The fireworks were going off over and over again on Saturday night at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

Between 98 total points and 1,234 yards, Western Kentucky and UTSA’s offenses were firing on all cylinders and finding their respective end zones more often than not – making for an exciting game for the Hilltoppers’ Conference USA opener.

However, despite all of the points WKU put up, its defense significantly struggled another week – and that’s primarily what led to a heartbreaking 52-46 loss for the Hilltoppers, a fourth straight.

The Hilltoppers (1-4 overall, 0-1 C-USA) trailed 14-10 after the opening quarter and 28-24 at halftime. They took a 31-28 lead at the 12:46 mark of the third quarter and were within 52-46 with a full set of downs with 3:21 remaining in the game, but Bailey Zappe threw an interception with 43 seconds left to seal the victory for UTSA (6-0, 2-0).

WKU will try to snap its losing skid and record its first league win of the year next Saturday when it travels to Norfolk, Virginia for a matchup with Old Dominion, which is coming off a 20-13 overtime loss to Marshall and sits at 1-5 overall and 0-2 in C-USA.

UTSA didn’t take any time getting going.

Using just three plays, the Roadrunners covered 75 yards in only 47 seconds and capped off their opening drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Frank Harris to De’Corian Clark to take a quick 7-0 lead.

Following UTSA’s score, WKU responded by putting together an eight-play, 54-yard series but was only able to come away with a field goal instead of a TD. The Hilltoppers had third-and-two at the Roadrunners’ 16-yard line, but Noah Whittington’s run went for no gain and they had to settle for a 34-yard field goal by Brayden Narveson, which made it 7-3 at the 10:11 mark of the first quarter.

UTSA went up 14-3 with Harris’ 15-yard TD pass to Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, and at that point the Roadrunners were outgaining WKU 150-54 while Harris was 8-for-9 for 124 yards.

The Hilltoppers answered Harris’ second TD with Zappe’s first of the game – a short three-yard toss to Jerreth Sterns – to get within 14-10 going into the second.

WKU took its first lead early into the quarter with a 10-yard TD run from Adam Cofield, which finished off an eight-play, 74-yard drive that lasted 3:26. It was a Cofield-led series, as he rushed three times for 24 yards to set up his own score.

The Roadunners jumped back in front with the help of a trick play as Harris threw to Joshua Cephus, who then threw it back to Harris down the left sideline for a 23-yard score to make it 21-17 Roadrunners at the 8:25 mark.

Dalvin Smith’s second TD reception of the season – a 33-yard catch off a Zappe pass – helped WKU regain a 24-21 advantage with 2:38 left in the half, but UTSA scored again with an 11-yard pass from Harris to Oscar Cardenas to get back in front at 28-24.

The Hilltoppers had a chance to go into the locker room down just one at 28-27, but Narveson missed a 55-yard field goal to keep WKU trailing by four heading into the second half.

Both offenses continued to execute in the second half.

While WKU’s first drive of the second half ended with a punt, the Hilltoppers made up for it with Antwon Kincade recovering a UTSA fumble on the punt and setting up the offense at the Roadrunners’ 24.

Three plays later, Zappe hit Malachi Corley with a 24-yard TD pass to give WKU a 31-28 lead at the 12:46 mark of the third quarter.

UTSA quickly answered WKU’s score with Harris’ fourth TD pass – an 18-yard connection with Clark – to retake the lead at 35-31 just over two minutes later.

The Roadrunners struck again with just over six minutes left in the third, going for it on fourth-and-two from the WKU 3 and scoring on a Harris TD pass to Cephus to make it 42-31.

Trailing by two scores and needing to find the end zone, Zappe hit Sterns for a 55-yard gain to set up a 40-yard TD strike from Zappe to Mitchell Tinsley. Zappe was sacked on the two-point conversion attempt, but the Hilltoppers were within 42-37 going into the fourth.

Hunter Duplessis made a 35-yard field goal to put UTSA up 45-37, but WKU responded with a 20-yard TD pass from Zappe to Sterns. Zappe hit Tinsley for back-to-back big gains of 21 and 23 yards, respectively, and then found Sterns open to record the score. Zappe’s pass on the two-point conversion try was incomplete, but the Hilltoppers were down just 45-43 with 8:04 remaining.

UTSA almost immediately answered with a 43-yard bomb from Harris to Clark to go back up two possessions at 52-43 with 6:39 left, and WKU followed that up with a 27-yard Narveson field goal to cut its deficit to 52-46 with 4:22 to go.

After forcing a Roadrunners’ punt, WKU used a pair of passes from Zappe to Jerreth Sterns and Josh Sterns to get down to the UTSA 5, but was then called for a chop block penalty to get pushed back to the UTSA 20.

Facing 3rd and Goal from the UTSA 15, Zappe threw a pass to the right side of the field – and it was picked off by Clarence Hicks and sent the Roadrunners back to San Antonio with another win.

Zappe finished 38 of 60 passing for 523 yards, while Jerreth Sterns made 16 receptions for 195 yards. Harris went 28-for-38 for 349 yards, Clark recorded seven catches for 160 yards and Sincere McCormick rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries.

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