Via UTEP Athletics: The UTEP “Orange Swarm” defense allowed only seven yards rushing and under 300 yards of total offense for a second straight game, but LA Tech scored a go-ahead touchdown with just over six minutes remaining in the game to come out with a 14-10 victory on Tuesday night in Joe Aillet Stadium.
The Miners (1-7, 1-4 Conference USA) rushed for 166 yards, led by Jevon Jackson’s 112 yards on 22 carries (5.1 avg.) – his second straight 100-yard game. Jackson’s 100-yard game was the third straight game in which a UTEP player hit the century mark in rushing, which hadn’t happened since the 2014 season. Freshman JP Pickles rushed for 53 yards in his first collegiate game action. Pickles came into relief after starting quarterback Skyler Locklear was knocked out of the contest. UTEP was penalized two times, making it only eight penalties in its last four road games.
“I’m proud of the team’s fight and their belief. I’m thankful to our parents and Miner Nation that traveled – we had a good section over there,” UTEP Head Coach Scotty Walden said. “We led the majority of the game, and it’s one of the first times that we’ve been in that scenario. We have to learn to finish games and win close ball games. It certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort.”
LA Tech (3-4, 2-2 CUSA) was held to 255 yards of total offense, but Evan Bullock threw for 248 yards on 22-of-30 passing and a touchdown. Amani Givens scored on a one-yard rush, followed by Buck Buchanan’s PAT giving the Bulldogs a 14-10 advantage with 6:28 left in the game.
The seven yards allowed rushing by the Miner D was the lowest since yielding seven yards at ULM in 2020. UTEP allowed under 300 yards of total offense in two consecutive games for the first time since 2022 (299 at New Mexico, 177 versus Boise State). Maurice Westmoreland tallied a season-high 2.0 sacks. The senior has 4.5 sacks in the last four games. Kory Chapman, after missing a few games with an injury, led the defense with eight tackles while collecting a career-high 3.5 tackles and a sack. The Miners registered four sacks as freshman Kyran Duhon was in on the sack party. UTEP added nine tackles for loss.
“I thought our defense played at a championship level all the way,” Walden said, “They played physical and played our brand of football. The D gave us every chance to win that game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t execute on offense to put more points on the board. Special teams were very inconsistent, but the thing I told the team after the game is I don’t know if I’ve been around a team that truly and every single week is getting better. If we stay the course and keep fighting, we have to identify where the small lapses were from executing down the stretch. It will come down to five to seven plays when you play close conference games on the road. We must do a great job of identifying where it went wrong and where there was miscommunication or mis-execution, and let’s go finish a ball game. We didn’t get it done tonight, but I’m proud of their growth.”
The “Blue Blaze” offense struck first with a 47-yard touchdown by Kam Thomas, his second of the season. Locklear engineered a 94-yard, eight-play drive that took just over three minutes. Jackson used five carries to rush for 29 yards on the drive, while Locklear was a perfect 3-of-3 for 65 yards. Thomas finished the game with 67 yards on five receptions.
On LA Tech’s ensuing possession, the physical and tenacious defense came up with a turnover on downs after stuffing the Bulldogs on a fourth-and-1 at the UTEP 21. On a first-and-10 play at the UTEP 30, Maurice Westmoreland sacked Evan Bullock for a seven-yard loss, helping to set up the fourth-down play.
Following a string of seven consecutive punts, the Bulldogs got the board on a Jimmy Holiday 48-yard touchdown reception from Bullock to tie the contest at 7-7 with 5:53 left in the half. LA Tech drove 73 yards on four plays.
UTEP gained possession at its own 25 at the 5:49 mark and drove the ball down to the LA Tech 25. The Miners converted on a pair of fourth-down plays to keep the drive moving, but Buzz Flabiano, after making his last five field goals, missed from 43 yards out with just over a minute left in the half.
LA Tech regained possession but sat on the ball to take the tied score (7-7) into the locker room.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with the ball and took it down to the UTEP 41 before KD Johnson tackled Omiri Wiggins for a 12-yard loss. LA Tech completed an 11-yard pass on the next play, but was forced to punt on fourth-and-11.
The Miners regained the ball on their own 20, but went three-and-out and was forced to punt. The Bulldogs blocked Adam Jacklin’s punt attempt, but it was blocked out of bounds to the UTEP 8. But Westmoreland came up with his second sack of the game on a third-and-10. LA Tech lost eight yards and backed up to the UTEP 18. Buchanan followed with a missed field goal attempt of 36 yards.
Following a Jackson rush attempt, Locklear was knocked out of the game after being hit by Zach Zimos, who was ejected for targeting. The penalty moved the ball to midfield in which Pickles was inserted under center. He led the Miners on a 53-yard, eight-play drive that was capped by a Flabiano 44-yard field goal to give the Miners a 10-7 lead at the 2:02 mark of the third. Pickles, who had a rush attempt for five yards on a fourth-and-3 in the second quarter, accounted for 22 yards on four QB keepers, with his third rush going for five yards to the LAT 27.
The Bulldogs got possession again after forcing a UTEP punt at the 11:55 mark of the fourth quarter at their own three-yard line. However, Bullock led LA Tech on a 97-yard, 11-play drive resulting in Givens’ go-ahead score.
UTEP had a turnover on downs in its final two possessions. The last came with 1:49 left in the game.
UP NEXT
UTEP returns to the Sun City to host Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 2. The Miners and Blue Raiders are set for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff in the Sun Bowl. The contest will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network. The promotion is Future Miner Day and GECU serves as the game sponsor. Tickets are available at www.utepminers.com/tickets.
