Brief: After a strong offensive performance, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) defeated the UT Martin Skyhawks 42-17 with redshirt senior running back, Hahsaun Wilson, earning a program record breaking 94-yard rushing touchdown. The Miners’ home opener did not disappoint the crowd of 31,122 at the Sun Bowl Stadium.
Over 31,000 fans packed into Sun Bowl Stadium to witness The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Miners (1-1, 0-0 Conference USA) defeat the University of Tennessee Martin Skyhawks (0-2, 0-0 Ohio Valley Conference) 42-17.
The Miners set the tone early, as the defense recovered a sack fumble on the Skyhawks opening drive which was scooped up by senior linebacker Joshua Rudolf.
UTEP’s redshirt senior running back Hahsaun Wilson sprinted for 94-yard TD, breaking the record for the longest play in program history, previously held by NFL running back Aaron Jones.
Even with a 40-minute lightning delay beginning halfway through the first quarter, UTEP Head Coach Scotty Walden was able to keep the team and crowd’s momentum throughout game. “Coach Walden and the entire staff does a great job of getting us prepared for every scenario,” UTEP redshirt senior Micah Davey said. “So, we’ve actually practiced a weather delay scenario before in the locker room, so it was kind of routine for us.”
Davey would finish the game with a season high of 14 tackles with others such as, sophomore cornerback Justin Content earning nine tackles and Rudolf making eight tackles, all achieving season highs in the same game.
Miner redshirt freshman running back Ashten Emory took full advantage of his reps during the game, earning a career high of two receiving TDs. UTEP redshirt sophomore quarterback Malachi Nelson won his first game in his second collegiate start passing for 278 yards and earning four passing touchdowns.
“It felt great man, electric, the town showed up and I know it’s only going to grow so I’m excited,” Nelson said. “I think we just found a groove. I was talking to coach all week I said, ‘When the offense finds that groove you know we start rolling, the tempo starts rolling, I think it’s hard to stop us.”
Although the Skyhawks gained 371 yards in total offense, the Miners gained an efficient 472 total offensive yards running 54 plays while UT Martin ran 76. Key playmakers were redshirt senior quarterback Jase Bauer going 23-for-33 in passing attempts with one passing touchdown, graduate student defensive lineman Jabaree Dawkins earning nine tackles and redshirt senior safety Jacob Stevenson accumulating eight tackles for the night.
“Malachi made really good decisions with the football. [He] saw the field well and our offensive line had their best gain by far,” Walden said. “Defensively, I thought we played extremely physical, Micah Davey was all over the field. I love those short yardage defense, you know the ability to stop a team on third-and-one, fourth-and-one over and over.”
The Miners will go on the road to Austin, Texas to face the No. 7 Longhorns on Sept.13, hoping to create an upset that would shake up the power four college.
Kristian Hernandez is the sports editor for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected] and social media tags @northeastvideography.
