UTEP Hosts UT Martin in Saturday’s “Sun City Night” Home Opener

9/4/2025 2:32:00 PM

NOTES: UTEP | UTM | CUSA

EL PASO – UTEP will host UT Martin in the 2025 home opener on Saturday night. Proud partner GECU is the game sponsor, as the Miners and Skyhawks will kick off "Sun City 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 by 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 Miners (0-1) and Skyhawks (0-1) are meeting for the first time.

UTEP is coming off a 28-16 setback in the season opener at Utah State. Highly-touted QB Malachi Nelson made his first collegiate start and threw his first collegiate touchdown to WR Kenny Odom, which gave the Miners a 7-3 lead. After trailing 20-7, junior transfer and El Paso native K Carlos Arreola hit a 42-yard field goal on his first attempt as a Miner that got UTEP within 10 points (20-10) before the half. RB Ashten Emory's first career touchdown early in the fourth got the Miners within 12 points.

UT Martin, a perennial FCS playoff team, fell at Oklahoma State on Aug. 30. Bryce Bailey threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to John Gentry in the first quarter to make the score 14-7 at the 2:15 mark. The Cowboys would go on to score the next 13 points. Head Coach Jason Simpson, who has won 124 career games, returns for his 20^th season at the helm.

The UTEP "Orange Swarm" defense got after it the quarterback last Saturday night as the Miners racked up six sacks at Utah State. It was tied for the most in week one action. The defense has racked up 42 sacks over the last 13 games, dating back to the end of last season. Newcomers DL Ashaad Hall recorded 2.0 sacks, while LB Micah Davey (1.0), Bandit Udoka Ezeani (1.0) and LB Joshua Rudolph (0.5) each got the quarterback too. Redshirt freshman Elijah Baldwin, from Scotty Wadlen's first signing class, recorded his first career sacks with 1.5. S Xavier Smith continued his strong play as he led the defense with nine tackles.

UTEP is looking to win its first home opener since 2023 when the Miners defeated UIW 28-14, on Sept. 2.

UTEP (0-1, 0-0) vs. UT Martin (0-1, 0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 6
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 Skyhawks 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. UT MARTIN
Saturday's game will mark the first meeting between the Miners and Skyhawks.

ABOUT UT MARTIN
The Skyhawks are coming off a 27-7 loss at Big 12 power Oklahoma State on Aug. 30. Bryce Bailey threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to John Gentry in the first quarter to make the score 14-7 at the 2:15 mark. The Cowboys would go on to score the next 13 points. UTM totaled 225 yards of offense and allowed 359. Jase Bauer led UT Martin with 70 yards on 9-of-16 passing and an interception. Gentry rushed for a team-high 51 yards on 16 carries, while Bauer gained 37 yards on 11 attempts. Gentry led the way with 45 yards on a pair of receptions and a TD. Deuce Oliver tallied 31 yards on a trio of catches. Defensively, Jacob Stevenson and Shamari Weir tied for the team lead with seven tackles apiece. Shamari added a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Keyshawn Johnson tallied 2.0 TFLs and a sack to go along with three tackles. Last season, UT Martin finished 9-5 with a trip to the FCS Playoffs. UTM head coach Jason Simpson is in his 20^th season and has racked up 124 wins and five OVC championships over that span.

HOME OPENERS
The Miners are 63-39-4 in home openers, including 6-4 in their last 10. Last season, UTEP fell to Southern Utah 24-17 in overtime on Sept. 7, 2024. UTEP beat UIW 28-14 in the 2023 home opener.

16 NEW STARTERS
UTEP had 16 players make their first starts as a Miner at Utah State on Saturday night. On the "Orange Swarm" defense, S Solo Barnes, CB Marcell Blocker, CB Neil Campbell, LB Micah Davey, Bandit Udoka Ezeani, DL Ashaad Hall, LB Joshua Rudolph, and DL Tyler Scott got the nod. Starting for the "Blue Blaze" offense were TE Judah Ezinwa, QB Malachi Nelson, OL Mark Robinson, WR Jet Thompson, OL James Williams and WR Eric Willis III. On the Wefense, K Carlos Arreola and P Noah Botsford made their debuts.

LOTS OF DEBUTS
A total of 31 Miners made their UTEP debuts on Saturday at Utah State. Part of that group was CB Yessman Green and WR Marcus Torres, who both joined the program before the 2024 season. Green missed all of 2024 due to injury, while Torres was on the scout team. Green saw action at the corner position, while Torres saw action on offense in his first collegiate action.

ORANGE SWARM SACK ATTACK CONTINUES…
After compiling a Conference USA-most 36 sacks in 2024 and the most for the program in 20 years, the Miners continued the trend in 2025, tallying six sacks at Utah State on Aug. 30. UTEP posted the most in CUSA in week one, and is tied for first in FBS with Kansas and Air Force in sacks per game (6.0). Kansas State leads the nation with seven sacks, however, in two games played (3.5 per game).

TFL'S GALORE
UTEP racked up 12 tackles for loss at Utah State. The Miners ranked tied for second in FBS with LA Tech and Michigan State. Bandit Udoka Ezeani posted 4.0 TFLs, while DL Ashaad Hall grabbed 2.0 TFLs. DL Elijah Baldwin and DT KD Johnson each tallied 1.5 TFLs. CB Justin Content, LB Micah Davey and LB Joshua Rudolph each recorded a TFL.

GETTING AFTER THE QB
DL Ashaad Hall posted a team-high 2.0 sacks in his debut at Utah State. Redshirt freshman Elijah Baldwintallied 1.5 sacks, the first sacks of his career. LB Micah Davey (1.0), bandit Udoka Ezeani (1.0), and LB Joshua Rudolph (0.5) each recorded sacks in their Miner debuts.

