UTEP Hosts ULM Saturday Night, the First of Three Straight Games in the Sun Bowl

9/18/2025 2:55:00 PM

NOTES: UTEP | ULM | CUSA

EL PASO – UTEP will look to get back into the win column when it returns to the 915 to host ULM. The Miners will start a three-game home swing on Saturday night (Sept. 20). Proud partner El Paso Children's Hospital is the game sponsor, as the Miners and Warhawks will kick off "Heroes Night" at 7 p.m. in Sun Bowl Stadium.

Tickets for Saturday's contest are available at www.utepminers.com/tickets, by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, or visiting the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office (500 W. University Ave., 79968.

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 football coach Aaron Price joins "Teich" in the booth, while Mando Medina will roam the sidelines. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Andy Morgan (play-by-play) and Ed Stansbury (analysis).

The Miners (1-2) and Warhawks (1-1) are meeting for the first time in El Paso and second overall. UTEP beat ULM 31-6 on Sept. 26, 2020.

UTEP is coming off a 27-10 loss at no. 7 Texas on Sept. 13, at DKR in front of 102,025 fans on a sweltering afternoon in Austin. The "Orange Swarm" defense did a solid job against the Longhorns' offense, which tallied 340 yards. The defense yielded only 5-of-16 on third-down conversions and 2-of-5 on fourth-down attempts. Xavier Smith intercepted an Arch Manning pass, as it was the first collegiate INT by Smith. UT got on the board first after a Manning two-yard touchdown rush, followed by El Paso native Carlos Arreola's 39-yard field goal that brought the Miners within four points with 1:55 left in the first half. UTEP forced a UT punt and took over at its own 32 with 1:27 remaining in the half. The Miners were forced with a three-and-out, while a penalty on Noah Botsford's punt set the Longhorns up at the UTEP 40 with 54 seconds remaining. Manning drove the 'Horns 40 yards on seven plays, capping the drive with his second touchdown rush of the afternoon – a five-yard dash. Redshirt freshman Shay Smith got the Miners into the end zone. Malachi Nelson's 43-yard pass to Trevon Tate helped set up Smith's two-yard rush to pay dirt.

ULM, coming off its bye week, opened the season with a 29-0 victory against Saint Francis on Aug. 28, but followed with a 73-0 loss at No. 21 Alabama on Sept. 6. Against Saint Francis, the Warhawks outgained the Red Flash 434 yards of total offense to 131, and 24-7 on first downs. ULM amasses 311 yards on the ground, led by Braylon McReynolds's 113 yards on 11 carries. McReynolds added a 74-yard run on his second carry of the game during the first quarter. Quarterback Aidan Armenta threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to McReynolds in the third quarter and rushed for another on a seven-yard run early in the fourth. Overall, the Warhawks are averaging 14.5 points per game and giving up 36.5. ULM is averaging 291.0 yards of total offense per game and yielding 357.0 per contest.

UTEP (1-2, 0-0) vs. ULM (1-1, 0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 20
Time: 7:00 p.m. MT
Location: El Paso, Texas
Venue: Sun Bowl Stadium (45,971)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

STREAM: ESPN+
PxP: Andy Morgan
Analyst: Ed Stansbury

Radio: 95.5 FM KLAQ
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Aaron Price
Sideline: Mando Medina

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Warhawks will be streamed on ESPN+ with Andy Morgan and Ed Stansbury 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 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. ULM
Saturday's game will mark the second meeting between the Miners and Skyhawks. UTEP dominated the initial showdown, 31-6, on Sept. 26, 2020, in Monroe. The Miners piled up 512 yards of total offense and yielded only 193 yards. RB Deion Hankins rumbled for 118 yards and three touchdowns, while QB Gavin Hardisonaired out 302 yards (13-25) with WR Justin Garrett tallying 120 of those yards on seven receptions. WR Jacob Cowing added 102 yards on three catches. LB Tyrice Knight had six tackles and DB Duron Lowepicked off a pass. LB Stephen Forester, DT Kelton Moss and DL Jalen Rudolph each registered sacks. Forester led the Miners with eight tackles.

