(AP Photo/Matt Strasen)DALLAS – Louisiana-Lafayette’s seemingly comfortable 17-point lead over UTSA disappeared during the second half of the First Responder Bowl. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette drove 72 yards in 12 plays to beat UTSA 31-24 on Saturday at SMU’s Ford Stadium. “We made it entertaining again,” Louisiana-Lafayette coach Billy Napier said. UTSA outgained Louisiana-Lafayette 431 yards to 411, had two turnovers to the Ragin’ Cajuns’ one and missed a field goal attempt. UTSA: The Roadrunners, playing in the program’s second bowl, fell short of compiling the first four-game winning streak in the program’s nine-year history.

Louisiana-Lafayette was 0-8 against Appalachian State, including losses in the last two conference championship games. But Ferrod Gardner and Chauncey Manac combined to sack Appalachian State quarterback Zac Thomas on a fourth-and-9 play at the Lafayette 29. Appalachian State beat Louisiana-Lafayette four times in the previous two seasons, twice in the championship game on this same field. 14 Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference championship game on Dec. 19. Appalachian State: Head on the road to face Georgia Southern on Dec. 12 in the regular season finale.