Army starts fast, holds off UTSA 37-29

Updated Sep. 15, 2023 10:47 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Hayden Reed and Jakobi Buchanan had first-quarter touchdown runs and Army never trailed in a 37-29 victory over UTSA on Friday night.

Reed scored from a yard out midway through the quarter and Buchanan punched it in from the 10 with 1:15 left to give the Black Knights (2-1) a 14-0 lead.

Robert Henry had a 19-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to get the Roadrunners (1-2) on the scoreboard. Quinn Maretzki followed with 23- and 45-yard field goals to push Army's lead to 20-7. Eddie Lee Marburger connected with Tykee Ogle-Kellogg for a 46-yard touchdown on the final play of the quarter to pull UTSA within 20-14 at halftime.

Maretzki added a third field goal, but Marburger hooked up with Joshua Cephus for a 44-yard score and the Roadrunners trailed 23-21 with 7:04 left in the third quarter. It took the Black Knights just two plays — a 55-yard completion from running back Markel Johnson to Isaiah Alston and a 25-yard scoring strike from Bryson Daily to Noah Short — to retake a two-score lead.

Daily scored on a 3-yard run with 6:45 left to play, but Marburger connected with Devin McCuin for a 72-yard score and the pair teamed up again for the two-point conversion to get the Roadrunners within 37-29 just 33 seconds later. The UTSA defense forced a three-and-out and Army's defense did likewise. Daily twice ran for first downs in the final three minutes to wrap up the victory.

Daily completed 7 of 17 passes for 133 yards. Reed rushed 20 times for 107 yards, while Daily added 100 on 24 carries.

Marburger, a sophomore, got the start at quarterback for the Roadrunners in place of senior Frank Harris, who is out with an injured toe. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 239 yards.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll