EL PASO — UTSA used a ball-controlling offense and a stiff defense to cruise to a 31-14 victory over UTEP in Conference USA action on Saturday night at the Sun Bowl.
The Roadrunners rushed for 205 yards and threw for another 188 in tallying more than 34 minutes in time of possession to improve to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in league play.
UTSA's defense held the Miners (0-8, 0-4) to 243 total yards and came up with a pair of interceptions in winning for the third time in the series in El Paso.
Nate Gaines and Devron Davis each recorded a pick and helped the Birds limit UTEP quarterback Zack Greenlee to just 8-of-29 passing for 133 yards. La'Kel Bass and King Newton posted five tackles apiece to lead the defense.
Meanwhile, Tyrell Clay (71 yards), Dalton Sturm (67 yards) and Jalen Rhodes (66 yards) provided a potent ground attack for the visitors. Sturm, a senior quarterback from Goliad, also threw for 188 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-30 passing. Greg Campbell Jr. led all receivers with five catches for 40 yards, while Josh Stewart had four for 46 yards and Kerry Thomas Jr. had two receptions for 49 yards and a TD.
The Roadrunners struck first after Brady Jones' season-long 27-yard punt return to the UTEP 35 helped set up a 20-yard field goal by Jared Sackett a little more than five minutes into the contest.
UTSA converted an interception into points to push its lead to 10-0. Gaines picked off a Greenlee pass at his own 5-yard line and returned it 15 yards to the 20. It marked the senior free safety's seventh career interception, good for sole possession of second place on UTSA's all-time list. The Roadrunners then drove 80 yards on 10 plays, the last a 17-yard touchdown scamper around left end by Rhodes early in the second quarter.
The Roadrunners made it a three-score game midway through the second frame. Dalton Sturm found Thomas Jr. wide open down the left sideline for a 48-yard TD connection. That gave Sturm sole possession of the program's career touchdown passes record with 47 and it also marked the school-record 16th career TD reception for Thomas Jr.
Greenlee got UTEP on the board with a 6-yard quarterback keeper around the right side with 3:41 left until halftime.
The Miners took advantage of a short field after an interception. Greenlee found Tyler Batson for 36 yards down the sideline to set up a 5-yard TD run by Joshua Fields that helped pull the home team to within 17-14 with 1:30 left before intermission.
Rhodes found paydirt once again, this time on a 1-yard TD rush late in the third quarter that capped a 17-play, 85-yard march that took 8:28 off the clock, the longest drive by number of plays and time this season. Sackett's extra point made it 24-14 with 1:22 left in the stanza.
Davis helped seal the victory when he returned a Greenlee pass 22 yards for a touchdown with 10:58 remaining. It marked the second career interception and the first career pick-six for the senior cornerback.
The Roadrunners will travel to Miami, to face FIU (5-2, 3-1) next Saturday, Nov. 4. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT at Riccardo Silva Stadium.
Tweet #BirdsUp
