UTEP Continues “Weekday CUSA” at Sam Houston on CBSSN Wednesday Night

10/14/2025 8:13:00 AM

GAME NOTES: UTEP | SH | CUSA

EL PASO – UTEP will open conference road action on "Weekday CUSA" at Sam Houston on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The Miners and Bearkats are set to kick off at 5 p.m. MDT/6 CT at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. The contest will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.

The contest will be aired on "The Home of UTEP Football" 600 ESPN El Paso and the UTEP Miners app. "The Voice of the UTEP Miners" Jon Teicher returns for his 45th season calling the action for the Orange and Blue, with former UTEP football coach Aaron Price joining "Teich" in the booth, and Mando Medina reporting from the sidelines. The game will be nationally televised on CBSSN with Jack Gordon and Taylor McHargue in the booth.

The Miners (1-5, 0-2 CUSA) and Bearkats (0-6, 0-3 CUSA) are meeting for the fifth time in the all-time series. UTEP won the last road meeting, rallying back to beat Sam Houston, 37-34, on Oct. 25, 2023.

UTEP is coming off a 19-8 setback against Liberty last Wednesday night in the Sun Bowl. The Flames jumped out to a 19-0 lead as the Miners struggled on offense. But starting quarterback Skyler Locklear scored a touchdown on a 13-yard scramble and Shay Smith converted the two-point conversion on a pass to Josh Schuchts with just over 12 minutes to play to get within eight points. Locklear's 44-yard completion to Kenny Odom to the LU 10-yard line helped set up the score. The Miners had two more chances to rally but had a turnover on downs with 5:07 left, and followed with a turnover on their final possession. The "Orange Swarm" defense was the bright spot, combining for six TFL and a sack. Jadyen Wilson, in his third straight start, led the team with a career-high 16 tackles while Neil Campbell posted a career-best 14 and tackle machine Micah Davey added 12 more to his tremendous career total. Davey leads CUSA with 63, while Campbell ranks third with 49 and Wilson fourth with 48 stops.

Sam Houston is coming off a heartbreaker in which Jax State hit a walk-off 52-yard field goal last Thursday, Oct. 9. The Bearkats are off to a winless start, losing their first six games in 2025 after finishing 10-3 last season under then-head coach K.C. Keeler. Phil Longo is in his first season at the helm. It's Longo's first head coaching job in almost 20 years, when he was at La Salle in 2004 and 2005. Sam Houston is averaging 17.0 points per game and 277.7 yards of total offense. The Bearkats' defense is giving up 39.5 points per contest and 463.8 yards. Hunter Watson, SH's 6-3, 210-pound quarterback, has four passing scores and leads the team with 208 yards on 61 attempts (3.4 avg.) and two rushing scores. Watson has thrown for 756 yards on 77-of-130 passing. Running back Landon Brown leads the team with 23 receptions for 121 yards and Elijah Green is pacing the squad with 133 yards on 12 catches and a TD. Linebacker Antavious Fish leads the defense with 40 tackles, while defensive back Emon Allen has picked off two passes, returning one for 66 yards at Hawai'i.

UTEP (1-5, 0-2) at Sam Houston (0-6, 0-3)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 15
Time: 5 p.m. MDT/6 CT
Location: Houston, Texas
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium (22,039)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

TV: CBSSN
PxP: Jack Gordon
Analyst: Taylor McHargue

Radio: 600 ESPN
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Aaron Price
Sideline: Mando Medina

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Bearkats will be nationally televised on CBSSN with Jack Gordon and Taylor McHargue in the booth. The action will be on 600 ESPN El Paso with "The Voice of the UTEP Miners" Jon Teicher, calling play-by-play in his 45th season. 'Teich', who called his 500^th game on Oct. 11, 2023, at FIU, is joined by former UTEP assistant coach Aaron Price in the booth, providing analysis. El Paso native and long-running member of the local media, Mando Medina, will be reporting from the sidelines. The contest can also be heard on the UTEP Miners app.

SERIES VS. SAM HOUSTON
The Miners lead the all-time series 3-1. UTEP lost to Sam Houston, 41-21, during an Oct. 3 midweek game in the Sun Bowl. The Miners rallied to defeat the Bearkats 37-34 in Huntsville in the league's first season featuring midweek contests on Oct. 25, 2023. QB Cade McConnell threw for 206 yards and a touchdown, RB Deion Hankins rushed for a game-high 117 yards and a score, WR Kelly Akharaiyi tallied 126 yards on six receptions and a TD, and K Buzz Flabiano hit the game-winning field goal from 32 yards out as time expired to defeat Sam Houston. UTEP defeated Sam Houston in 1990 and 2003.

