UTEP Kicks Off ’25 at Utah State on CBSSN Saturday

8/28/2025 4:14:00 PM

NOTES: UTEP | Utah State | CUSA

EL PASO – The highly-anticipated year two of the Scotty Walden era begins Saturday (Aug. 30) when UTEP opens the 2025 campaign at Utah State. The Miners and Aggies will be televised on CBS Sports Network with kickoff set for 5:30 p.m. MT in Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.

UTEP will kick off its 108^th season in Logan against Utah State, as the two schools meet for the first time since the 2014 New Mexico Bowl. The Miners and Aggies are facing each other for a fourth time overall. It's UTEP's first trip to Logan since 1961, and first to the state of Utah since 1998.

UTEP finished 3-9 during Walden's first season, but it won two of the last three games in 2024. The Miners averaged more than 38 points per game in their three victories. Utah State went 4-8 last year, but veteran head coach Bronco Mendenhall takes over the reins in 2025, bringing his 140 career victories to Logan.

Fans can listen on 95.5 KLAQ with "The Voice of the UTEP Miners" Jon Teicher returning for his 45th season calling the action for the Orange and Blue. Former UTEP wide receiver Cole Freytag joins "Teich" in the booth, while Mando Medina will roam the sidelines.

Malachi Nelson, a unanimous five-star recruit and rated the no. 1 prospect in the country by ESPN in 2022, will make his first collegiate start to lead the "Blue Blaze" offense. Walden announced Nelson as QB1 on Aug. 21. Nelson is one of 43 transfers to join Walden's "fearless, fast and physical" style of football.

A few familiar faces will serve as effective targets for Nelson as UTEP's leading wide receiver, Kenny Odom, returns. Odom hauled in eight touchdowns, second most in Conference USA, and the most for a UTEP WR since 2010. Jackknife Kam Thomas is back after leading the Miners with 871 all-purpose yards. Thomas was also named to the 2024 All-CUSA first team as a punt returner on Wefense.

Defensive tackle KD Johnson returns as a fifth-year player after receiving an extra year of eligibility. Johnson started all 12 games, racking up 40 tackles (16 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2024. Linebacker Micah Davey is a senior transfer from McNeese State, who will be relied upon to help lead the "Orange Swarm" defense. Davey racked up 311 tackles in 29 career games with the Cowboys. Safety Xavier Smith returns for a second season and will help lead the defensive attack after pacing all UTEP DBs with 78 tackles last season. Graduate student cornerback Neil Campbell comes to the Sun City from Indiana Wesleyan, where he picked off 16 career interceptions in 49 games.

UTEP (0-0, 0-0) at Utah State (0-0, 0-0)
Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
Time: 5:30 p.m. MT
Location: Logan, Utah
Venue: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium (25,513)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

TV: CBSSN
PxP: Fran Charles
Analyst: Taylor McHargue
Sideline: Hailey Sutton

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

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Aggies will be nationally televised on CBSSN with Fran Charles and Taylor McHargue on the call. The action will be on 95.5 FM KLAQ 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 WR Cole Freytag (2012, 2014-16) in the booth providing analysis in his fourth season. 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. UTAH STATE
Saturday's game will mark the fourth meeting between UTEP and Utah State. The Aggies own a 3-0 mark against the Miners. The two programs last met in postseason action when UTEP took on Utah State in the 2014 New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 20 in Albuquerque. The  Aggies won 21-6. UTEP RB Aaron Jones rushed for 88 yards, while the Miners got a pair of field goals from K Jay Mattox (32, 34). Utah State took the first two meetings – 20-7 on Sept. 17, 1960, and 21-6 on Sept. 16, 1961.

