UTEP Takes on Wyoming for the First Time in 31 Years on Senior Night Saturday

11/13/2026 9:39:00 AM

GAME NOTES: UTEP | WYOMING | MW

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP will host Wyoming for the first time since 1995 as the Miners (1-8, 0-5 Mountain West) and Cowboys (6-3, 5-1 MW) square off in the Sun Bowl on Saturday night. Senior Night festivities will take place prior to the 8 p.m. MST kickoff on FS1. Bud Light is the game's presenting sponsor, while cowboy hats are the giveaway on Texas Western Night.

Fans can tune in to the Miners and Cowboys on 600 AM ESPN El Paso, "The Home of UTEP Football," and on the UTEP Miners app with "The Voice of the UTEP Miners" Jon Teicher, and former UTEP coach Aaron Price.

Two UTEP events are happening Saturday, as women's basketball hosts Alabama State at 1 p.m. Fans who purchase a women's basketball ticket can redeem a free UTEP-Wyoming football ticket at the Sun Bowl. For tickets, visit www.utepminers.com/tickets, call 915.747.UTEP, email tickets@utep.edu, or stop by the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office (500 W. University Ave., 79968).

UTEP is coming off a 17-14 setback against Hawai'i in the Sun Bowl on Nov. 7. The "Orange Swarm" defense yielded only 17 points against a Rainbow Warriors' offense that put up 56 in its previous game. However, the UTEP offense could muster up 288 yards of total offense, just above its season average. Lamar Sperling had his best performance as a Miner, rushing for a team-high 63 yards on 11 carries (5.7 avg.) including a five-yard touchdown that got the Miners within three points (10-7). Hawai'i took a 17-7 lead at the 10:08 mark of the fourth, but Raymond Moore III drove the Miners 79 yards on seven plays that resulted in Judah Ezinwa's first career touchdown on a five-yard one-grabbed catch followed by Carlos Arreola's PAT to make the score 17-14 with just under seven minutes remaining in the contest. The Warriors chewed off all 6:57 left in the contest using 13 plays (40 yards) to run out the clock.

Wyoming won its fourth straight game, defeating UNLV 41-35 in Vegas on Nov. 7. The Cowboys rushed for 376 yards and three touchdowns, and totaled a season-high 483 yards of offense. Quarterbacks Tyler Hughes and Landon Sims combined for 132 yards passing (7-15) and two touchdown passes, while adding 86 yards on the ground and one rushing score. Hughes ranks third in the MW with 676 rushing yards and leads all MW quarterbacks in that department. Wyoming ranks third in the MW, averaging 203.9 rushing yards per game. The Cowboys rank sixth in total defense (361.8) and fourth in scoring defense (21.7). Wyoming started the campaign 2-3, but following a 28-0 loss at North Dakota State on Oct. 3, the Cowboys bounced back to beat San José State 16-13 in overtime the following week. Wyoming then beat NIU 41-23 on Oct. 17 and Air Force 28-14 on Oct. 23.

"I'm excited to recognize [the seniors] but most importantly, Senior Day is about winning the football game and sending them out on a high note," third-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. My mindset and the team's mindset haven't changed. We have three games left and the attitude is to win all three. We have a great opponent coming [to the Sun Bowl]. I know their quarterback [Tyler Hughes] is doubtful for the game, but we're prepared for him; he's too good a player. They're playing really good football right now. They had some struggles early, but found a way to bounce back and are now a bowl-eligible team. Coach [Jay] Sawvel has done a great job with that program. Wyoming is big and physical. They're very similar to North Dakota State from a play-style standpoint. The difference is that, on offense, they're formationally diverse. They do a great job of game-planning you. They're going to move the backs around, and they're going to move the tight ends around; they'll have some unique formations. They've been playing at a really high level on offense."

UTEP (1-8, 0-5) vs. Wyoming (6-3, 5-1)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
Time: 8 p.m. MST
Location: El Paso, Texas
Venue: Sun Bowl Stadium (45,971)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

Television: FS1
PxP: Neil Sika
Analyst: Anthony Herron Jr.

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

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Cowboys will be nationally televised on FS1. Fans can listen to the action on the "Home of UTEP Football" on 600 ESPN AM El Paso, with "The Voice of the UTEP Miners," Jon Teicher, calling play-by-play in his 46th season. 'Teich', who called his 500^th game on Oct. 11, 2023, at FIU, is joined in the booth by former UTEP assistant coach Aaron Price for analysis. El Paso native and longtime local media member Mando Medina will report from the sidelines. The contest is also available on the UTEP Miners app.

