UTEP Hosts Hawai’i for the First Time in 22 Years Saturday Night

11/5/2026 2:03:00 PM

GAME NOTES: UTEP | HAWAI'I | MOUNTAIN WEST

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP will host Hawai'i for the first time since 2004 as the Miners and Rainbow Warriors clash in the Sun Bowl on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MST on FS1. The El Paso Children's Hospital is the game's proud sponsor, while leis are the giveaway.

Fans can tune in to the Miners and Rainbow Warriors 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 Incarnate Word at 1 p.m. Fans who purchase a women's basketball ticket can redeem a free UTEP-Hawai'i 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 and Hawai'i last met on Oct. 16, 2004, when the Miners defeated the Rainbow Warriors, 51-20, at the Sun Bowl. Current Hawai'i head coach Timmy Chang returns to El Paso as he was the starting quarterback in that game under then-head coach June Jones.

UTEP (1-7, 0-4 MW) fell in its sixth straight contest, losing 31-7 at North Dakota State on Oct. 31. Kaleb Miles's second interception of the season led to Raymond Moore III's 57-yard touchdown dash on the Miners' first play from scrimmage for an early 7-0 lead. The "Orange Swarm" defense held its own, forcing the Bison to kick a 30-yard field goal following a 16-play, 83-yard drive to maintain a four-point edge. However, NDSU scored the next 28 points, including two late touchdowns with under two minutes in the game. Moore III led the Miners with 67 yards on the ground, while EJ Colson Jr. finished 11-of-16 for 59 yards and two picks. Jaden Smith, who leads the team with 34 receptions, hauled in six for 41 yards. Esteban Guillory shined on defense, racking up a career-high 12 tackles. Kode Lowe added 10, and Justin Content had nine, including a career-high 2.0 tackles for loss.

Hawai'i (2-6, 1-4 MW) is coming off its bye week following a 56-21 win at NIU on Oct. 24. The Rainbow Warriors tallied a season-high 504 yards of total offense, while yielding 266. NIU tied the game at 14-14, but Hawai'i went on to score the next 35 points to take a commanding 49-14 lead late in the third quarter. Micah Alejado finished 22-of-32 for 323 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. DeVon Rice rushed for a game-high 71 yards and three scores. Audric Harris tallied 90 yards on two catches, and Frank Abreu hauled in a pair of touchdowns. Overall, Hawai'i's total offense (365.4 yards per game) ranks third in the MW. UH's passing offense (275.8 yards per game) ranks 22^nd in the FBS and No. 1 in the MW. Alejado leads the league in passing yards per game (273.3) and total passing yards (2,186). Alejado has thrown nine touchdowns and six interceptions. Rice has rushed for 385 yards and six touchdowns. Devin Alves (19.5 yards per reception) and Harris (19.3) rank second and third, respectively, in yards per catch. Kainoa "Kaikai" Carvalho leads the team and ranks fifth in the MW with 399 yards on 35 receptions. Senior linebacker Jamih Otis leads UH with 54 total tackles (ranked t-14^th in the MW).

"We're excited to get back home," third-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. "We have a really good opponent in Hawai'i coming here. The first thing that sticks out about the Rainbow Warriors is that they play extremely hard, in all phases of the game. They run routes hard, and they block hard. Their quarterback extends plays and will be one of the better quarterbacks we see in terms of dissecting you pre-snap and getting the ball out quickly. They have skill players they put in space; Coach [Timmy] Chang does a great job with that offense. Defensively, they're multiple. Going from playing North Dakota State to playing Hawai'i is a 180 in terms of their style of play. North Dakota State will line up and do what they do, and you know what they are going to be on defense. Hawai'i has a system, but it will be very multiple in that system. They'll give you diverse fronts, diverse coverages, and do a great job mixing it up."

UTEP (1-7, 0-4) vs. Hawai'i (2-6, 1-4)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m. MST
Location: El Paso, Texas
Venue: Sun Bowl Stadium (45,971)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

Television: FS1
PxP: Carlo Jimenéz
Analyst: Petros Papadakis

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

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Rainbow Warriors 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. HAWAI'I
Hawai'i leads the all-time series 18-13. UTEP is 8-6 all-time in El Paso. The Miners defeated the Warriors 51-20 on Oct. 16, 2004, in the Sun Bowl. UTEP racked up 490 yards of total offense to Hawai'i's 436.

THE LAST MEETING
UTEP defeated Hawai'i 51-20 on Oct. 16, 2004, in the Sun Bowl. RB Howard Jackson rushed for a game-high 138 yards and a touchdown, while QB Jordan Palmer threw for 317 yards and five touchdowns. WR Johnnie Lee Higginstallied 104 yards on six receptions and a touchdown. LB Robert Rodriguez and CB Nate Draughon each recorded eight tackles to lead the defense. The Miners got on the board first when TE Jonas Crafts hauled in a three-yard touchdown from Palmer, while WR Chris Francies's 15-yard TD reception put UTEP up 14-0. The Rainbow Warriors got within a point (14-13) following an Abraham Elimimian 20-yard interception return for a score, but the Miners extended the lead to 44-13 following Higgins's 16-yard touchdown, K Reagan Schneider's 48-yard field goal, Francies's second TD (nine-yard score), RB Josh Chamois's one-yard touchdown run, and Jackson's five-yard run. Current Hawai'i head coach Timmy Chang was Hawai'i's starting quarterback, throwing for 294 yards (26-49) and two touchdowns.

