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UTEP Miners

UTEP Miners
Brownholtz
UTEP Athletics
30
UTEP TEP 4-6 , 2-4
37
Winner Rice RIC 5-4 , 3-2
UTEP TEP
4-6 , 2-4
30
Final
37
Rice RIC
5-4 , 3-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
TEP UTEP 7 10 3 10 30
RIC Rice 10 10 7 10 37

Game Recap: Football |

Late Rice TD Finishes Off Miners, 37-30


Game Book | Post Game Notes

HOUSTON, Texas – T.J. McMahon connected with Bradley Rozner for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds left, leading Rice to a 37-30 victory over UTEP on Thursday night at Rice Stadium.
 
The loss dealt a major blow to the Miners' bowl hopes, as they dropped to 4-6 overall and 2-4 in Conference USA with two games to play.
 
After UTEP tied the game with 2:35 to go on a 32-yard field goal by Gavin Baechle — his third of the night — the Owls (5-4, 3-2 C-USA) were able to move 75 yards on seven plays for the game winner.  Outside of the touchdown, the key play on the drive was a 20-yard pass from McMahon to Isaiah Esdale on third and eight at the UTEP 47-yard line.
 
The Owls finished 8-of-13 on third down conversions, as McMahon completed 21-of-31 passes for 334 yards and two TD's.  Rice piled up 502 yards of offense.
 
The Owls racked up 284 yards in the first half, and scored on four of five possessions with two touchdowns.  An interception by Ilijah Johnson's quelled the other drive, and the Miners capitalized with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Gavin Hardison to James Tupou to tie the game at 17 late in the second quarter.  But Rice's Christian VanSickle hit a 21-yard field goal to send the Owls to the locker room with a 20-17 advantage.
 
The UTEP defense turned in a much more characteristic performance to start the second half, limiting Rice to 138 yards and 10 points on its first four drives.  The only blemish during that span was a five-play, 75-yard drive by the Owls, that ended in a 27-yard touchdown pass from McMahon to Jack Bradley.  That put Rice ahead 27-20 late in the third quarter.
 
On the Miners' next series, Hardison was injured and Calvin Brownholtz came in to engineer an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive.  Brownholtz finished it off himself, rushing for a 25-yard TD to knot the score.  
 
Rice answered by marching to the UTEP 17-yard line.  However, the defense stiffened and held the Owls to a 38-yard field goal.
 
Brownholtz led the Miner offense down the field once again, although a third-down toss to Tyrin Smith in the end zone fell incomplete and UTEP had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Baechle to tie it at 30 with 2:35 to play.  But the Miners couldn't get a stop when they needed it.
 
UTEP finished with 313 yards off of a balanced offensive attack (159 passing, 154 rushing).  Brownholtz was a revelation in limited duty, completing 7-of-10 passes for 56 yards and rushing eight times for 64 yards.  
 
Hardison was 8-for-18 passing for 103 yards and a TD.  Smith was UTEP's top receiver with six catches for 79 yards.
 
Rozner was a star for Rice with six receptions for 142 yards.
 
A pair of Miners — Tyrice Knight (12) and Cal Wallerstedt (10) — put up double-digit tackles.
 
UTEP enters its second bye week and will play its final home game of the season versus FIU on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. MT.  UTEP's 2022 senior class will be honored at the game.  Fans can win up to $1,000 every time the Miners score with the Speaking Rock Cash Giveaway.  The free Speaking Rock Pregame Party Zone opens at 11 a.m.  The game is sponsored by Las Palmas Del Sol.  For tickets, visit www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or call (915) 747-UTEP.
 
 
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.
 
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