SACK MAN
DL Ashaad Hall registered 2.0 sacks in his UTEP debut as he tied for first in CUSA and tied fourth nationally with his week one total. Hall is no stranger to taking down the opposing signal caller, as he produced 11.0 sacks while at South Carolina State last season. Overall, Hall recorded 12.0 sacks in his SCS career.

UDOKA PLAYING BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE
Bandit Udoka Ezeani came up with big numbers in his UTEP debut at Utah State. Ezeani posted a collegiate career-best 4.0 tackles for loss, while bullying his way to a sack on the Aggies' QB Bryson Barnes. Ezeani added seven tackles in his stat line.

DAVEY & RUDOLPH IMPRESSIVE EFFORTS
LB's Micah Davey and Joshua Rudolph each racked up eight tackles in their UTEP debuts at Utah State on Aug. 30. The pair tied for second on the team with their stops. Davey also registered a sack and TFL, while Rudolph had a TFL and half a sack.

OTHER NOTABLE DEFENSIVE DEBUTS
LB Jayden Wilson (five tackles, QB hurry), CB Neil Campbell (four tackles), S Solo Barnes (three tackles, breakup) and CB Marcell Blocker (three tackles) put up solid numbers for defensive coordinator Bobby Daly.

BALDWIN'S BREAKOUT
Redshirt freshman DL Elijah Baldwin posted 1.5 sacks at Utah State, the first of his young career. He posted his first career sack during the third quarter when Baldwin used a quick step past the o-line to sack USU QB Bryson Barnes for a loss of nine yards. He added a half sack (three yards) during the fourth. Overall, Baldwin posted a career-best three tackles and a pass breakup.

X MARKS THE SPOT
Redshirt junior S Xavier Smith made his 11^th career start in his second season with the Miners and led the defense with nine tackles at Utah State in the season opener. Last year, Smith led all UTEP defensive backs in tackles (78) in his first season with the Miners.

MALACHI'S FIRST COLLEGIATE START, TD PASS
QB Malachi Nelson, after transferring from Boise State, made his first collegiate start at Utah State. Nelson finished with 178 yards on 22-of-34 passing, including a 34-yard touchdown pass, the first of his college career. Nelson hooked up with WR Kenny Odom late in the first quarter, which gave the Miners a 7-3 lead. Nelson added seven rushing attempts (two yards), while he booted his first punt on a pooch kick for 47 yards.

MINERS' O-LINE
UTEP had two new starters on the left side of the offensive line as transfers LG James Williams (6-3, 325) and LT Mark Robinson (6-5, 320) made their debuts at Utah State. Williams graded the highest at 78 percent, along with three knockdowns. Anchoring the pair was C Ivan Escobar (6-2, 305), who made his 12^th career start. Escobar had five knockdowns. RG Joseph Immediato (6-4, 318) made his third career start, while RT Jake Utley (6-6, 315) recorded just his second career start. The line allowed two sacks against the Aggies.

FIRST TD FOR EMORY
RB Ashten Emory rushed for a career-high 31 yards while scoring his first career touchdown on a two-yard run into the end zone at Utah State. Emory carried the ball six times (tied career high) to average 5.2 yards per carry and tallied a career-long rush of 11 yards. Emory added a nine-yard reception to tally a career-high 40 all-purpose yards.

KENNY HAULING IN PASSES
WR Kenny Odom registered a career-high nine receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown at Utah State in his second season with the Miners. Odom's 34-yard touchdown reception from new UTEP QB Malachi Nelson gave the Miners a 7-3 lead on Saturday. Odom has scored nine touchdowns in his UTEP career. Odom's nine receptions tied first in CUSA and tied for fourth nationally. His 97 yards in the air were sixth best in CUSA.

ODOM'S ALL-PURPOSE YARDS
Kenny Odom tallied his first rushing yards in week one, tallying two carries for 16 yards. Overall, Odom recorded 113 all-purpose yards.

CAREER HIGHS FOR KAM
MB Kam Thomas tallied career highs in rushing yards (36), rushing attempts (16), long rush (17 yards) and punt returns (five) at Utah State.

MARQUEZ'S EFFORT
RB Marquez Taylor saw his first real collegiate action at Utah State after he posted career highs in rushing yards (18), rush attempts (four) and long rush (10 yards) against the Aggies. Taylor added his first career reception for four yards at USU. Taylor came up with a career-best 71 all-purpose yards after returning three kickoffs for 49 yards.

BOTSFORD BOPPING FOOTBALLS
P Noah Botsford, a transfer from Valdosta State, booted in a 64-yard punt in his UTEP debut at Utah State. Botsford averaged 47.6 yards per punt (ranked 24^th in FBS, 3^rd in CUSA) on nine kicks (381 yards). His 64-yarder was the longest on the road by a UTEP punter since 2023. Botsford landed one inside the 20 and had a touchback.

RAY GUY AWARD
Noah Botsford was announced to the 2025 Ray Guy Ongoing Watch List on Sept. 3, following his performance last week.

THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS
K Carlos Arreola, a transfer from Sul Ross State and graduate of Clint High School, connected on his first-ever field goal attempt as a Miner – a 42-yard make that ended the first half at Utah State. Arreola added a PAT, scoring four points in his FBS debut.

GETTING AFTER IT ON SPECIAL TEAMS
LS Josh Hancock tallied two tackles on special teams at Utah State. He was credited with his first career tackle during the third quarter on a two-yard punt return. His second came during the fourth on an eight-yard punt return.

UP NEXT
UTEP will take on Texas on Sept. 13 in Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium (100,119) in Austin. The Miners and Longhorns are set to kick off at 2:15 p.m. MT/3:15 CT on the SEC Network. The contest can also be heard on 95.5 KLAQ and the UTEP Miners app.

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