Miners fall to Aggies at home for first time since 1995
EL PASO, Texas(AP) Chase Holbrook passed for 329 yards and five touchdowns to lead New Mexico State to a 34-33 win Saturday over UTEP.
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Holbrook connected with wide receiver Marcus Anderson on three scores, including the go-ahead touchdown with 3:12 to go in the game. Anderson finished with five catches for 70 yards.
Holbrook has 1,269 passing yards in three games against the Miners (0-3).
With the win, NMSU (1-1) snapped a six-game losing streak, while UTEP extended its losing skid to nine games. It was the Aggies' first win in the Sun Bowl since 1994.
In the second quarter, NMSU went up 14-10 on a pair of passing scores from Holbrook to Anderson.
UTEP quarterback James Thomas II answered with a 44-yard scoring run, but NMSU went ahead 21-17 on a 27-yard touchdown reception by A.J. Harris.
UTEP's Jose Martinez kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 21-20 with 3:05 remaining in the half.
The Aggies took a 28-27 lead into the fourth quarter, until Thomas stretched into the end zone from a yard out and put UTEP back up 33-28.
NMSU went ahead for good on Holbrook's final touchdown pass to Anderson. The Aggie defense forced a UTEP fumble, then stopped the Miners on a fourth-and-11 in the final minute.
UTEP' top two running backs were out with injuries and starting quarterback Trevor Vittatoe left the game for good with an ankle injury after the third series.
Thomas led UTEP with 142 yards rushing and two scores, becoming only the third Miner quarterback to eclipse the 100-yard mark since 1982.