ABOUT UTAH STATE
New Utah State Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall was hired on Dec. 6, 2024, as the program's 31st coach, after one spending season at New Mexico (5-7 in 2024). Mendenhall has an overall record of 140-88 in 18 seasons at the helm. Utah State finished 4-8 overall and 3-4 in the MWC last season. USU's offense returns no one who started more than six games, and the defense returns three starters. Mendenhall brought in 30 transfers, including six from UNM. CB Noah Avinger is spending his senior season at Utah State after playing in 2024 at New Mexico (91 tackles, 10 passes defended in 12 games). Some other notable names are CB Dylan Tucker, a senior from Elon, who totaled 30 tackles (22 solo) in 10 games played (nine starts). OL Jimmy Liston is a 6-3, 305-pound transfer from Purdue and has three years of eligibility. DE John Gayer is a 6-4, 245-pound transfer from College of San Mateo with two years of eligibility. Gayer was a junior college All-American in 2024 after recording 53 tackles. Gayer transferred to Cal in December before entering the transfer portal and moving to USU. DT Naki Fahina will be a familiar face as he's coming from NM State. Fahina is a 6-foot, 300-pound senior who started in all 12 games with NM State. Fahina was at UNLV before NM State. S Chika Ebunoha , a transfer from BYU with two years of eligibility, stands at 6-0, 190 pounds. S D'Andre Barnes is coming from Nebraska. He's 6-0, 195 pounds with three years of eligibility. Barnes appeared in one game last season, which was against UTEP. WR Carlos Orr-Gillespie is a transfer from Illinois, while DT Nuuletau Sellesin is a transfer from BYU.

BEEN A WHILE
The Miners are competing in Logan for the first time since Sept. 16, 1961, while it's their first trip to the state of Utah since Nov. 7, 1998, when UTEP played at The University of Utah. The Orange and Blue last won in the Beehive State in 1992 against the Utes. UTEP is 7-29 all-time in Utah.

UTEP IN SEASON OPENERS
The Miners are 46-56-5 in season openers. UTEP last won a season opener four years ago when the Miners defeated NM State on Aug. 28, 2021. UTEP is opening a season on the road for a third consecutive campaign and is 9-33-2 overall in road season openers.

ROAD WARRIORS
UTEP is starting the season on the road and playing two of its first three games on the road for a third consecutive year. The Miners open at Utah State on Aug. 30 and will then play at Texas in week three. UTEP opened last season at Nebraska and then play at Liberty in the third game. In 2023, the Miners started at Jax State, then played at Northwestern in the third contest.

MORE ROAD NOTES
UTEP is starting the season on the road for the third straight season, something that hasn't happened since a four-year stretch (2003-06). It was 2-2 in the sequence, claiming triumphs in both 2005 and 2006. The Miners have dropped their past two in the situation, but they did stomp I-10 rival, NM State, 30-3, in the campaign lid lifter in 2021. UTEP also took out I-25 rival New Mexico, 31-24, in 2014. The last time that the Orange and Blue staked a victory in a season opener on the road outside of the states of Texas or New Mexico was in 2006 when they derailed San Diego State, 34-27.

VERSUS THE MOUNTAIN WEST
UTEP is 9-14 against Mountain West opponents. The Miners' last win came on Sept. 23, 2022, after defeating Boise State 27-10 in the Sun Bowl. UTEP's last victory on the road against a MWC foe was at New Mexico, 31-24, on Aug. 30, 2014.

2025 OPPONENTS' POSTSEASON
UTEP will face six teams from the 2024 postseason. The Miners will take on UT Martin (FCS Playoffs), Texas (CFB Playoff), LA Tech (Independence Bowl), Liberty (Bahamas Bowl), Sam Houston (New Orleans Bowl) and Jax State (StaffDNA Cure Bowl). Although there was no postseason action for Missouri State (8-4) and Delaware (9-2), both programs finished with winning records in 2024.

SEVEN RETURNING STARTERS
The Miners have seven starters returning from last season – four on offense, three on defense. For the "Blue Blaze" are OL Ivan Escobar, QB Skyler Locklear, WR Kenny Odom and MB Kam Thomas. Returning for the "Orange Swarm" are DL KD Johnson, S Xavier Smith and S Lantz Russell.