SERIES VS. WYOMING
Wyoming leads the all-time series 26-6-1, including a 12-5 advantage in El Paso. The two programs last met Nov. 25, 1995, in the Sun Bowl with the Cowboys winning, 42-19. The two teams first met on Oct. 13, 1962, in El Paso. The Miners last beat the Cowboys on Nov. 17, 1984, 35-22, in the Sun Bowl. RB Tony George rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown, and Fred Williams recorded 14 tackles on defense.

THE LAST MEETING
Wyoming defeated UTEP 42-19 in the final game of the 1995 season in front of over 31,000 fans in Sun Bowl Stadium. The Cowboys outgained the Miners, 466-437. RB Toraino Singleton rushed for a team-high 76 yards on 22 carries, and QB John Rayborn threw for 190 yards (16-25). WR Cedric Johnson tallied 97 yards on four receptions. LB Michael Comer racked up 14 tackles.

CONFERENCE FOES ONCE AGAIN
UTEP and Wyoming were Western Athletic Conference rivals from 1968 to 1995. The first meeting as WAC members was on Nov. 11, 1968. The Cowboys were 20-6-1 against the Miners as WAC rivals.

ABOUT WYOMING
The Cowboys won their fourth consecutive game after starting the campaign 2-3. Wyoming is coming off a 41-35 victory at UNLV on Nov. 7. Wyoming jumped out to a 24-7 lead and eventually held off the Rebels' rally. The Cowboys rustled up 483 yards of total offense, including a season-high 351 yards on 56 attempts (6.3 avg.) and three rushing touchdowns. Samuel Harris rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns, while Markell Holman added 110 yards on the ground. Quarterback Tyler Hughes tallied 71 rushing yards and 107 passing yards (5-9) with a touchdown. The four-game winning streak started with a 16-13 overtime win at San José State on Oct. 9, beat NIU 41-23 on Oct. 17, and defeated Air Force 28-14 along the way. Wyoming ranks third in the Mountain West in rushing yards per game (203.9) and rushing touchdowns (16). Hughes leads the team and ranks third in the MW with 676 rushing yards, and Markell Holman is eighth with 547. The Cowboys rank sixth in the MW in total defense (361.8) and fourth in scoring defense (21.7). Ethan Stuhlsatz leads UW and ranks seventh in the MW with 69 tackles.

SENIOR NIGHT
Twenty-one seniors will be honored before kickoff on Saturday night. K Carlos Arreola, S Chace Biddle, LB Isaiah Bogerty, DL Shakaun Bowser, OL Jackson Bradley, P Brady Braun, DL Derek Burns, OL Juan Camacho Jr., TE Cash Cheeks, TE Judah Ezinwa, S Jaime Guerrero, K Cade Hechter, DL Preston Hickey, S Donavan Howard, RB Tavorus Jones, S Kode Lowe, OL Isaiah Maumalanga, Bandit Sterling Miles, WR Jaden Smith, S Xavier Smith and MB Kam Thomas will be recognized.

UTEP'S LEADING RUSHER
QB Raymond Moore III leads UTEP with 522 yards on 77 attempts (6.8 avg.) and three touchdowns after gaining 41 yards against Hawai'i. Moore III ranks 10^th in the Mountain West in rushing yards per game (58.0) and is 10^th in total rushing yards (522). Moore III has added long rushes of 57, 79, and 86 yards. Moore III rushed for a career-high 134 yards at New Mexico and rushed for 93 yards in the Miners' win over Texas Southern.

THIRD MOST BY A MW QB
Raymond Moore III has the third most rushing yards by a Mountain West quarterback. Moore III ranks behind Wyoming's Tyler Hughes (676 rushing yards) and Air Force's Evan Medders (549).

MW LEADER
Raymond Moore III leads the Mountain West in yards per carry (6.8 avg.). He's rushed for 522 yards on 77 carries. Moore III ranks 21^st in FBS.

BEEN A WHILE
Raymond Moore III is the team's leading rusher and could be the first UTEP quarterback to lead the squad in rushing yards since 1992, when Shawn Gray led the Miners with 402 yards on the ground.

SPERLING'S BREAKOUT
RB Lamar Sperling rushed for a season-high 63 yards on 11 attempts and scored his first touchdown as a Miner against Hawai'i. For Sperling, it was his most rushing yards and first rushing score since Sept. 27, 2025, when he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown against UConn while playing at Buffalo. Sperling has two touchdowns in 2026 after hauling in an 18-yard TD reception at No. 19 Michigan.

