UTEP Athletics

UTEP Heads up I-25 to take on New Mexico in the 80th Showdown Saturday Night

9/15/2022 3:56:00 PM

UTEP Notes | UNM Notes

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP, coming off a hard-fought victory against one rival, will take on another longtime foe when it battles New Mexico in the 80^th meeting on Saturday. The Miners and Lobos will kick off at 6 p.m. MT at University Stadium in Albuquerque.

The Miners are taking on the Lobos in Albuquerque for the first time since the 2014 season opener. UTEP defeated New Mexico, 31-24, on Aug. 30.

UTEP (1-2, 0-1 Conference USA) chalked up its first 'W' of 2022 after fending off rival NM State 20-13 in the 99^th Battle of I-10 on Sept. 10, led by Ronald Awatt's 115 yards rushing and 22-yard touchdown. New Mexico (1-1, 0-1 Mountain West) dropped its first contest of the season after a 31-14 loss against Mountain West foe Boise State on Sept. 9 at University Stadium. UNM only tallied 123 yards of total offense.

"We move into a big challenge this week against a team that is improving. They're improving as they continue to go through the maturation of their program," UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel said. "They, defensively, they give you a variety of looks. It's well known that (defensive coordinator) Rocky (Long) does a great job with that. That'll be a test for every team that plays them. That's a test, right? You got to have a good game plan. I think it's going to help us because we played them last year and because we played them last year, we got to work on all those things a little last week and then this week. I was able to spend some time because of the difficulty of the preparation. You get a little bit ahead because they do so many different things defensively. So that was important for us. I think hopefully it will help our performance this week as well. So offensively they got a new quarterback, a transfer from KU that's very athletic. He does a lot of good things as a playmaker for them. They got a new offensive line. There's only one returning starter from last year on their offensive line, but they did a good job I think of either bringing in good, young talent that they're developing or bringing in some junior college talent at those positions that are going to help. They got some good experience coming back, a lot of returners at wide receiver coming back, got a transfer player at wide receiver that I also think is a good player for them."

Fans can tune into KLAQ 95.5 to hear the action with "The Voice of the Miners" Jon Teicher calling the action with former UTEP WR Cole Freytag (2012, 2014-16) providing analysis and Mando Medina on the sideline. The contest will be streamed on the Mountain West Network as Jeff Siembieda (play by play) and George Carter (analyst) with the call.

UTEP (1-2, 0-1) vs. New Mexico (1-1, 0-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 17
Time: 6:00 p.m. MT
Location: Albuquerque, N.M.
Venue: University Stadium (39,224)
Twitter Updates: @UTEPFB

TV: Mountain West Network
PxP: Jeff Siembieda
Analyst: George Carter

Radio: KLAQ 95.5 FM
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Cole Freytag
Sideline: Mando Medina

SERIES VS. NEW MEXICO
New Mexico leads the all-time series 43-33-3, including a 26-12-1 mark in Albuquerque. The Miners and Lobos last faced each other last season in El Paso. UNM took a 13-3 halftime lead before UTEP rallied with 17 unanswered points in the second half to tally a 20-13 victory on Sept. 25. Deion Hankins started the comeback effort with a four-yard run for a TD to cut the deficit to three points (13-10). The Miners took the go-ahead lead on a Jacob Cowing 55-yard touchdown reception from Gavin Hardison early in the third quarter. Gavin Baechle extended the lead to 20-13 on a. 44-yard FG. Hardison threw for 293 yards on 15-of-29 passing and a score. Ronald Awatt ran for 34 yards, while Hankins gained 25. Tyrice Knight led the defense with 12 tackles and Breon Hayward led with 10 stops. Praise Amaewhule recorded a sack along with a forced fumble, two pass breakups and four tackles. UTEP outgained UNM 344 yards to 288. The Miners won the last meeting in Albuquerque, 31-24, on Aug. 30, 2014. Aaron Jones torched the Lobos for 237 yards and three touchdowns. Jarrad Shaw caught four balls for 76 yards and a TD.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
The Lobos are coming off a 31-14 loss against Boise State on Sept. 9 in Albuquerque. The Broncos jumped out to a 24-0 lead before UNM got on the board on a Geordon Porter 69-yard scoring reception from Miles Kendrick at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Kendrick finished 9-of-28 with 98 yards passing and a TD. Porter gained 73 yards on two receptions. Boise State outgained UNM, 318 to 123 in total offense. UNM opened the 2022 season with a. 41-0 dismantling of Maine on Sept. 3 at University Stadium. UNM scored 21 points in the second quarter and another 13 in the third. Sherod White rushed for 58 yards and two TD's, while Kendrick was efficient on 14-of-17 passing for 170 yards and two scores. Porter and Luke Wysong each caught a TD. UNM is averaging 27.5 points and yielding 15.5 in its first two games. The Lobos are averaging 280.0 yards of total offense and only allowing 218.0.