QB1 #7 NELSON
QB Malachi Nelson will take the reins of the offense when the Miners kick off the 2025 campaign against the Aggies in Logan, Utah on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 5:30 pm MT. The game will be nationally televised on CBS College Sports. A native of Los Alamitos, Calif., Nelson joined the Miners for spring ball after transferring from Boise State. Nelson arrived in El Paso as the most decorated recruit in school history. He was a unanimous five-star recruit and rated the no. 1 prospect in the country by ESPN in 2022, coming out of Los Alamitos High School. The back-to-back Gatorade California Player of the Year (2021 and 2022), Nelson completed 67.1 percent (192-of-286) of his passes for 2,891 yards and 35 touchdowns with four interceptions during his senior season. A 6-3, 195-pound sophomore, Nelson began his college career at USC. He spent the 2024 season at Boise State, appearing in three games for the Broncos while completing 12-of-17 passes for 128 yards.

NELSON LOOKING TO JOIN EXCLUSIVE LIST
Transfer Malachi Nelson will be under center in his first start for UTEP vs. Utah State on Saturday. It marks the second straight year with a different QB (Skyler Locklear) making their initial start as a Miner in the opener. Billy Stevens holds the modern era school standard for most passing yards by a Miner in their first start. He was 21-35 for 500 yards and two TDs in a 61-15 rout of North Texas on Sept. 18, 1965. Nick Lamaison is the only other player to eclipse 300 yards in his first start in the Orange and Blue. He finished 24-38 for 365 yards and a trio of touchdowns in a 31-24 OT win vs. Stony Brook (9/3/11).

BIGGER O-LINE
UTEP has 17 offensive linemen listed on the 2025 roster. The OL averages over 6-foot-4 and 303 pounds. Last year, the offensive line averaged just over 6-0, 299 pounds.

RETURNING ROUTE RUNNER
WR Kenny Odom displayed elite playmaking skills in his first season with the Miners. Odom, who started in 10 of 12 games in his first season at UTEP, ranked second in CUSA with eight touchdown receptions. Odom ranked sixth in yards per catch (16.1) and eighth in receiving yards (741). Odom led the Miners in receiving yards, yards per catch and touchdown catches. He ranked third on the team with 46 receptions. Odom added 123 yards on seven kickoff returns (17.6 avg.). He hauled in a career-high three touchdown receptions on a career-most eight receptions with 108 yards in a victory over Kennesaw State. The native of Savannah, Ga., was the first Miner to tally three touchdown receptions in a single game since 2010. He posted a career-high 128 yards on seven catches with two touchdowns at Colorado State and scored on a career-long 76-yard TD at WKU. Against rival NM State in the final contest of the season, Odom helped the Miners rally back from a 24-7 deficit. His 30-yard scoring reception gave UTEP the go-ahead lead at 28-24 late in the third quarter. UTEP beat NM State 42-35.

BIG PLAY KENNY
Kenny Odom made multiple big plays in 2024 as he tied for the CUSA lead with four 50+ yard receptions, ranked second with six 40+ yard receptions, and tied first with a trio of 60+ yard receptions.

KAM CAN DO IT ALL
MB Kam Thomas was another big playmaker in his first season donning the Orange and Blue. The redshirt senior, who started in all nine games played in 2024, led UTEP in all-purpose yards (871) and all-purpose yards per game (96.8). Thomas ranked fifth in Conference USA  in all-purpose yards. Thomas also rated first on the team in punt returns (10), punt return yards (200), return average (20.0), and took one back 93 yards for a touchdown at rival NM State. He was one of two CUSA players to return a punt for a score, while he ranked second in the league in punt return yards. Thomas tied for the team lead in receptions (47), gaining 532 yards and scoring two touchdowns. The Birmingham, Ala., product added 27 yards rushing and 112 yards on seven kickoff returns.

