UTEP Hosts Texas Southern in Saturday’s Home Opener on ‘Heritage Night’

9/10/2026 4:38:00 PM

GAME NOTES: UTEP | TEXAS SOUTHERN | MOUNTAIN WEST

EL PASO – The UTEP football team will host FCS program Texas Southern on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Miners (0-1) and Tigers (1-1, 0-1 SWAC) will kick off at 7 p.m. MT in the Sun Bowl. The Miners' home opener features 'Heritage Night' with GECU serving as the presenting sponsor. The first 10,000 fans will receive a black 'Heritage Night' T-shirt.

Tickets are available starting at $20 by visiting 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). Football/volleyball combo packs are also available for $26. UTEP volleyball hosts UC San Diego at 3 p.m. in Memorial Gym.

"Our kids take a lot of pride defending the Sun Bowl, and we are excited to be back home," third-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. "We're excited to play in the Sun Bowl, and it just means more to play in the Sun Bowl. It's imperative we play well at home in front of our home crowd and defending our turf."

Fans can listen to the Miners and Tigers on 95.5 KLAQ with "The Voice of the UTEP Miners," Jon Teicher, returning for his 46th 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 last played Texas Southern on Sept. 22, 2007, in the fourth meeting overall. The Miners have outscored the Tigers 149-18 in the series.

UTEP is coming off a 51-0 loss at No. 10 Oklahoma in the season opener on Sept. 4. EJ Colson Jr. made his first start under center as a Miner, throwing for 52 yards (6-12) and rushing for 25 yards on 16 attempts. Backup quarterback Raymond Moore III saw playing time, leading the Miners with 49 yards on the ground (nine attempts), including a game-long run of 51 yards. El Paso native Tavorus Jones made his UTEP debut, gathering 46 all-purpose yards (24 rush, 22 rec.). Newcomers on the "Orange Swarm" defense, safety Donavan Howard (six tackles) and cornerback Kaleb Miles (five), led the Miners in tackles. Defensive lineman Derek Burns, who missed all of 2025 due to an injury after transferring from NM State, saw his first action in a UTEP uniform, recording three tackles, a sack, 2.0 tackles for loss (15 yards) and a forced fumble. True freshman defensive back Adarius Hutchinson registered a fumble recovery and two tackles.

The Tigers have split their first two games this season, defeating NC Central 42-30 on Aug. 29 in Houston. Texas Southern followed with a 52-14 loss at Prairie View A&M to open SWAC play on Sept. 6 in Panther Stadium. In its first game, TSU racked up 462 yards of total offense, including 277 on the ground. Quarterback Cam'Ron McCoy led with three touchdown passes while running for 38 yards. Running back Athean Renfro Jr. led the Tigers with 163 yards on 18 carries (9.1 avg.) and a score. Wide receiver JaQuan McGeen led the way with 115 yards on four receptions (28.8 avg.) and two touchdowns. At Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern gained 318 yards of offense, with 216 coming via the rush. Running back Ri'Jon Hammond and McCoy each ran for a score. Renfro paced TSU with 85 rushing yards. Overall, the Tigers are averaging 28.0 points per game while giving up 41.0 points per contest. Linebacker Donovan Jones leads the defense with 14 tackles, while defensive lineman Garfield Lawrence leads with 3.5 TFL (17 yards) and 2.0 sacks (12 yards). TSU head coach Cris Dishman is in his third year at the helm. He directed the Tigers to a 6-5 mark in 2025, their first winning season since 2000.

"Cris Dishman is a heck of a coach and [Texas Southern] has been putting up a lot of points. They have a great running game and their running back is the real deal," Walden said. "We have to contain their quarterback in the run game, and we have to gang tackle their running back [Athean Renfro Jr.]. This is a good football team. They fight and won't back down from no one. Garfield Lawrence is one of their best defensive players, and their MIKE linebacker Donovan Jones is a heck of a football player. Also No. 7, Quinton Murray Jr. is as good as I've seen in press coverage, man-to-man. We have a big-time challenge this weekend in the Sun Bowl. Our kids are hungry and appreciate the fight and mindset of this team."