FIRST DOWN, MINERS!
UTEP ranks seventh nationally with 65 first downs. The Miners gained 17 first downs against NM State on Sept. 10. The week prior, UTEP tallied 26 first downs at no. 9 OU, the most since Dec. 11, 2020, at North Texas (27). UTEP also ranks third in C-USA behind North Texas (77), and FAU (83).

AWATT SCORES TD NO. 11
Redshirt senior RB Ronald Awatt scored 11^th career touchdown during a win against NM State on Sept. 10. Awatt got in the end zone on a 22-yard scamper, giving him his second TD of 2022. Last season, Awatt ran for six scores and in 2020 found the pay dirt on a trio of occasions.

BREAKING THE CENTURY MARK
Ronald Awatt rushed for a season-high 115 yards on 22 carries. Awatt now has four 100-yard games in his career. Last season he rushed for a career-high 159 at Southern Miss, 126 against Bethune-Cookman, and 119 yards against Rice.

FEED RON THE BALL
UTEP is 4-0 every time Ronald Awatt rushed for 100+ yards. He tallied 115 in UTEP's 20-13 win over NM State on Sept. 10. Last season, the Miners won at Southern Miss 26-13 (159 yards), defeated Bethune-Cookman 38-28 (126 yards) and beat Rice 38-28 (119 yards).

ALL-PURPOSE RON
Ronald Awatt gained 130 yards of total offense in UTEP's 20-13 win over NM State. He rushed for 115 yards and tallied another 15 yards on a reception. It's the fourth time and fourth best effort by Awatt. His career high is 184 yards of total offense against Rice (119 rush, 65 rec.) last year, while tallied 159 at Southern Miss last season, and another 147 against Bethune-Cookman.

TE'S & FB'S GETTING INVOLVED
Entering Saturday's game versus NM State, the tight ends had zero receptions and the fullbacks two receptions. Against the Aggies, FB James Tupou tallied two receptions for 24 yards, TE Trent Thompson hauled in his first reception of 2022, a 20-yard reception on a third-down play, and TEZach Fryar tallied a five-year catch.

TUPOU'S CAREER HIGH
Senior FB James Tupou registered a career-high two catches for 24 yards against NM State. His previous high was one catch done on seven occasions. On the season, Tupou has four receptions for 56 yards. In his career, Tupou has nine receptions for 127 yards.

MOVING UP THE TD LIST
Gavin Hardison threw his 26^th career touchdown in the second quarter, a nine-yard toss to Tyrin Smith against NM State on Sept. 10. Hardison ranks tied ninth with Ryan Metz (26 TD) on the program's all-time list. Pat Hegarty (30 TD) ranks eighth.

RACKING UP PASSING YARDS
Gavin Hardison has thrown for 690 yards in 2022. Hardison now has 5,661 yards passing in his career. Hardison ranks fifth on the program's all-time passing yards list. Sammy Garza (6,130 yards) ranks fourth, while Billy Stevens (6,485) is third.

GAVIN MOVING UP ATTEMPS LIST
Gavin Hardison has 117 passing attempts in 2022, giving him 734 in his career. He ranks fifth on the program's all-time attempts list. Sammy Garza (817) ranks fourth, while Billy Stevens (943) ranks third.

GAVIN RANKS SIXTH IN COMPLETIONS
Gavin Hardison has tallied 59 completions in 2022. Hardison now has 392 in his career. Hardison ranks sixth on the program's all-time list. Rocky Perez (400) ranks fifth, while Billy Stevens (426) is fourth.

CAREER BEST IN COMPLETIONS
Redshirt junior QB Gavin Hardison set a career high with 26 pass completions at no. 9 OU on Sept. 3. Hardison surpassed his previous best of 23 completions done twice (at FAU, vs. Rice in 2021).

