Defensive TDs jumpstart South Florida to 55-23 win over UTSA

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Quarterback Byrum Brown accounted for 348 total yards and three touchdowns and South Florida recorded two defensive touchdowns and beat UTSA 55-23 on Thursday night.

The win pushed the Bulls (7-2, 4-1) into a three-way tie in the American Athletic Conference with Memphis and North Texas, all a half-game behind Navy.

Brown completed 14 of 15 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 109 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown. Nykahi Davenport ran for 94 yards on seven carries and scored two touchdowns and Keshaun Singleton had 122 yards receiving on four catches for two touchdowns for South Florida.

Tavin Ward started South Florida off with a 40-yard, pick-6 of UTSA’s Owen McCown on the first play from scrimmage. Midway through the first, Jarvis Lee sacked McCown for a 13-yard loss and forced a fumble. Fred Gaskin picked up the ball and ran it back 85 yards for a 14-3 lead.

After UTSA got on the board with Michael Petro’s 33-yard field goal late in the first quarter, five seconds into the second, Brown ran it in from 13 yards out to make it 21-3. UTSA responded on its following drive when McCown threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Overmyer but the Roadrunners (4-5, 2-3) never got closer.

McCown threw for 200 yards and a touchdown and backup Brandon Tennison threw for 109 yards and a touchdown.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football