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Scotty Walden, UTEP head coach, celebrates the first win of the season with his team against FIU at the Sun Bowl on Oct. 16, 2024 in El Paso, Texas.
When Scotty Walden was hired 10 months ago to rebuild UTEP football, the promise was a high-flying offense that would light up scoreboards.
He got his first win, a 30-21 upset of Florida International Wednesday night in front of 11,373 people, behind a dominant four-interception defense and the entire Miner program will most happily take it.
An 84-yard interception return from Dorian Hopkins in the first quarter reversed the flow of the game, and the rest of the night, a Miner defense that had shown flashes of potential before getting worn down in the first six games, just got stronger.
That all added up to UTEP snapping the nation’s second-longest losing streak after a nine-game slide, and the formula looked like one the Miners could duplicate.
The offense took advantage of short fields for three quarters. After an ugly interception gifted the Panthers a fourth-quarter lead, UTEP and relief quarterback Skyler Locklear went 76 yards in 10 plays to move back ahead with 11:29 to play.
The defense was superlative on third down (FIU was 3-of-13 on that down), and two of FIU’s touchdowns were on a short field after the fourth-quarter interception and a first-quarter blocked punt.
More: ‘Let’s give this cat a chance’: Ezell Jolly’s time arrives for UTEP football team
After UTEP went back ahead in a game it led for most of the second half, the defense made three more stops, including its third and fourth interceptions of the night, to close out the game.
For two months, Walden has preached that the Miners need to stay the course, and everything will get better. On this Wednesday night, the party line became a party.
UTEP leads 17-14 at half
Seemingly on the verge of falling behind two…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/utep-football-snaps-9-game-042612903.html
Author : The El Paso Times
Publish date : 2024-10-17 04:26:12
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