UTEP & Louisiana Tech square off in Tuesday night conference clash
EL PASO, Texas- UTEP, coming off its first victory of the season, will take the momentum on the road to LA Tech on Tuesday night as Conference USA’s Midweek Madness will conclude.
The Miners and Bulldogs are set for a 6 p.m. MDT/7 CT kickoff in Joe Aillet Stadium and will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
The Miners are looking for their first win in Ruston in 20 years. Fans can tune into “The Home of UTEP Football” 600 AM ESPN to listen to the action.
The Miners (1-6, 1-3 CUSA) won their first contest in the Scotty Walden era, defeating FIU 30-21 on Oct. 16 on national television.
The Panthers took a 21-20 lead with 38 seconds remaining in the third quarter following a UTEP turnover.
However, the “Blue Blaze” offense responded with a 10-play, 76-yard drive that chewed up over four minutes off the clock to begin the fourth.
The drive ended on a Jevon Jackson go-ahead one-yard touchdown while Buzz Flabiano followed with a 35-yard PAT to give UTEP a 27-21 advantage with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game.
Flabiano’s third field goal – a 39-yard make – put the Miners ahead nine points with 2:30 remaining.
Jackson ran for a season-high 148 yards and scored two touchdowns (22-yard rec., one-yard rush), while Flabiano tied a career best, connecting on three field goals (27, 44, 39) to lead the Wefense.
The “Orange Swarm” defense also produced a big performance with four interceptions.
Dorian Hopkins, Lantz Russell, Amier Boyd-Matthews and Dillion Williams each picked off passes on Wednesday night.
It was the most passes intercepted by a UTEP defense since 2011 and the first in the Sun Bowl since 2008.
The run defense also allowed only 85 yards rushing while yielding only 287 total offensive yards.
Maurice Westmoreland and Russell each tallied a sack, while Russell led the way with nine tackles and Westmoreland matched his career best with six stops.
The Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2 CUSA) are coming off a 33-30 double-overtime loss at NM State on Oct. 15.
The Bulldogs’ lone CUSA win came during a 48-21 victory over Middle Tennessee on Oct. 10.
Despite its losing record, LA Tech is no. 1 in CUSA and 24th in FBS in total defense (316.3) while ranking no. 3 (CUSA) in scoring defense (23.5).
LA Tech’s offense ranks fifth in total offense (365.3) and sixth in scoring offense (25.5) in CUSA.
Evan Bullock, who’s started the last three games, has thrown eight touchdowns to zero interceptions.
The freshman quarterback has thrown for 790 yards on 69-of-108 passing (63.9) in five games.
Tru Edwards ranks third in CUSA at 74.2 receiving yards per game while being tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions (four).
Edwards has 445 yards on 32 receptions (13.9 avg.). Linebackers Zach Zimos (42 tackles) and Kolbe Fields (41) lead the defense.
“[Defensive coordinator] Jeremiah Johnson was at Northern Iowa [last season] and a very successful FCS coordinator. And now he’s at Louisiana Tech and changed their entire dynamic on defense. I know [LA Tech] struggled on defense last year but is tops in the conference,” Walden said. “He’s got them playing very confident and very fierce. They play physically, so we’ll have our work cut out for us on offense for sure. On offense, their quarterback, Bullock, is a really good player, a young freshman who makes good decisions with the football. They’ve been so close but for whatever reason the ball hadn’t swung their way in some games they could easily be sitting here with only one or two losses. I think they’re dangerous and play really well at home.”
UTEP (1-6, 1-3) at LA Tech (2-4, 1-2)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 22
Time: 6 p.m. MDT/7 CT
Location: Ruston, La.
Venue: Joe Aillet Stadium (28,562)
X Updated: @UTEPFB
TV: CBSSN
PxP: Alex Del Barrio
Analyst: Donte Whitner
Radio: 600 AM ESPN
PxP: Jon Teicher
Analyst: Cole Freytag
Sideline: Mando Medina
WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN
The Miners and Bulldogs will be nationally televised on CBSSN with Alex Del Barrio (play-by-play) and Donte Whitner (analysis). The action continues on “The Home of UTEP Football” 600 AM ESPN with “The Voice of the UTEP Miners” Jon Teicher calling play-by-play in his 44th season. ‘Teich’, who called his 500th game on Oct. 11, 2023, is joined by former UTEP WR Cole Freytag (2012, 2014-16) in the booth providing analysis in his third season. El Paso native and long-running member of the local media Mando Medina will be reporting from the sidelines. The contest can also be heard on the UTEP Miners app.
SERIES VS. LA TECH
LA Tech leads the all-time series 16-3-1 following last season’s 24-10 win in El Paso. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-0 following a Smoke Harris 67-yard punt return for a touchdown. UTEP got within seven points on a pair of occasions (14-7, 17-10), but Tru Edwards’s 20-yard touchdown reception from Jack Turner put the game away early in the fourth quarter. The Miners last defeated the Bulldogs during the 2021 season as UTEP grinded out a 16-point win in the Sun Bowl. RB Deion Hankins led the way with a pair of rushing scores, DT Jalen Rudolph was credited with a safety and K Gavin Baechle connected on a 41-yard field goal. LB Tyrice Knight intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the game to secure the victory. It was the first victory since the 2004 season when the Miners beat the ‘Dogs 44-27 in Joe Aillet Stadium. The 2004 season was also the last time the Miners won in Ruston. Overall, UTEP is 2-7-1 in El Paso against LA Tech. The other victory in El Paso came during the first meeting in 1939 as the Miners came out on top, 27-0.
ABOUT LA TECH
The Bulldogs are 2-4 overall and dropped to 1-2 following a 33-30 double-overtime loss at NM State on Oct. 15. Buck Buchanan’s 36-yard field goal gave LA Tech a 30-27 advantage, but the Aggies won the contest on a Mike Washington four-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs gained 360 yards of total offense and allowed 364. QB Evan Bullock threw for 233 yards (21-40) and two touchdowns. WR Tru Edwards put up monster numbers, tallying 110 yards on nine receptions with two touchdowns. LB Kolbe Fields led the defense with 10 tackles and a TFL. LA Tech ranks fifth in CUSA in total offense (365.3) and fourth in passing yards (1,535). It boasts the number one ranking in total defense (316.3) while yielding a league-low 4.83 yards per play. Edwards ranks fourth in receiving yards per game (74.2) and is tied for the league lead with four TD receptions. Overall, Edward has tallied 445 yards (sixth in CSUA) on 32 receptions (fifth in CUSA). Bullock, who’s listed at 6-6, has played in five games but has started the last three and has thrown eight touchdowns (rushed for another) with no interceptions. In LA Tech’s CUSA win over Middle Tennessee, Bullock threw for 290 yards and five touchdowns on 18-of-25 passing. LB Zach Zimos leads the team with 42 tackles, while Fields ranks second with 41 stops and has intercepted a pass. Fields leads the ‘Dogs with 6.5 tackles for loss.
