SAN ANTONIO — UTSA junior Josiah Tauaefa posted a game-high 13 tackles, but Louisiana Tech used a 300-yard passing night from J'Mar Smith in a 31-3 victory in Conference USA action on Saturday night at the Alamodome.

Smith completed 25-of-36 passes for 309 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bulldogs (4-2, 2-1 C-USA) to their fifth straight win against the Roadrunners (3-4, 2-1). He hit Teddy Veal with seven passes for 75 yards, while Adrian Hardy hauled in five for 87 yards.

Tauaefa registered seven solo tackles and added six assisted stops, including 1.5 for loss, in leading the UTSA defense, while C.J. Levine added nine tackles, including one of the Roadrunners' eight behind the line of scrimmage.

Meanwhile, Blaze Moorhead paced the UTSA offense with a career high six receptions for 87 yards, including a 52-yarder via a shovel pass from quarterback Cordale Grundy on the Roadrunners' first play from scrimmage.

Grundy passed for 191 yards and rushed for a team-high 60 and Marquez McNair pitched in with four catches for 54 yards.

The Bulldogs used a 43-yard return by Michael Sam on the opening kickoff to set up a short field on their first possession. Kam McKnight's 2-yard touchdown run capped an 8-play, 53-yard drive.

LA Tech pushed its lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter when Bailey Hale split the uprights from 46 yards.

Jaqwis Dancy found paydirt from two yards out with 1:31 left to play in the first half. That TD run capped a 10-play, 74-yard march that took 4:07 off the clock and put the visitors up by 17 at the break.

Smith hit George Scott in stride for a 67-yard touchdown pass with 5:43 left in the third quarter to help push the lead to 24-0.

UTSA got on the board late in the third when Jared Sackett connected from 29 yards, the sophomore place-kicker's 12th field goal of the season.

The Bulldogs tacked seven more points with one minute remaining when McKnight, who rushed for 42 yards on the night, plowed his way into the end zone from seven yards out to put a stamp on a 15-play, 73-yard drive that took 8:02 off the clock.

The Roadrunners will hit the road to face Southern Miss (2-3, 1-1) next Saturday, Oct. 20. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss., and the game will air on ESPN+ and Ticket 760 AM in San Antonio.

- UTSA -