FIRST ONE!
TE Judah Ezinwa caught a 15-yard touchdown pass for his first touchdown as a Miner and his first collegiate TD since 2022, when he played at Mt. SAC. Ezinwa has been with the Miners since the 2023 season.

CARVE 'EM UP
WR Carver Cheeks tallied a career-long, slashing 22-yard rush against Hawai'i. It was Cheeks's first attempt this season and his fourth in the last two seasons. Cheeks rushed three times at Northern Colorado last season.

LONG SCRIMMAGE PLAYS
UTEP ranks second in the Mountain West with six 50+ yard plays, tied for first in the MW with four 60+ plays, tied for first with three 70+ yard plays, and first in 80+ yard plays. The Miners are the only program in the MW with at least one 80+ yard play.

FUMBLES FORCED/RECOVERED
UTEP ranks tied for second in the Mountain West with six fumble recoveries, and ranks tied for third in the MW with six forced fumbles.

LEAST POINTS ALLOWED VS FBS SCHOOL
The "Orange Swarm" defense allowed a season-low 17 points to an FBS school. It ties the lowest allowed versus an FBS program in the Scotty Walden era – 15 allowed vs. at Sam Houston (2025) & at LA Tech (2024). It's the least allowed in the Sun Bowl since yielding six against FIU on Nov. 19, 2022.

GET LOWE
S Kode Lowe recorded his first career sack against Hawai'i. It's Lowe's second collegiate sack after tallying one while playing at West Florida in 2024. Lowe added seven tackles against the Rainbow Warriors and ranks fifth on the team with 42 tackles.

X MARKS THE SPOT
S Xavier Smith intercepted his first pass of 2026 against Hawai'i, and his second in his UTEP career. Smith picked off his first pass at Texas last season. Smith tallied nine tackles against Hawai'i and ranks third on the defense with 47 tackles.

FORCING THE ISSUE
LB Jayden Wilson forced his first fumble of the season against Hawai'i. Wilson has three FFs in his UTEP career.

MINERS' LEADING TACKLER
Jayden Wilson leads UTEP with 58 tackles after racking up a team-high 11 against Hawai'i. Wilson ranks tied for 17^th in the Mountain West.

BALL HAWK
LB Garrett Hawkins recovered a fumble against Hawai'i, his second of the season. Hawkins added six tackles against the Rainbow Warriors. Hawkins ranks seventh on the team with 36 tackles.

KALEB'S PERFORMANCE
CB Kaleb Miles recorded career highs in tackles (seven) and pass breakups (two) against Hawai'i. Miles ranks eighth on the defense with 28 tackles.

DECORIAN COMING ON
CB Decorian Thompson, a true freshman, tallied a career-high seven tackles against Hawai'i. Thompson is tied for the team lead with three pass breakups. Thompson has tallied 24 tackles and a fumble recovery in his first collegiate season.

ROLL OF THE DYCIN
DE Dycin Davis registered career highs in tackles (five) and tackles for loss (1.5), while picking up his first career half sack against Hawai'i. Davis, also a true freshman, has registered 12 tackles with 2.5 TFL and a fumble recovery.

SACK ATTACKER
Bandit Sterling Miles tallied a career-high four tackles and recorded a half sack against Hawai'i. Miles leads the team with 4.0 sacks and ranks tied for 10^th in the Mountain West.

STUFFING THE MIDDLE
DT Elijah Fields tied his career best with five tackles, had his first QB hurry, and added a TFL against Hawai'i. Fields has tallied 26 tackles with 4.5 TFL, a sack and a forced fumble.

JERSEY PATCHES - GECU & IBEW
UTEP is the first Mountain West school with two jersey patches for football. On Aug. 17, UTEP Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Senter announced GECU as UTEP's inaugural jersey-patch partner. On Aug. 31, Senter announced The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) as the second jersey patch partner.

MW+ INFORMATION
MW+ will be the exclusive streaming platform for live events across all 21 Mountain West-sponsored sports not distributed on national linear television. Miner Nation can watch all its teams all season long, including matchups you won't find anywhere else. Exclusive access will be available with mic'd-up moments, behind-the-scenes, and original content. It'll be the one destination for everything Mountain West.
SIGN UP AT: https://watch.themw.com/utep/

UP NEXT
UTEP will hit the road for the first of back-to-back road games when the Miners take on Air Force on Friday, Nov. 20, in the 16^th meeting. It'll be the first matchup since 1995, when the two programs were Western Athletic Conference rivals. The Miners and Falcons will be televised on the CW.

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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