ABOUT SAM HOUSTON
The Bearkats have opened the 2025 campaign with six straight losses under first-year head coach Phil Longo. Sam Houston has played in two home games, including the Oct. 9 loss against Jax State on a walk-off 52-yard field goal by the Gamecocks in Shell Energy Stadium. Houston started the campaign with a league game contest, losing 41-24 at WKU in week 0 (Aug. 23). The Bearkats lost their home opener, 38-21, against UNLV on Aug. 29. Sam Houston also fell at Hawai'i 37-20 (Sept. 6), at no. 8 Texas 55-0 (Sept. 20) and at NM State 37-10 (Oct. 2). In its most recent game, the Bearkats found their selves in a pair of 10-point deficit, being down 10-0 early in the second, and down 17-7 at the midway point of the first half. Sam Houston answered with 14 unanswered points. Qua'Vez Humphrey took in a four-yard pass from Hunter Watson to get within three points (17-14) at the 4:28 mark of the second. Watson connected on another touchdown, this time to Chris Reed for 20 yards to take a 21-17 lead at the 8:46 mark of the third quarter. Jax State got a 26-yard field goal from Garrison Rippa early in the fourth and Cam Cook's touchdown gave the Gamecocks a 26-21 lead with 10:34 left in the game. Watson rallied with his third scoring pass, a 19-yard grab by Reed with 52 seconds remaining. Rippa's 52-yard walk-off winner kept Sam Houston winless. Watson entered the game with just one touchdown pass on the season. Reed hauled in three balls for 63 yards. Watson, at 6-3, 210 pounds, leads SH with 208 yards and two rushing scores. Sam Houston averages 17.0 points per game, second least in CUSA and ranks last in scoring defense (39.5).

IN "WEEKDAY CUSA" GAMES
UTEP is 3-5 all-time in "Weekday CUSA" contests since it began in 2023. The Miners are 2-2 on the road. In 2023, UTEP won at FIU 27-14 and was victorious at Sam Houston 37-34. UTEP dropped a pair at WKU and LA Tech last year.

#1 IN CUSA
UTEP leads Conference USA in total defense (350.8).

ORANGE SWARM SACK ATTACK
UTEP leads Conference USA and ranks tied for 24^th in FBS with 16 sacks. The Miners' 2.7 sacks per game lead the conference and rank tied for 24^th nationally.

TACKLING BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
UTEP has tallied a Conference USA-best 49 tackles for loss. The Miners rank tied for seventh in FBS in total TFL. Its 8.2 TFL per game is also first in CUSA and ranks sixth in FBS. Oklahoma leads the nation in total TFL (62) and TFL per game (10.3).

THIRD-DOWN DEFENSE
UTEP ranks first in Conference USA and is ranked third in FBS in third-down conversion percentage defense (22.9, 20-of-87). The Miners only yielded 3-of-18 against Liberty. Texas A&M leads the nation at 20.8 percent

PASSING DEFENSE
UTEP ranks second in Conference USA and 43^rd in FBS in passing defense (195.2).

3 OF THE TOP 4 TACKLERS IN CUSA
UTEP owns the top three spots in total tackles in Conference USA. LB Micah Davey is first with 63, CB Neil Campbell is third with 49 and LB Jayden Wilson is fourth with 48.

CUSA LEADING TACKLER
LB Micah Davey leads Conference USA and ranks tied for ninth in FBS in total tackles (63). Davey ranks tied for eighth in FBS in tackles per game (10.5). Davey totaled 12 more tackles against Liberty and 32 in his last three games (10.7 per game). Davey's 24 solo tackles lead the defense. For his college career, Davey has amassed 374 tackles in 34 games (11.0 per game).

THREE PLAYERS IN DOUBLE DIGITS…AGAIN
For the third time this season, a trio of UTEP players went for 10+ tackles in a game. LB Jayden Wilson (16), CB Neil Campbell (14) and LB Micah Davey (12) did so against Liberty. Last week, CB Justin Content (13), Davey (12) and Campbell (10) hit double figures in tackles against LA Tech. Last season, DL Bryton Thompson (12), LB Dorian Hopkins (11) and LB Nate Dyman (10) did so at Colorado State. The time before that was in 2022 –LB Tyrice Knight (12), S Kobe Hylton (10) and LB Cal Wallerstedt (10).

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLE-DIGIT EFFORTS
CB Neil Campbell registered a career-high 14 tackles against Liberty. Campbell started the trend with 11 tackles against ULM and posted 10 more against LA Tech.

