Ruben R. Ramirez

UTEP Aims for Win no. 8, Concludes Regular Season at UAB Friday Afternoon

11/25/2021 9:11:00 AM

UTEP Game Notes | UAB Game Notes

EL PASO – UTEP (7-4, 4-3 Conference US) will tangle with UAB (7-4, 5-2 C-USA) to close out the regular season prior to playing in its respective bowl games. The Miners and Blazers feature two of the top defenses in the league. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. MT/1 CT at Protective Stadium on Nov. 25.

The Miners and Blazers can be heard on "The Home of UTEP Football" 600 ESPN El Paso and on the UTEP Miners App with "The Voice of the Miners" Jon Teicher calling the action, former UTEP QB Mike Perez providing analysis and former UTEP TE Kevin Perry roaming the sidelines. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

"This week's game is coming up fast. It's on a Friday," fourth-year UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel said. "There's nothing more fun – I told the guys we used to do it a lot, played arch rivals on Friday and nothing more fun than playing on a Friday after Thanksgiving – it's a great college football atmosphere"

UTEP ended a three-game setback after defeating Rice, 38-28, on Nov. 20 in the Sun Bowl. The Miners racked up a season-high 488 yards of total offense, while Gavin Hardison threw for a career-high 366 yards and a pair of scores. Jacob Cowing hauled in a career-high 11 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown. Ronald Awatt ran wild, gaining a career-high 184 yards of total offense – 119 yards on the ground and a career-best 65 yards receiving. Breon Hayward and Tyrice Knight each posted nine tackles in the contest.

UAB is coming off a 34-31 loss at no. 15 UTSA on Nov. 20. The Blazers took a 31-27 lead after a DeWayne McBride 16-yard touchdown run with 5:19 remaining. The Roadrunner scored the game-winning touchdown with three seconds remaining in the game. UAB held UTSA's high-powered offense to 375 yards. McBride ran for 144 yards and a TD, while Dylan Hopkins threw for 254 yards on 15-of-22 passing and two scores. Tre Shropshire gained 130 yards on only three receptions. Will Boler and Noah Wilder each tallied nine tackles, while Wilder added 2.0 tackles for loss.

Overall, McBride is one of the top running backs in the league, rushing for 1,089 yards and 11 scores. Hopkins has thrown for 1,977 yards on 121-of-192 passing, 13 TD's and only five interceptions. Gerrit Prince leads the team with 30 receptions for 633 yards and seven touchdowns. Shropshire leads the team with 670 yards on 24 catches and six scores. Wilder leads the defense with 72 tackles, while Keondre Swoopes and Starling Thomas V each have intercepted two passes.

Defensively, the Blazers rank third in C-USA in scoring defense (22.6), while ranking first in total defense (325.2).

"We have a wonderful opportunity to go down to Birmingham, and play, as everyone knows, a really good football team" Dimel said. "It's one of the top defenses in the country, really good against the rush, statistically. UAB has been a powerhouse in our conference for the last so many years since I've been here. They have great athletes, have some good defenders on defense who have been with them for a while. They have really good speed across the defense. They play a really good brand of football at UAB."

UTEP (7-4, 4-3 C-USA) at UAB (7-4, 5-2 C-USA)
Date: Friday, Nov. 26
Time: 12:00 p.m. MT/1 CT
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Venue: Protective Stadium
Twitter Updates: @UTEPFB

Stream: ESPN+ (WATCH)
PxP: Curt Bloom
Analyst: Chad Pilcher
Sideline: Lynden Blake

Radio: 600 ESPN El Paso
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Mike Perez
Sideline: Kevin Perry

Miners Notables

SERIES HISTORY
UAB owns a 6-1 record against UTEP. The Blazers have won the last five meetings. The Miners last defeated UAB in 2006 by the score of 36-17 at Legion Field. UTEP is 1-3 vs. UAB in Birmingham overall.

GOING FOR A RARE 5
UTEP is seeking its first 5-win Conference USA season since going 5-3 in 2014. The Miners also won five games in 2005.

