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Ezinwa TD v UH
17
Winner Hawaii HAW 3-6 , 2-4
14
UTEP TEP 1-8 , 0-5
Winner
Hawaii HAW
3-6 , 2-4
17
Final
14
UTEP TEP
1-8 , 0-5
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HAW Hawaii 7 3 0 7 17
TEP UTEP 0 7 0 7 14

Game Recap: Football |

UTEP Falls Short Against Hawai’i, 17-14, Saturday Night in the Sun Bowl


GAME BOOK | POSTGAME NOTES

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP rallied late and cut a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to three, but Hawai'i controlled the ball in the closing minutes and held on for a 17-14 victory Saturday night at Sun Bowl Stadium. 
 
The Miners (1-8, 0-5 MW) outgained Hawaii on the ground, 179-121, and averaged 5.8 yards per carry, but the Rainbow Warriors (3-6, 2-4 MW) used a significant advantage in time of possession (36:35 to 23:25) and 303 passing yards to escape with the win. 
 
UTEP's defense kept the game within reach throughout the night despite Hawai'i totaling 424 yards of offense. The Miners recorded two sacks and limited the Rainbow Warriors to just seven points after halftime until the fourth quarter. 
 
Hawai'i struck first when quarterback Micah Alejado connected with Titan Lacaden on a 20-yard touchdown pass late in the opening quarter for a 7-0 lead. The Rainbow Warriors stretched the margin to 10-0 on Sean Olvera-Harle's 20-yard field goal early in the second quarter. 
 
The Miners responded immediately. Following Hawai'i's field goal, UTEP needed only three plays to travel 65 yards, highlighted by a 22-yard run from Cash Cheeks and a 23-yard rush by Lamar Sperling. Sperling capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to 10-7 with 6:25 remaining before halftime. 
 
"We were really close tonight but ultimately made too many critical errors and missed too many opportunities down the stretch," UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. "There were a few plays that changed the game, whether it was penalties that extended drives or our inability to convert on third down and stay on the field offensively. I thought our kids fought, and I'm proud of the effort they showed."
 
After a scoreless third quarter, Hawai'i pieced together a 12-play, 98-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than six minutes. Sitani Mikaele finished the march with a six-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 17-7 with 10:08 left in the contest. 
 
UTEP answered with its best passing drive of the evening. Raymond Moore III hit Carver Cheeks for a 36-yard gain to ignite a seven-play, 79-yard drive. Moore III later found Judah Ezinwa for a 15-yard touchdown pass, pulling the Miners within 17-14 with 6:57 remaining. 
 
The Rainbow Warriors, however, put the game away with a nearly seven-minute drive that converted multiple third downs and never gave the Miners another possession. Hawai'i ran out the final 1:58 with three consecutive kneel-downs inside the UTEP 25-yard line. 
 
Sperling led UTEP's rushing attack with a season-high 63 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while Moore III added 41 rushing yards and completed 9-of-18 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Carver Cheeks paced the receiving corps with 46 yards on two catches, and Ezinwa hauled in the game's lone receiving touchdown for the Miners. It was Ezinwa's first touchdown as a Miner and the first collegiate score since 2022. 
 
Defensively, Jayden Wilson totaled a team-high 11 tackles, while Xavier Smith added nine tackles and intercepted a pass late in the second quarter. Kode Lowe contributed a sack, his first as a Miner, and seven tackles. 
 
"Defensively, we played stout, forced a turnover, and gave ourselves chances, but Hawai'i did a good job extending plays and controlling possession when it mattered," Walden said.  "Offensively, I thought Ray Moore stepped up and competed well, our offensive line took some steps forward, and we made some plays down the field. It's frustrating to come up short, especially for our fans who continue to show up and support us, but the only thing that's going to change this is us. We've got to execute better, get back to work, and be ready to go next week."
 
Hawai'i was led by Alejado, who completed 26-of-40 passes for 303 yards and a touchdown. Lacaden caught 11 passes for 109 yards and a score, while Audric Harris added 101 receiving yards. 
 
The Miners finished with 288 total yards, while Hawaii amassed 424 yards and converted 8-of-15 third-down opportunities.
 
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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