UTEP defense smothers Southern Miss in 26-13 victory; Miners 1 win from bowl eligibility
HATTIESBURG, Mississippi - UTEP Head Coach Dana Dimel has had 59 birthdays, but none are probably as sweet as the one he celebrated with his team Saturday after the Miners' 26-13 win over Southern Mississippi.
With the win UTEP (5-1, 2-0 C-USA) sets up it's most exciting home game in recent memory next Saturday vs. Louisiana Tech, with bowl eligibility at stake.
The Miners used stifling defense and a balanced running attack to shut down Southern Mississippi, who had previously won five straight against the Miners.
UTEP's defense forced two turnovers, including a 54-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown from Breon Hayward, and sacked Southern Mississippi QB Jake Lange five times.
Ronald Awatt led the Miners on the ground with 156 yards rushing on 19 carries, while wide receiver Jacob Cowing added a 53-yard rushing score off a reverse out of the backfield.
After scoring on their opening possession, a 17-yard rush TD from Awatt, the Miners never trailed at any point.
UTEP's defense caused chaos all night, with Hayward's touchdown the highlight. With UTEP leading 14-7 in the 3rd quarter, Southern Miss had the ball in UTEP territory looking to equalize.
But star defensive end Praise Amaewhule, the team's sacks leader, stripped the ball from Lange in the pocket. The ball was initially recovered by a Golden Eagles' offensive lineman for a moment, but the ball came free amid the scramble and ended in the hands of Hayward who put UTEP up for good.
The win is UTEP's first road C-USA victory since 2018 (34-26 at Rice).
UTEP is 5-1 for the first time since 2010, when the Miners finished with a 6-7 record and a loss in the New Mexico Bowl to BYU.
Next weekend's game against perennial C-USA contender Louisiana Tech presents a massive opportunity not just for the program but for the fan base.
After six straight season of losing records, the chance to clinch bowl eligibility in front of a packed crowd is one that should re-ignite the program's reputation.
Kickoff for next Saturday's game is at 7pm MT at the Sun Bowl.
