in the Alamodome.

“It was kind of the same theme of the games that we played all year. We knew it was a lot of back and forth, and we knew we couldn’t blink,” McCown said. “When it was our turn up to the plate, we executed at a high level.”

UTSA Roadrunner Darrell Jones lifts Mekhi Anderson into the air after Anderson scored a touchdown against Navy at the Alamodome, Saturday, October 17, 2026. (Cody Duty/Contributor)

The game-winning drive was McCown’s third of the season, following late pushes to the end zone in the final minute of a 31-26 win against Texas State on Sept. 12 and a 31-24 victory last week against South Florida.

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McCown said first-year offensive coordinator Bowie “flipped the switch with our mindset” in those scenarios, instilling a new confidence by simulating that type of situation through the offseason.

Understanding Navy would aim to control possession with a run-heavy option approach, Traylor said he elected to keep McCown and the offense on the field for close fourth-down calls, and UTSA went 2 for 3 in those spots.

McCown finished 28-of-38 passing for 359 yards with three touchdowns, helping make up for a run game that was limited to 110 yards on 32 carries, averaging 3.4 yards per rush.

“If I was going down, I’m going down with 2 slinging,” Traylor said, referring to McCown by his jersey number. “I’m not going down any other way. You don’t get in these chairs by taking the ball away from great athletes. Let athletes be athletes. I’m letting Owen McCown win the game for me. End of story.”

The win moves UTSA to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the American Conference, extending the Roadrunners’ best start since 2021. UTSA also improved to 37-5 in the Alamodome under Traylor, including 27-1 against league opponents.

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The Roadrunners are also 5-0 this year in games that were within a one-score margin at any point during the fourth quarter.

“I know I answer the same way every week – we just don’t go away,” Traylor said. “Our kids just keep trusting. And our coaches, they keep making adjustments. Their attitudes stay wonderful. We made some great adjustments.”

Navy quarterback Jackson Gutierrez, a Jay grad making a homecoming to San Antonio, gave UTSA’s defense fits. He carried 21 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns, hit 3 of 7 passes for 120 yards and another two scores, and even pulled in a 63-yard reception on a trick play.

Traylor said the Roadrunners simply wanted to “bat .500” on defense against the Midshipmen, and Navy turned 10 full drives into five touchdowns, three punts, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs.

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The Midshipmen threw the Roadrunners off balance by using Week 1 starting quarterback Braxton Woodson as a wingback, and linebacker Darion White said Navy attacked the edges of the defense more often than UTSA expected, only adding to the challenges presented by Gutierrez.

“He’s awesome,” Traylor said. “He’s a freaking stud. I mean, you think he’s down, and he’s not. He’s competitive. He’s a winner.”

White said Saturday’s win felt like “a little get back” from last year’s home loss to Army – another service academy with an option offense that has been responsible for more than half of Traylor’s Alamodome defeats, also beating UTSA in 2023 and 2020.

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He anticipated the Roadrunners’ defense would be asked to make one or two critical stops, and UTSA delivered following Peterson’s touchdown, forcing a turnover on downs.

Even after falling into a 14-0 hole early in the second quarter and enduring a fourth quarter with four lead changes, White said the Roadrunners never wavered.

“We always know as long as there’s time on that clock, we have the ability to make a play, to come back and win the game,” White said. “So, yes sir, keep fighting.”

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This article originally published at UTSA pulls through in another tight finish, winning see-saw battle against Navy.

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