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UTEP Miners

UTEP Miners
Ashten Emory
35
Winner UTEP TEP 2-5 , 1-2
17
Sam Houston SAM 0-7 , 0-4
Winner
UTEP TEP
2-5 , 1-2
35
Final
17
Sam Houston SAM
0-7 , 0-4
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
TEP UTEP 7 7 7 14 35
SAM Sam Houston 7 3 7 0 17

Game Recap: Football |

Miners Ride Fourth-Quarter Surge to 35-17 Win at Sam Houston


GAME BOOK | POSTGAME NOTES

HOUSTON, Texas —Skyler Locklear completed 21-of-26 passes for 236 yards and Ashten Emory rushed for a career-high 96 yards, leading UTEP to a 35-17 win at Sam Houston on Wednesday night.
 
The Miners (2-5, 1-2 CUSA) emphatically stamped out a four-game losing streak in their first road game in over a month. The Bearkats fell to 0-7, 0-4 in CUSA while playing their home games at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.
 
The game was closely contested heading into the fourth quarter, but the Miners pulled away with back-to-back touchdown drives — including a 34-yard rushing score by Emory that put the game on ice following a Bearkats turnover on downs.
 
"I'm so proud of the team for shaking back after four frustrating losses in a row," second-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. "I feel like this team is getting better. I thought we played much better complementary football tonight. Down the stretch, there were some key things, a field goal block and a muffed punt, but our defense rose to the occasion and the offense did the best job that we've done all year of capitalizing on opportunities. I'm proud that we put four quarters together, but I still think we can play cleaner and play winning football. It all starts with getting one [win] and now we have to parlay that with the momentum and get better."
 
The Miners posted 411 yards of offense to the Bearkats' 398. But the tables really turned in the second half, when UTEP compiled 236 yards to Sam Houston's 146 while outscoring the home team 21-7.
 
Wondame Davis Jr. (three catches-79 yards) and Kenny Odom (10 receptions for 67 yards) also had big games for the Miner offense. Micah Davey tied a season best with 14 tackles for the defense, which tallied five tackles for losses and three sacks. Five of the Bearkats' seven drives in the second half produced eight yards or fewer.
 
Sam Houston scored first. Following a three-and-out from the Miners on their first offensive series, the Bearkats moved 99 yards on eight plays and took a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard pass from Hunter Watson to Malik Phillips.
 
UTEP knotted the score, 7-7, on Locklear's four-yard touchdown pass to Josh Schuchts with 2:52 remaining in the opening period.  It was Schuchts' first collegiate TD. The key play on the three-play, 50-yard drive was Locklear's 43-yard connection with Eric Willis III on first down.
 
The Miners surged ahead, 14-7, on Locklear's quarterback keeper with 12:06 to go in the second period, capping a nine-play, 86-yard drive.
 
Sam Houston drew within four (14-10) on a 26-yard field goal by Christian Pavon with 7:27 left in the half.
 
Locklear completed his first nine throws and was 10-for-12 passing for 121 yards in the first half. Watson also had a productive first half for Sam Houston, completing 13-of-19 passes for 161 yards, but did not play in the second half due to injury. He was replaced by Mabrey Mettauer.
 
The Miners extended their lead to 21-10 when Locklear scampered for 15 yards to put the finishing touch on a 10-play, 67-yard drive midway through the third quarter. It marked the first time in his UTEP career that he scored multiple rushing TD's in a game.
 
But the Bearkats got back in it.  Landan Brown's 63-yard run set up a 13-yard scoring toss from Mettauer to Lonnie Adkism and sliced the deficit to four points once again, 21-17.
 
The Miners went to work on offense and scored two touchdowns in a little over a minute. First, Locklear connected with Odom three times for 50 yards on a 91-yard drive, capped by Odom's 20-yard touchdown to push the lead to 28-17 with 7:05 to play. Then, following a turnover on downs by Sam Houston deep in its own territory, Emery exploded for the 34-yard TD run that put the game out of reach with 5:54 remaining.
 
"I loved how we ended the game," Locklear said. "There was a choice we had to make. We had to end it – we couldn't let [Sam Houston] stay in [the game]. I'm so proud of the defense, the offense and special teams coming through to end the game."
 
The 18-point win versus an FBS opponent was the biggest since defeating FIU 40-6 on Nov. 19, 2022, and it's the first road win by 18+ points since a 30-3 win at NM State on Aug. 28, 2021. 
 
UP NEXT
UTEP will be on a bye week and return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Kennesaw State. The contest will be nationally televised on ESPNU. The Miners and Owls are set for a 6 p.m. MT/8 ET kickoff. 
 

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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