UTEP falls to Northern Arizona in season opener, 30-10

UTEP came into 2018 with high hopes of erasing the memory of a winless 2017.

Instead, they left the Sun Bowl Saturday night with a 13-game losing streak dating back to last season after falling to Northern Arizona, 30-10.

NAU jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter, but UTEP rallied.

The Miners would score their first touchdown of the year on a 32-yard run by Quardraiz Wadley with just under three minutes to go in the half. Wadley collected a backwards pass from quarterback Kai Locksley and ran past the NAU defense to cut it to a 17-7 game.

UTEP added a field goal as time expired in the second quarter and went into the break down just 17-10.

But the Miners would not score again.

NAU scored two more touchdowns in the second half and put heavy pressure on UTEP quarterbacks Ryan Metz and Kai Locksley.

The two quarterbacks were sacked a total of five times and pressured, it seemed, nearly every time they dropped back.

Locksley finished the game 13-26 for a total of 120 yards through the air and one interception. Metz went 2-5 for just seven yards to his name and a pick of his own.

After the game was over, head coach Dana Dimel said it was too early to proclaim Locksley would be the full-time starter going forward. However, he said he was impressed by the junior college transfer and the way he was relatively composed in his first game with UTEP.

The Miners now have to turn things around quickly with two tough road games on the horizon.

UTEP will play at UNLV in week two and then travel to Knoxville to meet Tennessee the following week.

UTEP’s last win came in late November of 2016 when the Miners knocked off North Texas at home behind a monster game from Aaron Jones, who compiled 301 rushing yards and four touchdowns that game.