SE7EN VICTORIES
UTEP won its seventh game for the first time since finishing 7-6 in 2014. The Miners have notched seven or more wins in a season for only the 19^th time in 104 years of football. They posted a school-record 10 wins in 1988, eight on eight occasions (1948, 1949, 1953, 1954, 1965, 2000, 2004, 2005), and seven eight times (1930, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1950, 1967, 1987, 2014). UTEP has tallied seven wins this season for only the seventh time in 53 years.

400-PLUS YARDS TOTAL YARDS
UTEP's 488 yards of total offense versus Rice was a season best. It's also the fourth time the Miners have gone over 400 yards of total offense this. UTEP hit 452 at NM State, 472 against Bethune Cookman and 437 at Florida Atlantic. It's the most game with 400-plus yards since 2016 when UTEP did it five times.

AWATT RUNNING WILD
Ronald Awatt recorded a career-high 184 all-purpose yards in UTEP's victory against Rice. Awatt set career highs in receptions (two), receiving yards (65) and long reception (65) against the Owls. Awatt also racked up 119 yards rushing on only nine carries (13.2 avg.), including a career-long 74-yard run in the fourth quarter.

HARDISON'S AIR ATTACK
Gavin Hardison threw for a career-high 366 on 23-of-35 passing (65.7 percent) in UTEP's win over Rice. He surpassed his previous high of 327 yards set at Florida Atlantic. Hardison tied his career high with 23 completions, matching that number from the FAU game.

A NOTE ON 366 YARD PASSING YARDS
Gavin Hardison is the only Miner to ever throw for 366 yards in program history. His performance is the 23^rdbest effort on the single-game list. It ranks in between Trevor Vittatoe (373 at Rice in 2007) and Nick Lamaison (365 vs. Stony Brook in 2011).

GAVIN'S 300-YARD GAMES
Gavin Hardison recorded his third career 300-yard passing game after tossing for 366 against Rice. Hardison threw for 327 at FAU this season, and threw for 302 at ULM on Sept. 26, 2020. Hardison is tied with Bill Craigo (1969-71) and Pat Hegarty (1987-88) for seventh on the all-time list with a trio of 300-yard career games.

LOOKING FOR 3,000
Gavin Hardison is 239 yards away from hitting 3,000 yards passing in 2021. Hardison would be the first 3,000-yard passer since 2009 when Trevor Vittatoe threw for 3,308 yards (third best in program history during a single-season). Jordan Palmer holds the school record with 3,595 yards in 2006. Prior to that season, Palmer threw for 3,503 yards – second best all-time in program history.

REELING IN RECEPTIONS
Dana Dimel was asked by local media members about getting Jacob Cowing the ball more following the North Texas game. Cowing responded with a career-high 11 receptions for 170 yards against Rice. Cowing's previous high was nine catches against LA Tech earlier this season.

MORE ON COWING'S RECEPTIONS
Jacob Cowing has hauled in 62 receptions in 2021. His total ranks sixth-best on the program's single-season list. Cowing surpassed Lee Mays total of 60 in 1999. Brian Natkin tallied 64 receptions in 2000, ranking fifth, while Jeff Moturi ranks fourth with 65 catches in 2007. Johnnie Lee Higgins Jr. leads the all-time list with 82 receptions in 2006.

THIRD-MOST RECEIVING YARDS
Jacob Cowing has registered 1,267 yards receiving, ranking third on the program's single-season receiving yards' list. Chuck Hughes holds the school record with 1,519 yards set during the 1965 season, while Johnnie Lee Higgins Jr. racked up 1,319 yards in 2006.

THE RETURN OF QUARDRAIZ
Quardraiz Wadley, who had been hampered by injuries, made his first start since the first game of 2020 against Rice on 'Senior Day.' Wadley rushed for 40 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown on a one-yard rush in the fourth quarter. Wadley's TD was the 10^th of his career.

THE RETURN OF INYANG
Dy'vonne Inyang made his return to the lineup after being injured, staring at strong safety for the first time in two games against Rice. Inyang responded with a career-high two pass breakups and chipped in with six tackles – third most on the team. Inyang ranks fourth on the team with 44 tackles and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club.
Visit givingto.utep.edu/mac today!

For complete coverage of UTEP Football, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPFB (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

Print Friendly Version