UTEP Miners

Sept. 18, 2010

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UTEP vs. NM State September 18, 2010

UTEP Postgame Notes

Tonight's attendance was 39,214.

UTEP leads the I-10 series 51-35-2 and holds a 35-16-1 advantage in games played in El Paso (18-9 in games played in the Sun Bowl). The Miners are 5-2 versus NM State under head coach Mike Price.

The Miners have posted three straight home wins for the first time since 2007.

UTEP's 2-1 start is its best since opening 3-0 in 2005.

The touchdown catch by junior WR and El Paso native Julio Lopez on UTEP's first drive of the game was his first career reception.

Lopez became the 15th player to catch a pass for the Miners this season. UTEP has had at least 15 players make a reception in each of Mike Price's seven seasons as head coach.

UTEP has scored a touchdown on its first offensive drive in three straight games to open a season for the first time since at least 1969. Play-by-play summaries prior to 1970 are incomplete.

Junior WR Donavon Kemp has registered a touchdown reception in four of his last five games dating back to the 2009 season.

Senior WR Pierce Hunter had a career-long 45-yard catch in the second quarter. His previous long was 26 yards twice, last versus UAB in 2009.

Senior WR Kris Adams extended his streak of games with a catch to 27. His 68-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter tied for the longest play for the Miners this year (TraVaun Nixon had a 68-yard interception at Houston last week).

With 19 career touchdown catches, Adams ties Chuck Hughes (1964-66), Bob Wallace (1965-67), Volley Murphy (1967-68) and Reggie Barrett (1987-90) for the fourth-best total in UTEP history.

Senior QB Trevor Vittatoe now has 83 career touchdown passes, the fifth-best total in Conference USA history.

Vittatoe becomes the first quarterback in UTEP history to throw five touchdown passes in a game four times. He also passed for five TDs versus Rice in 2007, Louisiana Lafayette in 2008 and Marshall in 2009.

The interception by junior LB Royzell Smith in the fourth quarter was the third of his career. He also picked off passes versus Rice and Marshall in 2009.

UTEP extends its school record streak of games with 20 or more first downs to eight. The previous school record was seven games in a row with 20+ first downs during the 2000 season.

UTEP has held two of its first three opponents under 300 yards of total offense for the first time since 1991.

UTEP has held two of its first three opponents to 10 points or less for the first time since 1987. It also marks the first time since 1987 that the Miners have yielded less than 100 yards rushing in two of their first three games.

UTEP has beaten NM State by 25 points or more in consecutive years for the first time since 1987-88 and the third time since 1955-57. The Miners won in Las Cruces, 38-12, a year ago.