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Moore III, Raymond
27
Winner Wyoming WYO 7-3 , 6-1
15
UTEP TEP 1-9 , 0-6
Winner
Wyoming WYO
7-3 , 6-1
27
Final
15
UTEP TEP
1-9 , 0-6
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WYO Wyoming 14 10 0 3 27
TEP UTEP 6 0 3 6 15

Game Recap: Football |

Moore III Rushes for 164 Yards, But UTEP Falls to Wyoming, 27-15


GAME BOOK | POSTGAME NOTES

EL PASO, Texas – Raymond Moore III rushed for a career-high 164 yards and a touchdown, while the UTEP defense forced three turnovers, but Wyoming capitalized on key opportunities to defeat the Miners, 27-15, on Saturday night at the Sun Bowl. 
 
UTEP (1-9, 0-6 MW) struck first when Moore III broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run with 8:11 remaining in the opening quarter. The explosive scoring play marked the season's second-longest rush and gave UTEP an early 6-0 advantage. 
 
Wyoming (7-3, 6-1 MW) answered with 24 consecutive points. The Cowboys tied the contest on a three-yard touchdown pass from Markell Holman to Landon Pace, then took the lead later in the first quarter on a 21-yard touchdown connection between Landon Sims and Samuel Harris. 
 
The visitors extended their lead in the second quarter as Harris broke loose for a 33-yard touchdown run before Erik Sandvik added a 30-yard field goal with 54 seconds remaining in the half, giving Wyoming a 24-6 cushion at the break. 
 
"Bottom line is we didn't play good enough in the critical moments," third-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. "I told the team in the locker room, we didn't execute in those critical moments in order to win this game. We had several opportunities; at the end of the day, the calls and execution fall on me as a coach, and I take full responsibility. I have to have our team better prepared in those moments to execute. That's the bottom line. I thought our kids played hard and played for each other."
 
UTEP made a push in the second half. Carlos Arreola drilled a career-long 55-yard field goal with 50 seconds left in the third quarter to trim the deficit to 24-9. Moments later, the Miners forced a turnover when Jayden Wilson jarred the ball loose from Justin Popovich, with Justin Content recovering at the Wyoming 43-yard line. 
 
The Miners continued their comeback bid early in the fourth quarter. Following a Wyoming fumble forced by Shakaun Bowser and recovered by Leander Parrish, UTEP marched 43 yards in nine plays. Elijah McCoy capped the drive with his first career touchdown on a one-yard run that cut the margin to 24-15 with 12:00 remaining. 
 
After another defensive stop, the Miners had an opportunity to make it a one-possession game but missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt. Wyoming responded with a 41-yard field goal by Sandvik with 6:40 left to restore a 12-point lead and ultimately secure the victory. 
UTEP finished with 218 rushing yards and outgained Wyoming on the ground, 218-151. 
 
However, the Cowboys controlled the passing game, holding a 292-87 advantage through the air and a 443-305 edge in total offense. 
 
Along with his 164 rushing yards on 20 carries, Moore III completed 11-of-19 passes for 87 yards, while Kam Thomas paced UTEP receivers with three catches. 
 
Defensively, Garrett Hawkins led the Miners with a career-high 10 tackles, while Wilson recorded nine stops and forced a fumble. Bowser and Justin Lee each recorded a career-high seven tackles, while Kaleb Miles matched his career best with seven stops. Parrish contributed a sack and recovered two fumbles, marking the first fumble recoveries of his career. The Miners also excelled against the run, limiting Wyoming to 151 rushing yards one week after the Cowboys piled up 376 yards on the ground against UNLV.  
 
Wyoming was led by Samuel Harris, who accounted for 148 all-purpose yards, including 66 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards, and two total touchdowns. Landon Sims completed 19-of-25 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown as the Cowboys remained atop the Mountain West standings.
 
In front of 8,334 fans at the Sun Bowl, the Miners forced three turnovers and scored nine unanswered points in the second half before Wyoming held off the late charge.
 
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 16th 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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