UTEP (0-1, 0-0 MW) vs. Texas Southern (1-1, 0-1 SWAC)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 7 p.m. MDT
Location: El Paso, Texas
Venue: Sun Bowl Stadium (45,971)
X Updated: @UTEPFB

STREAM: MW+
PxP: Andy Morgan
Analyst: Cole Freytag

Radio: 95.5 FM KLAQ
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Aaron Price
Sideline: Mando Medina

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Tigers will be streamed on the MW+ with Andy Morgan and former UTEP WR Cole Freytag 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 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 member of the local media, Mando Medina, will report from the sidelines. The contest can also be heard on the UTEP Miners app.

SERIES VS. TEXAS SOUTHERN
The Miners are 3-0 against the Tigers – all in El Paso. UTEP defeated Texas Southern 52-12 in their last matchup on Sept. 22, 2007. The Miners also defeated TSU 45-0 on Nov. 12, 2005, and 52-6 in the first meeting on Sept. 8, 2001. UTEP has outscored TSU, 149-18. In the last meeting in 2007, RB Marcus Thomas rushed for 105 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. QB Trevor Vittatoe finished 10-of-16 for 199 yards on two touchdowns, and WR Joe West hauled in four passes for 88 yards. CB Braxton Amy led the Miners with six tackles, and K Jose Martinez connected on a 23-yard field goal.

ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN
The Tigers are coming off a 52-14 loss at Prairie View A&M to open SWAC play on Sunday. Texas Southern got within 10 points (17-7) following QB Cam'Ron McCoy's 17-yard touchdown rush early in the second, but couldn't get any closer. RB Ri'Jon Hammond capped the game with an eight-yard scoring run with five seconds left in the game. TSU recorded 318 yards of total offense while giving up 398 on defense. TSU rushed for 216 yards led by Athean Renfro's 85 yards on 17 carries (5.0 avg.). Hammond finished with 45 rushing yards and McCoy with 34. McCoy was 10-of-19 passing for 81 yards. The Tigers, however, opened the new campaign with a 42-30 win over N.C. Central on Aug. 29, in Houston. TSU gained 462 yards of total offense led by Renfro Jr.'s 163 yards on the ground. The Tigers rushed for 277 as a team. RB Jacob Robinson totaled 79 yards rushing and a touchdown. WR JaQuan McGee racked up 115 yards on four receptions with two scores and a long catch of 41 yards. LB Donovan Jones led the team with eight tackles, added a TFL and QB hurry. Jones leads the team with 14 tackles. Cris Dishman is in his third year as head coach. The former Houston Oiler defensive back led the Tigers to a 6-5 mark in 2025, making it their first winning season since 2000.

UTEP VS. FCS
UTEP is 10-2 in its last 12 games versus Football Championship Subdivision programs. The Miners defeated UT Martin 42-17 in 2025, fell against SUU 27-24 OT in 2024, beat UIW 28-14 in 2023, defeated Bethune-Cookman 38-28 in 2021, bested SFA 24-14 and Abilene Christian 17-13 in 2020, edged out Houston Baptist 36-34 in 2019, lost against Northern Arizona 30-10 in 2018, ran over Houston Baptist 42-10 in 2016 and outlasted UIW 27-17 in 2015, rallied to beat Stony Brook 31-24 OT in 2011, overwhelmed Arkansas-Pine Bluff 31-10 in 2010.

UTEP IN HOME OPENERS
The Miners are 64-39-4 in home openers, including 7-4 in their last 11. Last season, the Miners defeated UT Martin 42-17 on Sept. 6, 2025.

THE SWITCHEROO
LB Isaiah Bogerty transferred to UTEP from Texas Southern. The 6-3, 236-pounder played in 31 career games at TSU, while being named 2025 All-SWAC second team after posting 82 tackles. Texas Southern features three former Miners – DL Nico Guerra (2025), TE Xavier Phipps (2024), and DL Machi Robinson (2025).

FIRST GAME UNDER CENTER AS MINERS' QB1
QB EJ Colson Jr. made his first career start with UTEP at No. 10/9 Oklahoma. Colson Jr. threw for 52 yards on 6-of-12 passing, while rushing for 25 yards on 16 attempts. Colson Jr.'s first completed pass as a Miner was to RB Tavorus Jonesfor six yards.

