Team Orange Edges Out Team Blue, 38-35, at the 2025 UTEP Football Orange & Blue Spring Game Saturday Afternoon

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Transfer running back Hahsaun Wilson found the end zone two times, and transfer quarterback Malachi Nelson hooked up with returning tight end Judah Ezinwa for a long touchdown pass as the Orange Team held on to a 38-35 victory at the 2025 UTEP Football Orange & Blue Spring Game at Sun Bowl Stadium in front of almost 3,000 fans on a clear and sunny Saturday afternoon.

“I’m very proud of our team and how spring ball went. I love this team and I love the fight and the energy,” UTEP Head Coach Scotty Walden said. “We have a lot of stuff to clean up between now and game one. We want to be clean and organized, and want to play physical and those were the objectives I gave [the team] and coaching staff. I think the coaching staff did a fantastic job and I think our players did a fantastic job today. I want to thank the 3,000 fans who came out – to have 3,000 come out after the season we had, I’m just so thankful for those fans who came out. The loyalty and passion of our fanbase is unmatched. We have the best fans in America. I don’t say this lightly, but that’s the reason why recruits come [to UTEP]. They want to play for people who care about their program.”

Team Orange struck first with a seven-play, 55-yard drive that was capped by a 17-yard touchdown rush by Wilson, a transfer from Charlotte, to take a 7-0 lead following Joe Bowman’s PAT.

Team Blue answered with a Kam Thomas 29-yard touchdown rush followed by Tanner Cragun’s PAT to tie the contest at 7-7. The drive went 75 yards on four plays.

Orange took a 14-7 advantage on its fourth possession on a Nelson 44-yard touchdown pass to Ezinwa.

Wilson found paydirt again, this time on a 23-yard scoring rush on a drive that took nine plays, 75 yards. Buzz Flabiano’s PAT increased Oranges’ lead to 21-7 late in the second quarter.

The halftime festivities were pure entertainment as a few guest coaches participated in a series of mini-halftime competitions to score their team points.

Team Orange guest coach Jadrian Taylor (DE, 2020-22) beat out Team Blue coach Cornelius Brown (CB, 2006-09) in the 40-yard dash that made the count 28-7 Orange.

The long ball challenge between Orange coach Kavika Johnson (QB/WR, 2015-19) and Blue coach Trevor Vittatoe (QB, 2007-10) was the second event as Vittatoe won on a 71-yard hurl to make the score 28-14.

The tug-o-war between the Team Blue and Team Orange guest coaches was for 10 points in which Orange dominated the final event to make it 38-14 heading into the second half.

“There were 27 alums who came back to coach the game and [the team] got to hear from [Arizona Cardinals OL) Will Hernandez this morning in a team meeting and we got to hear from Quintin Demps and Howard Jackson in a team meeting. They dropped phenomenal wisdom on our guys. We’re talking about guys who have been there before and what it’s like to play West Texas tough football and represent the orange and blue. Roy Robertson-Harris [New York Giants DE] returned and spoke to the team yesterday. In the span of 24 hours, the guys got to hear from multiple UTEP greats. They’re an inspiration to us and I thought they did a great job giving back to their program today. They are always welcome back today. Once and Miner, always a Miner. All in all, it was a great day.”

Skyler Locklear engineered a nine-play, 75-yard drive coming out of the half that was capped by a Wondame Davis Jr. a three-yard touchdown catch from Locklear to cut the deficit to 38-21.

Team Blue scored two more times down the stretch as Marquez Taylor got into the end zone on a six-yard rush to cut the deficit to 10 points (38-28), and Pebble Hills High School graduate redshirt freshman Marcus Torres hauled in a touchdown pass from JP Pickles to get within a field goal.

A few highlights defensively: Ashton Coker, Garrett Hawkins, KD Johnson, Derek Burns, Jayden Wilson and Jaden McKinney picked up sacks, and Kode Lowe recorded an interception.

UP NEXT

UTEP will open the 2025 campaign at Utah State on Aug. 30 in Logan, commencing year two of the Scotty Walden era. The Miners will host UT Martin in their first home contest on Sept. 6.

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