TYRIN SETS CAREER HIGH IN CATCHES
Redshirt sophomore WR Tyrin Smith recorded a career-high eight reception at no. 9 OU on Sept. 3. He gained 71 against the Sooners. His previous best with seven catches a week prior against UNT. Smith is tied for the team lead with 15 receptions and 198 receiving yards.

BIG GAME FROM TYRIN
Tyrin Smith recorded his second career 100-yard game against North Texas on Aug. 27. Smith, a 5-7 speedster, tallied a career-high 127 yards on a career-best seven receptions against the Mean Green. He added his fifth-career TD on a 32-yard score in the second quarter. Smith also hauled in a 49-yard catch during the first quarter.

TYRIN RUNNING THE BALL
Tyrin Smith registered his first career rush, taking the ball 14 yards on a reverse to the right during the third quarter. Smith finished with a career-high 141 all-purpose yards.

REY'S NUMBERS INCREASING
Redshirt senior WR Reynaldo Flores entered the 2022 season with 277 career receiving yards on 19 receptions, including 204 on 13 catches in 2021. Currently, Flores ranks second on the team in receptions (19) and receiving yards (241).

REY SHINES ON '915 NIGHT'
Reynaldo Flores recorded his first career 100-yard game in his third career start. The 915 product set career highs in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (122) against North Texas on Aug. 27. Flores added a 38-yard reception in the first quarter against the Mean Green. His previous highs were four receptions (at Southern Miss in 2021) and 53 receiving yards (vs. Fresno State in 2021).

A PAIR HITTING THE CENTURY MARK
UTEP had a pair of 100-yard receivers (Reynaldo Flores – 122 yards, Tyrin Smith – 127 yards) against North Texas on Aug. 27. The Miners last accomplished that at FAU on Oct. 30, 2021, when Smith (114 yards) joined Justin Garrett (109 yards).

MOST GAMES PLAYED IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Walter Dawn Jr., after missing the final 10 games of last season, returned to the gridiron, and played in his 52^nd game, the most by any Miner in program history.

THE BREAKUP
Redshirt freshman CB Ilijah Johnson tallied his first career pass breakups – three of them versus rival NM State. Johnson came up with back-to-back breakups late in the second quarter on a second-and-6 and third-and-6 to force a punt.

JOHNSON'S BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Ilijah Johnson recorded three pass breakups, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and two tackles during UTEP's 20-13 victory over rival NM State on Sept. 10.

CAL'S BIG NIGHT IN HIS FIRST START
Redshirt junior LB Cal Wallerstedt made his first career start against NM State. He responded with a career-high nine tackles, registered a tackle for loss and recorded his first career fumble recovery in a win against the rival Aggies. Wallerstedt has posted 16 tackles so far in 2022, ranking fourth on the team. He's added 2.0 tackles for loss (six yards), a sack (five yards) and a fumble recovery.

TWO CAREER INT'S FOR TYRICE
Senior LB Tyrice Knight recorded his second career interception on a tipped pass by Blake Thompson against rival NM State on Sept. 10. For Knight, it was his second career interception. His first career pick came against LA Tech last season.

GOOD KNIGHT
Tyrice Knight is averaging 7.7 tackles per game, ranking tied fifth in Conference USA. Knight registered his eighth career double-digit tackle game on Aug. 27 against North Texas. Knight led the defensive efforts with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. Knight followed that with nine stops at no. 9 OU on Sept. 3. Knight posted three stops against NM State.

IMPRESSIVE DEBUT
Sophomore S Kobe Hylton, a transfer from Louisiana, nearly recorded double-digit stops (nine) in his Miner debut on Aug. 27 against UNT. He followed with eight tackles at no. 9 OU on Sept. 3. On the season, Hylton ranks tied first on the team with 23 tackles. Hylton ranks tied for fifth in Conference USA in tackles per game (7.7).

FIRST CAREER SACKS
Sophomore DT Sione Tonga'uiha and sophomore S Kobe Hylton tallied their first career sacks, splitting a sack early in the third quarter against NM State.

23 FOR 23
Senior DT Kelton Moss has started in all 23 games he's played in his career at UTEP. He made all eight starts in 2020 and 12 starts in 2021.

