UTEP limited I-AA Texas Southern to 146 yards of offense in a 45-0 shutout of the Tigers on Saturday in the Sun Bowl.
The Miner defense registered its third goose-egg in the last two seasons, and its first in 2005.
UTEP (8-1) won its ninth straight game in the Sun Bowl and moved closer to making an appearance in the top-25 polls for the second straight season. The Miners were 27th in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls last week.
"We'd like to be in the top 25," UTEP coach Mike Price said. "If not this week, then the following week."
The Miners will host UAB (4-5) on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. MST, needing just one victory in their last two games to clinch a spot in the Dec. 3 Conference USA Championship Game.
Jordan Palmer completed 16 of 23 passes for 248 yards and four touchdowns for UTEP on Saturday, breaking Billy Stevens' career record for passing yardage. Stevens, who played for the Miners from 1965-67, threw for 6,485 yards. Palmer now has 6,629 yards passing in less than three full seasons at UTEP.
Palmer helped the Miners to a 28-0 halftime lead, connecting with Marcus Thomas, David Sutton, Chris Marrow and Joe West for scores. He extended the lead to 35-0 on a three-yard touchdown run of his own midway through the third period.
A 26-yard field goal by Reagan Schneider and a two-yard run by El Paso native Jon Lane completed the scoring.
Texas Southern (1-8) missed its best scoring opportunity with 31 seconds remaining in the first half, when Kyle Watson's 22-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
Brent Wilson rushed 22 times for 90 yards for the Tigers, who lost their sixth straight game.
"I was impressed with their physical play," Price said. "A couple of balls were just off their fingertips and could have been big plays for them."
Thomas rushed for 112 yards on 18 carries for the Miners, and caught four passes totaling 69 yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr. chipped in with three receptions for 73 yards.
Reserves Lane and Brandon Jackson had the first rushing attempts of their careers, and El Paso product Russell Williams made his debut. Two of his kickoffs went to the end zone and he added a made PAT.
"It was more important for me to have Jon Lane play and Russell Williams score a point and kick off than score 50 points," Price said.
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