Sept. 20, 2008
Final Stats | Box Score in PDF Format 
| Game Notes | Photo Gallery by Ivan Pierre Aguirre 
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.
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.
With the win, NMSU (1-1) snapped a six-game losing streak. 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.
Thomas led UTEP with 142 yards rushing and two scores, becoming only the third Miner quarterback to eclipse the 100-yard mark since 1982.