PRAISE'S EFFORT VS. NM STATE
Redshirt junior DE Praise Amaewhule tallied a season-high six tackles in UTEP's victory over rival NM State. He came up two tackles shy of tying his career best. Amaewhule added a tackle for loss against the Aggies.

PRAISE'S SECOND FUMBLE RECOVERY
DE Praise Amaewhule recovered his second ever fumble against North Texas on Aug. 27. Amaewhule's first career fumble recovery came against the same program when he recovered one against the Mean Green on Dec. 11, 2020.

NEW CORNERS
Sophomore CB Josiah Allen (Sacramento City College) and sophomore CB Latrez Shelton made their UTEP debuts on Saturday night against UNT. Allen tallied six tackles, while Shelton recorded a pass breakup. At no. 9 OU, Allen recorded one tackle, while Shelton posted his first career stops (two) and his second pass breakup of the season against the Sooners.

NEW DE'S COMING AROUND
Transfer DE's Maurice Westmoreland and Bryton Thompson posted season highs and career firsts against NM State. Thompson tallied two tackles, first career sack, tackle for loss and first career forced fumble, while Westmoreland posted a season-high five tackles.

BAECHLE LEADING THE WAY
Senior K/P Gavin Baechle is first in Conference USA with six made field goals and ranks tied second nationally. Baechle is 6-for-7 on the season.

MORE ON GAVIN
Gavin Baechle also ranks tied for third in C-USA with 22 total points (6 FG, 4 XP). North Texas's Oscar Adaway III ranks second (24 points) and FAU's Morgan Suarez ranks first (27 points).

MOVING UP THE FGM LIST
Gavin Baechle connected on two more field goals (29, 46) to bring him to 42 career makes, moving him into a tie for second on the school's all-time list with Ricky Bishop (42). Reagan Schneider (50) is the all-time leader.

GAVIN'S CAREER POINTS
Gavin Baechle tallied eight points (2 FG, 2 XP) against rival NM State. Baechle now has 209 career points and ranks fourth on the program's all-time points list for kickers. Ricky Bishop (222) ranks third, while Jay Mattox (257) is second. Reagan Schneider leads the all-time list (287).

BAECHLE'S PATS
Gavin Baechle has made four extra points in 2022, giving him 83 in his career. Baechle is tied sixth on the program's all-time PATs list. Jose Martinez (89) ranks fifth. Reagan Schneider leads the all-time list with 137 career PATs.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Gavin Baechle became the first UTEP kicker since 2010, to make two field goals of at least 48 yards or more in the same game. Baechle hit a 48-yard attempt in the second quarter at no. 9 OU, while making a career-long 54-yard FG against the Sooners. The previous Miner to do so wasDakota Warren, who connected on FGs of 55 and 50 yards against Memphis on Sept. 25, 2010.

BAECHLE'S CAREER LONG
Senior K/P Gavin Baechle nailed a career-long 54-yard field at no. 9 OU in the fourth quarter on Sept. 3. Baechle's previous long was a 50-yard make on Nov. 30, 2019, against Rice.

THE PUNTER FROM DOWN UNDER
Sophomore P Joshua Sloan is averaging 46.2 yards on 12 punts (554 yards) this season. It's an improvement so far from his previous two seasons. Sloan averaged 39.1 yards per game in 2020 and improved that to a 39.5 average. Against NM State, Sloan averaged 49.7 yards per game on six punts (career-high 298 yards). On the season, Sloan has placed three inside the 20-yard line.

SLOAN'S CAREER MOST
Joshua Sloan tallied a career-high 298 yards on a six punt attempts versus rival NM State. His previous high was 291 yards on eight punts at Texas in 2020.

CUTTING DOWN ON PENALTIES
UTEP has cut down on its penalties from last season, ranking third in Conference USA in penalty yards per game (51.7) and second in penalties per game (5.3). Last season, UTEP ranked 13^th in C-USA in penalty yards per game (74.4) and penalties per game (8.4).

UP NEXT
UTEP will host Boise State on Friday, Sept. 23 in the Sun Bowl. The Broncos and Miners are set to kick off at 7 p.m. The contest will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network, while fans can listen to "The Voice of the Miners" Jon Teicher and former UTEP WR Cole Freytag call the action on KLAQ 95.5. The Broncos bounced the Miners 54-13 in Boise last season.

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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