Both teams were in desperate need of a win on Wednesday evening at Shell Energy Stadium, but only one would emerge as the victor and celebrate grandly.
UTEP would fend off a feisty Sam Houston squad searching for its first victory of the season to pull away a 35-17 victory in Conference USA. The win would give the Miners (2-5, 1-2) a little hope to keep battling this season. Meanwhile, the Bearkats (0-7, 0-3) could not muster anything in the fourth quarter as they could not convert on some key plays down the trenches.
Sam Houston went on the march out of the gate on Wednesday after forcing a three-and-out on UTEP’s first possession.
Three straight completions by quarterback Hunter Watson, who went down with an injury in the second quarter, to wide receiver Chris Reed picked up forty-nine yards deep into Miner territory. Watson then put the Kats into the end zone when he connected with his other receiver, Mark Phillips, for a strike over the middle that the senior took twenty yards for a 7-0 lead just five minutes into the game.
UTEP was able to tie the game when the Bearkats turned the ball over on downs late in the quarter. Three plays and fifty yards later, UTEP quarterback Skyler Locklear tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Josh Schuchts with 2:12 remaining in the quarter. It was an eight-play 99-yard drive that got the Bearkats crowd in a frenzy.
Locklear completed 21 of 26 passes for 236 yards, and Ashton Emory rushed for 96 yards to lead the Miners into a big win, which stamped out a four-game losing streak in their first road game in a month.
“I’m so proud of the team for shaking back after four frustrating losses in a row,” second-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. “I feel like this team is getting better. I thought we played much better complementary football tonight. Down the stretch, there were some key things: a field goal block, and a muffed punt, but our defense rose to the occasion, and the offense did the best job that we have done all year of capitalizing on opportunities. I am proud that we put four quarters together, but I still think we can play cleaner and play winning football. It all starts with getting one [win] and now we have to parlay that with the momentum and get better.”
Locklear would give UTEP at the start of the second quarter when he walked into the end zone untouched from two yards out for a 14-7 lead at the 12:06 mark, which capped off a nine-play 86-yard drive.
Sam Houston would cut the lead down to four (1`4-10) on a twenty-six-yard field goal by Christian Pavon with 7:27 left in the half.
Locklear completed his first nine throws and was 10-for-12 passing for 121 yards in the first half. Watson also had a productive first half for Sam Houston, completing 13-of-19 passes for 161 yards, but did not play in the second half due to injury. Mabrey Mettauer replaced him.
Things got a little crazy from here.
The Kats’ defense forced a turnover on downs inside UTEP territory, but the next play, a fumble gave the ball back to the Miners, which Kody Lowe returned to the SHSU 7-yard line. However, the following play, Sam Houston got the ball back with Emon Allen picking off a Locklear pass for his third interception of the season.
Kats could not convert anything on offense as they go into the half trailing the Miners 14-10.
The Miners extended the lead to 21-10 when Locklear scampered for fifteen yards to put the final change on a 10-play, 67-yard drive midway through the third quarter. It marked the first time in his UTEP career that he scored multiple rushing TDs in a game.
But the Bearkats would not quit getting back in the game. Landan Brown’s 63-yard run set up a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mettauer to Lonnie Adkism and sliced the deficit to four points once again, 21-17.
That would lit a fire into the Sam Houston offense that was striving for its first win of the season. However, the defense would have a tough time throughout the night.
The Miners went to work on offense and scored two touchdowns in a little over a minute. First, Locklear connected with Odom three times for fifty yards on a 91-yard drive, capped by Odom’s 20-yard touchdown to push the lead to 28-17 with 7:05 to play. Then, following a turnover on downs by Sam Houston deep in its own territory, Emery exploded for the 34-yard TD run that put the game out of reach with 5:54 remaining.
“I loved how we ended the game,” Locklear said. “There was a choice we had to make. We had to end it – we could not let [Sam Houston] stay in [the game]. I am so proud of the defense, the offense, and special teams coming through to end the game.”
The 18-point win versus an FBS opponent was the biggest since defeating FIU 40-6 on Nov. 19, 2022, and it is the first road win by 18+ points since a 30-3 win at NM State on Aug. 28, 2021.
Meanwhile, Sam Houston started 0-7 for the second time in three seasons. Before its 0-8 start in 2023, the Bearkats had not begun 0-7 since the 1977 season.
Bearkats will have a two-week break before hitting the road to play Louisiana Tech in Ruston at Joe Alliet Stadium on Oct. 31. UTEP will also have a bye week before returning to action on Oct. 28 as they will travel to Kennesaw, GA., at Fifth Third Stadium to take on the Kennesaw State Owls.