SPECIAL PLAYER
Kam Thomas was named to the 2024 All-CUSA first team special teams following his successful campaign as a punt returner. Thomas gained 200 yards on 10 punt returns (20.0) and was one of two CUSA players to return a punt for a score. He opened his UTEP career with a 29-yard punt return at Nebraska. At NM State, Thomas had 109 yards on a pair of punt returns. His 93-yard punt return for a TD put the Miners up 35-24 early in the fourth after being down 24-7. Thomas added an 18-yard return at Liberty and a 19-yard return at LA Tech.

X MARKS THE SPOT
S Xavier Smith returns for a second season with the Miners after leading all UTEP defensive backs and ranking third on the team overall with 78 tackles in 12 games (10 starts). He added a half tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and five pass breakups. Smith registered a season-high 10 tackles at Liberty, while he came up with a big day at NM State, leading the Miners with nine tackles (season-high five solo stops) and two pass breakups in the come-from-behind win.

LANTZ SZN
S Lantz Russell returns for his redshirt senior season following a solid effort in 2024. Russell recorded 54 tackles (31 solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions and a pair of breakups. He recorded a career-best 12 tackles (10 solo) against Sam Houston early in the season. He played in four games in his first season with UTEP (2023) before jumping to making six starts while competing in all 12 contests last year.

CUSA PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Five UTEP players were announced to Conference USA's 2025 Preseason Football Watch List on July 18. P Noah Botsford played at Valdosta State for the last two seasons. In 2024, he booted 37 punts for 1,563 yards (42.2 avg.) in 14 games played. DL Derick Burns saw action in one contest while at NM State during the 2024 season. He tallied a tackle against WKU. Before NM State, Burns played at Kilgore College for two seasons (2022, 2023). LB Micah Davey saw action at McNeese State the last four seasons (2021-2024). Davey started in 18 of 29 games, totaling 311 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, an interception, seven breakups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. OL Mark Robinson was named the Sun Conference Freshman of the Year and was second team All-Sun Conference while starting all nine games at left tackle for Southeastern University in 2024. RB Hahsaun Wilson played three seasons at Charlotte (2022-24) while also redshirting with the 49ers in 2021. He paced the team in rushing in 2024 with 559 yards on 91 carries (6.1 avg per carry) and rushed for seven touchdowns.

NOTABLE TRANSFERS ON DEFENSE
Notable transfers on the "Orange Swarm" defense include S Solo Barnes, who played at Fayetteville State for three seasons (82 tackles in 26 career games). CB Marcell Blocker is 6-foot-3, coming from Florida Memorial (93 tackles in 37 career games). CB Neil Campbell, was a two-time NAIA All-American at Indiana Wesleyan (intercepted 16 passes in 49 career games). Bandit Udoka Ezani is coming from Boise State. DL Ashaad Hallplayed three seasons at South Carolina State (59 tackles, 12.0 sacks in 26 career games). LB Joshua Rudolph saw action at Indiana in 2023 and part of 2024, getting ample playing experience against some of the top programs in the nation. LB Jayden Wilson is returning to his hometown after playing in 23 games (43 tackles, 2.0 sacks) at New Mexico for the previous two seasons.

NOTABLE TRANSFERS ON OFFENSE
Notable transfers on the "Blue Blaze" offense include WR Jet Thompson, who played in 36 career games at Georgia Southern during the previous three seasons. OL James Williams, who stands at 6-3, 325 pounds, started at left guard as a freshman at NE Oklahoma A&M in 2024. WR Eric Willis III played in 33 career games at California (PA). He racked up 139 receptions for 2,236 yards and 17 touchdowns.
WATCH THIS WAY
A trio of Miners were announced to preseason watch lists over the last few months. OL Tyrone D. McDuffie was named to the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Work Team on July 15 and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy on July 31. MB Kam Thomas landed on the Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas second team and the Paul Hornung Watch List, and WR Kenny Odom made the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List.