CASH'S DEBUT
TE Cash Cheeks, who missed all of 2025 due to an injury after transferring from Northern Colorado, made his first reception as a Miner at No. 10 OU, going for 22 yards. It was Cheeks's first catch since Nov. 16, 2024, against Northern Arizona while at UNC. It was also his fourth career catch of 20+ yards.

CARVER'S DEBUT
WR Carver Cheeks, who joined brother Cash, tallied two receptions for 13 yards. His first reception went for five yards. Cheeks racked up 1,284 yards on 91 catches in 23 games at Northern Colorado (2024-2025). Cheeks had 929 yards on 71 receptions and six TDs last year.

BROTHERS UNITED
Cash and Carver Cheeks both played at Northern Colorado in 2024. Before Friday's game at OU, the last time they shared a field for a game was Nov. 16, 2024, against Northern Arizona.

JONES'S RETURN TO NORMAN
RB Tavorus Jones, an El Paso native transfer from Missouri, returned to Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Sept. 4, against No. 10/9 OU. Jones tallied 22 yards on three receptions and rushed for 24 yards on five carries (46 all-purpose yards) in his UTEP debut. Jones played in Norman during the 2025 season while at Missouri, recording one reception for one yard.

JADEN'S FIRST GAME BACK SINCE '24
WR Jaden Smith made his way back to the gridiron on Sept. 4, at No. 10/9 OU. It was Smith's first game back since Sept. 21, 2024, at Colorado State. Smith played the first four games of 2024, tallying 177 yards on 21 receptions and a four-yard touchdown pass.

SECOND CAREER PASS
Jaden Smith threw an eight-yard pass to WR Carver Cheeks. It was Smith's second career completed pass as a Miner. Smith last threw a pass in 2024, a four-yard touchdown against Southern Utah on Sept. 7. Smith is 2-of-2 for 12 yards and a TD in his career.

FIRST RUSHING PLAY
WR Nik Henry recorded his first career rush, going 10 yards for a first down on a fourth-and-4 play at No. 10/9 Oklahoma.

MOORE III SEES ACTION
Backup QB Raymond Moore III saw his first action as a Miner at No. 10/9 OU. He led UTEP with 49 yards on nine rushing attempts, including a game-long 51-yard dash. Moore III was 3-of-5 passing for 26 yards.

FROM QB TO LB
LB Shay Smith, after playing quarterback the last two years, made the switch to linebacker in his third season. Smith tallied four tackles and 0.5 TFL.

BURNING THE DEFENSE
DL Derek Burns, who missed all of 2025 due to an injury, registered three tackles, a sack, 2.0 TFL and a forced fumble in his UTEP debut.

UTEP LEADER IN HIS DEBUT
S Donavan Howard led the "Orange Swarm" defense with six tackles in his first game as a Miner. Howard previously played at Virginia State, recording 65 tackles, four interceptions, and 13 passes defended in 20 games at VSU.

MILES STARTING AT CB
CB Kaleb Miles was second with five stops in his first game as a Miner. Miles transferred from East Texas A&M, where he totaled 49 tackles, five breakups and two interceptions in 11 games played during the 2025 campaign.

BACK ON THE GRIDIRON
LB Garrett Hawkins played in his first game since Sept. 13, 2025, at No. 7 Texas. Hawkins was credited with two tackles in his return at No. 10/9 OU. Hawkins also made his first career start as a Miner against the Sooners.

OTHER DEFENSIVE NOTABLES AT OU
True freshman DB Adarius Hutchinson recorded two tackles and a fumble recovery, while fellow freshman CB Decorian Thompson recorded two tackles. Spur LaTristan Thompson, a transfer from Utah, recorded a tackle and pass breakup.

JERSEY PATCHES - GECU & IBEW
UTEP is the first school in the Mountain West 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 take the road to No. 16 Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Miners and Wolverines are set for a 1:30 p.m. MDT/3:30 ET kickoff. The contest will be televised on the B1G Network and can be heard on 95.5 FM KLAQ and the UTEP Miners app.

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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