CAMPBELL'S SUPER EFFORT
Neil Campbell ranks second on the team with 49 tackles, while adding 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack (16 yards), a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry and two breakups. Campbell leads all CUSA defensive backs in tackles while ranking second in the league overall.

WILSON STEPPING UP
LB Jayden Wilson has started the last three games, totaling 33 tackles (11.0 per game). Wilson is coming off a career night with a collegiate career-high 16 tackles against Liberty. Wilson has totaled 48 tackles overall on the season. Wilson ranks third in CUSA in total tackles and seventh in tackles per game (8.0).

EZEANI LEADS CUSA
Udoka Ezeani leads Conference USA and ranks tied for 13^th in FBS with 8.5 tackles for loss. Ezeani is tied for 13^th in FBS in TFL per game (1.42).

LEADER OF THE SACK
Udoka Ezeani leads Conference USA with 4.0 sacks after posting a career-high 2.0 sacks against LA Tech. He also leads CUSA in sacks per game (0.67). Ezeani ranks tied for 37^th in FBS in total sacks. Ball State's Nathan Voorhis leads the nation in sacks (8.0) and sacks per game (1.6).

X MARKS THE SPOT
S Xavier Smith ranks 10^th in Conference USA in passes defended per game (0.7). Smith has picked off a pass and has recorded three pass breakups, ranking tied for sixth with four passes defended.

GO FOR DOS
UTEP has converted four two-point conversions, tying for first in FBS. QB Shay Smith hooked up with WR Josh Schuchts on a two-point conversion against Liberty. Schuchts hauled one in from QB Skyler Locklearlast week against LA Tech. QB Cade McConnell also found the end zone on the two-pointer, leaping over multiple defenders on a trick play against UT Martin. QB Malachi Nelson converted one on a pass to RB Hahsaun Wilson against ULM.

LOCKLEAR'S RETURN UNDER CENTER
QB Skyler Locklear made his first start since Nov. 30, 2024, at NM State and 10^th overall in his career when he got the nod against Liberty. Locklear scrambled for a 13-yard touchdown and rushed for a career-high 58 yards against the Flames. It's Locklear's third career rushing score, and he has rushed for 101 yards.

CUSA LEADER IN CATCHES PER GAME
WR Kenny Odom ranks first in Conference USA in receptions per game (5.2). Odom ranks 43^rd in FBS.

MORE ON ODOM
WR Kenny Odom, who missed a game earlier in the season with an injury, leads the Miners in receptions (26) and receiving yards (300) in five games played. Odom has also hauled in a pair of touchdowns, including a long of 74 yards. Odom ranks tied for second in Conference USA with 26 catches and is eighth in receiving yards with 300. He ranks fifth in CUSA in receiving yards per game (60.0).

WONDAME'S EMERGENCE
WR Wondame Davis Jr. ranks tied for second in Conference USA with three touchdown receptions on the season. Davis Jr. ranks third in CUSA and ranks 25^th in FBS in yards per catch (19.3). Davis Jr. has tallied 193 yards on 10 receptions and three touchdowns.

SCHUCHTS SEEING PLAYING TIME
WR Josh Schuchts saw action in his second game, tallying 18 yards on three catches, including a two-point conversion. Schuchts saw his first collegiate action in his first career start against LA Tech last week, tallying 21 yards on four receptions. He's registered 39 yards on seven catches and a pair of two-point conversions. Schuchts, a redshirt freshman, missed all of 2024 due to an injury.

BALL SECURITY
UTEP has lost only one fumble, ranking tied for 11^th in FBS and first in Conference USA. The Miners have only combined for two total fumbles, ranking tied for fourth nationally.

BIG PLAYS FROM THE BLUE BLAZE
In the longest plays from scrimmage in Conference USA, UTEP ranks first in 90+ yard plays (1), 70+ yards (3), 60+ yards (4), 40+ yards (9) and 30+ yards (16).

PASSING SCORES
UTEP and Kennesaw State are tied for third in Conference USA with nine passing touchdowns as a team.

FEWEST PENALTIES PER GAME
UTEP averages 5.5 penalties per game, ranking third-fewest in Conference USA and tied 47^th nationally. The Miners' 51.0 penalty yards per game ranks fifth in CUSA.

BOOTING BOTSFORD
P Noah Botsford ranks third in Conference USA, averaging 44.9 yards per game. Botsford has tallied 1,480 yards on 33 boots. Botsford has a long punt of 66 yards with nine placed inside the 20 and nine 50+ yard punts.

UP NEXT
UTEP will be on a bye week and return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Kennesaw State on ESPNU. The Miners and Owls are set for a 6 p.m. MT/8 ET.

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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