The #25 AP-ranked Army Black Knights (10-1, 8-0 AAC) finished the AAC regular season a perfect 8-0 on Saturday afternoon at Michie Stadium defeating the UTSA Roadrunners (6-6, 4-4), 29-24. With the victory, Army won the AAC regular season and earned the right to host the AAC Championship game on Friday, Dec. 6 vs. Tulane at 8pm at Michie Stadium.
The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
Trailing by one, 17-16 entering the fourth quarter, Army QB Bryson Daily ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to propel the Black Knights to a perfect 8-0 mark in the teams’ first season in the American Athletic Conference and finish the regular season a perfect 6-0 at Michie Stadium.
Daily rushed for 147 yards and two scores on 27 carries (5.4 avg.), setting the Army mark for most 100-yard games in a season with nine, all of which have come in consecutive games.
Army’s defense made plays when they were needed the most, recording two second-half interceptions, one by S Collin Matteson and one by S Casey Larkin.
UTSA won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving Army’s offense the game’s first possession. The Black Knights faced an early fourth-and-one on its own 34 in which QB Bryson Daily sneaked forward for a fresh set of downs.
Army again faced a fourth down on the opening drive, a fourth-and-four at its own 42-yard line that Daily converted on a quick outside pass to slot back Noah Short for a gain of six.
Army faced its third fourth down on the opening drive, a fourth-and-three from the UTSA 45-yard line that was converted by an outside run. On the next play, Daily took a deep shot to slot back Tyrell Robinson for a 41-yard touchdown, Robinson’s first touchdown of the season to take a 7-0 lead.
The Roadrunners wasted no time responding to Army’s score, scoring in seven plays, 53 yards and 2:32 on a 10-yard touchdown run by RB Brandon High to knot the game at 7-7.
Army drove into UTSA territory on its next drive before being stopped on a fourth-and-three, as the drive was kept alive by a third-and-11 conversion from the Army 24-yard line where Daily hit WR Casey Reynolds down the left sideline for a 21-yard gain.
The Army defense quickly answered to force a punt with a sack for a loss of eight by LB Kalib Fortner, his first of the season.
Army moved the chains on its ensuing drive with Daily hitting Reynolds for a gain of 27 yards into UTSA territory. The drive stalled just outside the red zone as Army settled for a 39-yard field goal attempt which was converted by K Trey Gronotte to mark a new career-long from the senior to give Army a 10-7 lead.
UTSA converted on a 33-yard field goal of its own from K Tate Sandell to re-tie the game at 10-10.
With 22 seconds remaining until the half, UTSA fumbled on a muffed shotgun snap from center and quarterback that gave Army the ball back at the UTSA 47-yard line. Daily broke free for a rush of 17 yards to set up Gronotte’s second field goal of the afternoon from 35 yards out to take a 13-10 lead into the locker room.
Army dominated time of possession, 19:51 to 10:09 and outgained UTSA 232 to 126, running 16 more plays of offense in the opening half.
Beginning the second half, UTSA marched 11 plays, 75 yards and scored to take the lead, 17-13 on a 23-yard pass from QB Owen McCown to WR Devin McCuin.
Army answered when WR Liam Fortner hauled in his first catch of the season for 28 yards to get the Black Knights down to the Roadrunners’ five-yard line. However, a false start by TE David Crossan at the one-yard line. set the offense back off the goal line and had to settle for Gronotte’s third field goal from 22 yards away to bring the score within one, 17-16 UTSA.
The fourth quarter began with a fourth-and-one for UTSA from its own 16-yard line, as the Roadrunners looked to replicate Army’s success in the game on fourth down and leave the offense on the field. Attempting a halfback dive, Fortner and NB Chance Keith were there to meet the ball carrier behind the line and force a pivotal turnover on downs.
Starting in the red zone, the Army offense needed five plays to march 16 yards as Daily punched in his 24th rushing touchdown of the season from one yard out. Army’s two-point conversion was unsuccessful, and the Black Knights secured a 22-17 lead.
UTSA picked up a pair of first downs on its next drive, before McCown was picked off by S Collin Matteson who returned it 41 yards to the UTSA 46.
On the second play of Army’s drive, Daily surged for a 42-yard rushing score to match the AAC single-season record with 25 touchdowns on the ground this season. The Gronotte extra point gave Army a 29-17 lead.
UTSA wasted no time answering, needing just four plays and 1:16 to march 75 yards for a touchdown as High ran into the end zone from six yards out with 9:10 remaining.
Army bled clock and moved the chains with its 29-24 lead, settling for a 47-yard field goal attempt by Gronotte coming out of the two-minute timeout, but the attempt was no good which gave UTSA an opportunity to win the game with a touchdown.
After getting the ball into Army territory, McCown went for a deep pass over the middle which was broken up by S Gavin Shields with the ball falling into the hands of S Casey Larkin to seal the victory for the Black Knights.