Hankins leads UTEP domination of UL Monroe 31-6; Miners off to best start since 2010

MONROE, Louisiana -- Something special may be happening with this year's UTEP football team.

The Miners dominated UL Monroe from start to finish en route to a 31-6 road win, putting UTEP off to its best start since 2010.

Deion Hankins rushed for three touchdowns, all in the first half, and the UTEP defense allowed only 6 first downs all afternoon.

Hankins added 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason. He flexed all of it and then some on Lousiana-Monroe Saturday, bulldozing defenders and proving unstoppable for the Warhawks defense

Hankins, who missed last week's contest with a bone bruise, ran for 118 yards on 22 carries.

UTEP got their offense going in the first half, when Gavin Hardison hit Jacob Cowing for an 82-yard completion. Hankins punched it in two plays later.

Hardison was efficient, throwing for 302 yards on 13-125 passing.

Ronald Awatt added an exclamation point on a 23-yard rushing score with just over two minutes remaining.

Duron Lowe had an interception for UTEP's defense, which shut out UL Monroe in the first half.

The win is UTEP's first over an FBS opponent since 2018 and the first non-conference road win since 2015.

The Miners will take plenty of momentum headed into their bye week before returning to Louisiana to take on Lousiana Tech on October 10th.