ABOUT ULM
The Warhawks are coming off a bye week on Sept. 13, and last played on Sept. 6 following a 73-0 drubbing at no. 21 Alabama. Despite the setback, ULM won its first game of 2025 by blanking Saint Francis 29-0 on Aug. 28. ULM gained 24 first downs compared to SFU's seven. The Warhawks outgained the Red Flash 434 yards of total offense to 131. RB Braylon McReynolds rushed for a game-high 113 yards on 11 carries (10.3). The overall rushing attack ran all over SFU with 311 yards on 43 attempts (7.2 avg.). Hunter Herring's one-yard TD run put ULM up 7-0 at the 9:25 mark of the first quarter. QB Aidan Armenta scored a pair of touchdowns. The first came on a 13-yard catch from McReynolds that helped put the Warhawks 17-0, while Armenta's seven-yard scoring run gave them a 23-0 advantage. Landon Graves's 19-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Griffin extended the lead to 29-0. Griffin led the way with 32 yards on three receptions. D'Arco Perkins-McAllister led the defense with eight tackles and tallied 2.0 sacks. Cliff Mosley picked off a pass. The 'Bama game was the opposite, as the Crimson Tide amassed 583 yards of total offense to ULM's 148. Alabama threw for 371 yards and ran for 212. Armenta threw for 28 yards (8-14) and an interception. McReynolds was held to only 24 yards on seven carries.

CONNECTIONS – REFFETT RETURNS TO THE SUN BOWL
ULM inside linebackers/defensive run game coach Troy Reffett played defensive back at UTEP from 1985 to 1989. Reffett played on the 1988 squad that finished 10-2 in the regular season. Reffett received his B.S., Education in 1990 and his M.A., Education in 1992 from The University of Texas at El Paso. Reffett began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UTEP in 1990 and was promoted to the outside linebackers coach from 1993-96. From 1997-01 he served as the Miners' recruiting coordinator/secondary coach and then moved up to defensive coordinator/safeties coach from 2002-03.

STOUD DEFENSE
The "Orange Swarm" defense leads Conference USA and is ranked tied for 13^th in FBS in third-down conversion percentage defense. The Miners are allowing only 24.4 percent (11-45) in the first three games. UTEP gave up only 5-of-16 at no. 7 Texas, while only yielding 4-of-15 at Utah State and 4-of-17 in its victory over UT Martin.

SACK ATTACK
UTEP is averaging 3.3 sacks per game, ranking tied for 10^th in FBS. The Miners lead Conference USA in sacks (10) and sacks per game (3.3).

TACKLING BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
UTEP is ranked tied for fifth in FBS in tackles for loss (28) and TFL per game (9.3). The Miners lead Conference USA in both departments.

UDOKA GETTING AFTER IT
Bandit Udoka Ezeani is off to a fast start with a team-high 1.83 tackles for loss per game. Ezeani ranks tied for ninth in FBS and ranks third in Conference USA. Udoka has tallied 5.5 tackles for loss, ranking tied for ninth in FBS and third in CUSA. Ezeani's 28 TFL yards rank third in CUSA. Ezeani ranks tied for 14^th in CUSA at 6.3 tackles per game and ranks tied for second with 2.0 sacks.

FIRST PICK FOR XAVIER
S Xavier Smith recorded his first collegiate interception at no. 7 Texas. Smith picked off UT QB Arch Manning in the end zone early in the second quarter. Smith added six tackles against the Longhorns.

TACKLING TANK
LB Micah Davey leads Conference USA and ranks tied for 11^th in FBS in tackles per game (10.3). Davey has tallied 31 total tackles, ranking first in CUSA and tied for ninth in FBS. Davey led the Miners with nine more stops at no. 7 Texas. For his college career, Davey has amassed 342 tackles in 31 games (11.03 per game).

NO TACKLING DUMMIES
Multiple Miners set UTEP highs in tackles at no. 7 Texas. S Solo Barnes (eight), LB Jayden Wilson (eight), Spur Donte Thompson (seven), DL Elijah Baldwin (six) and DL Shakaun Bowser (four) recorded their most tackles since joining the Miners.

