Bearkats show early fight and offensive spark before UTEP pulls away late in Conference USA matchup
HOUSTON — The University of Texas at El Paso Miners ended their four-game losing streak with a 35-17 victory Wednesday night over the Sam Houston Bearkats, handing Sam Houston its seventh straight defeat and keeping the Miners alive in Conference USA play.
The Miners (2-5 overall, 1-2 CUSA) had struggled through most of the season but finally put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball at Shell Energy Stadium. The Bearkats (0-7, 0-4 CUSA) remained in search of their first win of the season.
Quarterback Skyler Locklear started for UTEP and delivered a standout effort, completing 21 of 26 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing 13 times for 48 yards and two additional scores. He did throw an interception, but his four-touchdown night was enough to power the Miners.
The UTEP defense also played a key role, forcing turnovers and limiting Sam Houston’s high-tempo offense at critical junctures.
Sam Houston jumped out to the early lead after forcing a UTEP three-and-out on the Miners’ opening possession. The Bearkats then moved quickly, as starting quarterback Hunter Watson completed three straight passes, the last a 20-yard strike to wide-out Malik Phillips, to establish a 7-0 lead just over five minutes into the game.
UTEP responded later in the quarter when Sam Houston turned the ball over on downs. UTEP marched 50 yards in three plays before Locklear found Josh Schuchts for a 4-yard touchdown, knotting the game.
Early in the second quarter, Locklear increased the Miners’ lead by walking into the end zone from two yards out, putting UTEP ahead 14-7. The Bearkats answered with a 26-yard field goal from Christian Pavon, trimming the gap to 14-10 by halftime.
The third quarter opened slowly until UTEP broke through again on a rushing score by Locklear, extending the lead. The Bearkats responded with a 63-yard run by Coco Brown — the longest offensive play of the season for Sam Houston — which set up a 13-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Mabrey Mettauer to Lonnie Adkism, slicing the deficit to 21-17.
UTEP then closed the game with a dominant fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns to seal the 35-17 outcome. The Miners’ first FBS win of the season also marked their first Conference USA victory of 2025.
Head coach Scotty Walden of UTEP called the win “a breakthrough moment” for the program. “We needed to play complementary football, and that’s what we did tonight: offense played off the defense and defense played off the offense,” Walden said. Analysts noted that the Miners’ defense had been one of the bright spots of their season — even in losses — and Wednesday night they anchored the victory.
For Sam Houston, the loss underscored continued issues: the offense had flashes of promise but the defense again surrendered big plays and failed to force enough stops. The Bearkats were 0-3 in conference play, and though they had some strong recent drives, Wednesday’s outcome maintained the same story of near-misses and slips.
With the win, UTEP improved to 2-5 and 1-2 in the conference, giving them hope of a turnaround. Sam Houston now falls to 0-7 and 0-4 in conference, still looking for that elusive first victory.
UP NEXT
UTEP will have a bye week before traveling to face Kennesaw State on October 28.
Sam Houston, meanwhile, will take its two-week break before playing at Louisiana Tech in Ruston on October 31.
UTEP Miners (2-5) vs. Sam Houston Bearkats (0-7)
1st Quarter: UTEP 7, Sam Houston 7
2nd Quarter: UTEP 7, Sam Houston 3
3rd Quarter: UTEP 7, Sam Houston 7
4th Quarter: UTEP 14, Sam Houston 0
Final Score: UTEP 35, Sam Houston 17