CONFERENCE FOES ONCE AGAIN
UTEP and Hawai'i were Western Athletic Conference rivals from 1979 to 2004. The first meeting as WAC members was on Oct. 27, 1979. UH was 15-9 versus UTEP in 24 WAC meetings.

ABOUT HAWAI'I
The Rainbow Warriors are coming off their bye week after defeating NIU 56-21 on Oct. 24 in DeKalb. Hawai'i defeated NM State 29-19 on Sept. 12, in Honolulu. The Warriors racked up 504 yards of total offense (329 passing, 175 rushing) against the Huskies. NIU tied the game on multiple occasions, including 14-14 before Hawai'i scored 35 unanswered points to take a 49-14 lead. Micah Alejado threw for 323 yards on 22-of-32 passing, including three touchdown passes and an interception. DeVon Rice led the way with 71 yards and three TDs on the ground. Audric Harris led UH with 90 yards on two receptions. Elijah Palmer led the defense with eight tackles. Hawai'i ranks 23^rd in the FBS and No. 1 in the Mountain West in passing offense (275.8). Hawai'i is third in the MW in total offense (365.4). Alejado leads the MW in passing yards per game (273.3) and passing yards (2,186). He's fourth in touchdown passes (nine) and fifth in QB rating (119.68). Hawai'i's total defense (368.3) is fifth, and scoring defense (24.5) ranks eighth in the MW.

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.

ANOTHER LONG TD RUN
QB Raymond Moore III rushed 57 yards to the house in the Miners' first play from scrimmage at North Dakota State. Moore III's first TD run of the season was a 79-yarder against Texas Southern, while his second was an 86-yard score at New Mexico. His 86-yarder is the longest run in the Mountain West this season and the longest rushing play by a UTEP quarterback in program history.

UTEP'S LEADING RUSHER
Raymond Moore III leads UTEP with 481 yards on 70 attempts (6.9 avg.) and three touchdowns after leading the Miners with 67 yards and a TD at NDSU. Moore III ranks 11^th in the Mountain West in rushing yards per game (60.1) and is 11^thin total rushing yards (481). 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.

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.

JADEN SMITH'S LAST 3 GAMES
WR Jaden Smith led the Miners with 41 yards on six receptions at NDSU. Smith has tallied 22 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown in the last three games. Against San José State, Smith hauled in a career-high 12 catches for 90 yards.

JADEN'S RANKINGS
Jaden Smith leads UTEP with 34 receptions, while ranking fifth in the Mountain West. Smith ranks 18^th with 274 receiving yards.

LONG RUSH FOR JADEN
Jaden Smith tallied a career-long rush for 21 yards at NDSU. Smith has rushed for 34 yards on four carries (8.5 avg.) this season.

CAREER FOR GUILLORY
S Esteban Guillory notched a career-high 12 tackles at NDSU. His previous career high was six against San José State. Guillory has 23 tackles in his last three games. Guillory ranks fourth on the team with 40 tackles. He's tied for the team lead with 23 solo tackles.

MILES GETS ANOTHER INT
CB Kaleb Miles intercepted a pass that led to the Miners' touchdown at NDSU. Miles leads the Miners with two picks. He added four tackles against the Bison. Miles has intercepted four passes in his last two seasons after picking off a pair while playing at East Texas A&M in 2025.

MINERS' LEADING TACKLER
LB Jayden Wilson leads the "Orange Swarm" defense with 47 tackles. Wilson ranks 23^rd in the Mountain West.

CONTENT TACKLES
CB Justin Content tallied a career-high 2.0 tackles for loss along with nine total tackles at NDSU. Content ranks third on the defense with 41 tackles. Content ranks 10^th among Mountain West defensive backs in total tackles.

DOUBLE DIGITS FOR LOWE
S Kode Lowe tallied 10 tackles at NDSU. It's the fourth time that Lowe recorded double-digit tackles in his collegiate career. Lowe tallied a career-high 14 tackles at New Mexico on Oct. 3. Lowe totaled 12 against West Alabama on Sept. 21, 2024, and 10 tackles on Dec. 10, 2022, at Ferris State, while at West Florida.

FIRST START FOR LEE
LB Justin Lee made his first career start at NDSU. The redshirt freshman tallied a career-high four tackles (two solo). Lee has eight tackles on the season.

PLAYING TIME FOR DADRIAN
Freshman DL DAdrian Tinney-Anderson saw his first significant playing time at NDSU, tallying his first career tackles with three. Tinney-Anderson saw his first collegiate action at No. 19 Michigan.

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

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 hosts Wyoming on "Senior Night" Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. The Miners and Cowboys will be nationally televised on FS1. The Miners are hosting the Cowboys for the first time since the 1995 season.

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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