SUN CITY SENSATIONS
The 2025 UTEP football roster features 13 players from El Paso, Texas: K Carlos Arreola (Clint HS), OL Rolando Beltran (Eastlake HS), OL Juan Camacho Jr. (Bowie HS), C Ivan Escobar (Montwood HS),  K Diego Frausto (Del Valle HS), S Jaime Guerrero (Eastlake HS), S Cam Harrelson (Montwood HS), OL Joseph Immediato (Eastwood HS), OL Tyrone D. McDuffie III, QB Shay Smith (Franklin HS), WR Marcus Torres (Pebble Hills), LB Jayden Wilson (Austin HS) and Craig Wydra (Andress HS).

STATE OF THE ROSTER
There are 62 players from the Lone Star State on the 2025 roster. Here's how the rest of the roster breaks down. Florida (10), California (9), Georgia (5), Alabama (4), Oklahoma (4), Illinois (3), Tennessee (3), Arizona (2), Louisiana (2), New York (2), Pennsylvania (2), England (1), Indianapolis (1), Kentucky (1), North Carolina (1), Mississippi (1), Mexico (1), New Mexico (1), South Carolina (1),

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
UTEP has 43 transfers heading into the 2025 campaign. (10 DL, 9 DB, 7 WR, 5 K/P, 4 LB, 4 OL, 1 LS, 1 QB, 1 RB, 1 TE). Fourteen are from FBS schools, nine from FCS, nine out of the JUCO ranks, seven from Division II, and four from NAIA programs.

CAPTAINS
UTEP head coach Scotty Walden announced his captains for the 2025 season on Aug. 21. Redshirt senior C Ivan Escobar, redshirt junior WR Kenny Odom, and redshirt senior MB Kam Thomas will head up the "Blue Blaze" offense, while for the "Orange Swarm" defense, graduate student CB Neil Campbell, senior LB Joshua Rudolph and fifth-year DT KD Johnson were appointed. Junior LB Garrett Hawkins and sophomore LB Stratton Shufelt will head the Wefense unit.

SACK ATTACK IN '24
UTEP racked up a Conference USA-high 36 sacks during the 2024 season. The Miners ranked in the top 25 nationally. It was the most sacks since the 2004 season (42 sacks). UTEP's 36 sacks were tied for the third most all-time (36 in 1988) at the school. UTEP totaled a season-high eight sacks to cap 2024 in its come-from-behind win at rival NM State.

PICKING OFF PASSES
UTEP recorded 11 interceptions, the most by the Miners since 2014. UTEP ranked tied for third with FIU in Conference USA. UTEP came up with a huge performance against FIU when it picked off four passes in a win over FIU on Oct. 17. It was the most interceptions in a single game since tallying four INTS Oct. 15, 2011, while it was the most in the Sun Bowl since Nov. 15, 2008.

UTEP FATHER-SON CONNECTION
LB Pete Shufelt, the father of LB Stratton Shufelt and RB Paul Smith, the father of QB Shay Smith, also played their college ball at UTEP. Pete Shufelt was a linebacker from 1989-93, ranking 10th on the program's all-time tackles list with 385 (236 solo). Paul Smith played from 1996-1999 and ranks eighth on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,539 yards.

NFL KIDS
S Lantz Russell, LB Stratton Shufelt and QB Shay Smith come from pro backgrounds as their fathers all played in the NFL. Leonard Russell played in the NFL for six seasons after being drafted by the New England Patriots in 1991 (first round, 14^th overall). He tallied 3,973 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns in 85 games. Paul Smith played in the NFL for seven seasons after being drafted in 2000 by the San Francisco 49ers (fifth round, 132nd overall). Smith rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown in 79 career games. Pete Shufelt played in five regular-season games for the New York Giants in 1994.

UP NEXT
UTEP will host UT Martin in its home opener on Sept. 6. The Miners and Skyhawks are slated for a 7 p.m. MT kickoff in Sun Bowl Stadium. The contest can be heard on 95.5 FM KLAQ and will be streamed on ESPN+. Single-game tickets are available now: UT Martin.

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