SHAY'S SECOND TD
QB Shay Smith scored his first touchdown of 2025 and the second of his young career. The El Paso product rushed for a two-yard score at no. 7 Texas. Smith's first rushing touchdown came against Kennesaw State last season in the Sun Bowl.

GOINS, GOINS, GONE!
WR Toric Goins Jr. hauled in a career-high five receptions for 63 yards at no. 7 Texas. Overall, Goins Jr. has tallied 170 yards on nine receptions and a touchdown. Goins Jr. ranks third in CUSA and 51^st in FBS in yards per catch (18.9 avg.). Goins Jr. ranks tied for 11^th with 170 receiving yards.

KENNY'S FAST START
WR Kenny Odom leads Conference USA in receptions (19) and receptions per game (6.3), and ranks second with 236 receiving yards. Odom has scored two touchdowns and has averaged 12.4 yards per catch. In 15 career games with the Miners, Odom has tallied 977 yards on 65 receptions (15.0 avg.) and 10 touchdowns.

FIRST CATCH AS A MINER
TE Judah Ezinwa tallied a 33-yard reception at no. 7 Texas. It was Ezinwa's first catch as a Miner. Ezinwa had 12 receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns while at Mt. SAC in 2022.

TATE'S EFFORT
WR Trevon Tate produced solid numbers at no. 7 Texas, leading the Miners in receiving yards (64) and receptions (six). He added a season-long 43-yard catch against the Longhorns. Tate, a redshirt senior, transferred from Clarion, where he put up big numbers. Tate hauled in 65 receptions for 1,137 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 103.4 yards per game. Tate has tallied 74 yards on nine receptions in 2025.

FIRST COLLEGIATE CATCHES
Redshirt freshmen WR Jaylan Brown and WR Marcus Torres each recorded their first career receptions. Brown hauled in a 12-yard catch, while Torres recorded a six-yard reception during the fourth quarter. Torres played in three games with the Miners in 2024, mostly on special teams, while Brown redshirted at Michigan State last year.

SLINGING THE ROCK
QB Malachi Nelson put up career highs in completions (24) and passing attempts (36) at no. 7 Texas. Nelson is 60-for-96 (62.5 percent) in his first three games with the Miners. Nelson ranks fifth in Conference USA in attempts (96) and is tied fourth in completions (60). Nelson's 62.5 completion percentage ranks fourth in CUSA. Nelson is tied for third with five touchdown passes and sixth in passing yards per game (221.7). Nelson ranks fourth in CUSA and 81^st in FBS in yards per pass attempt (6.9).

HOUSE CALLS
RB Ashten Emory has scored four touchdowns to start the 2025 season. Emory is tied for first in Conference USA and is ranked tied for 20^th in FBS. Emory has rushed for a pair of scores while hauling in a pair of touchdown receptions in the Miners' 42-17 win over UTM. Emory's first career touchdown came at Utah State on Aug. 30.

MORE ON EMORY
Ashten Emory has started the last two games at running back and has rushed for 72 yards on 27 attempts and two scores. Emory has added 41 yards on seven receptions and two TDs. Emory leads all CUSA running backs with two receiving touchdowns and is tied for fifth overall in the league.

LEADING RUSHER
RB Hahsaun Wilson leads Conference USA in yards per carry (11.1). Wilson's team-high 156 rushing yards rank sixth in CUSA. Wilson's program-record 94-yard touchdown dash against UTM is the longest play from scrimmage in the nation. Wilson is one of two FBS players to record a 90+ yard play from scrimmage.

BOOMING BOTSFORD
P Noah Botsford is averaging 46.7 yards per punt, ranking second in Conference USA and 10^th in FBS. Botsford ranks fourth in CUSA in punts (18) and yards (841). In FBS, Botsford ranks tied seventh in punts and sixth in punt yards.

UP NEXT
UTEP will host LA Tech to open Conference USA action on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. in the Sun Bowl. The Miners and Bulldogs can be heard on "The Home of UTEP Football" 600 ESPN El Paso and the UTEP Miners app.

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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