EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — UTEP football suffered a 20-13 loss to Middle Tennessee in a Conference USA game at the Sun Bowl on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee took the lead with a touchdown late in the game. MTSU quarterback Nicholas Vattiato put the Blue Raiders in the lead after a QB sneak from the 1-yard line.
Vattiato’s QB sneak TD capped off a 9-play, 47-yard drive. During that drive, MTSU thrived in an area it struggled in most of the game. Headed into its final drive of the game, MTSU was 2-12 on 3rd downs. During the final drive of the game, MTSU got first downs and all three 3rd down situations it faced. One of MTSU first downs came from a penalty UTEP’s defense committed.
On 3rd and 9 with 02:24 left in the game, a pass from Vattiato to Omari Kelly was incomplete, but referees called a pass interference on Josiah Allen, who had an interception earlier in the game, which was a 15-yard penalty, resulted in a MTSU first down, and planted the Blue Raiders at UTEP’s 4-yard line.
Two plays later, Vattiato scores the touchdown that put MTSU in the lead late in the game.
“I don’t agree with the pass interference call. I told our defensive backs to play aggressive. Had the same call for us in the third quarter. I disagree,” UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. “But the referees never decide the game. No matter if we have a penalty or not, we have to stop them.”
“I feel like one of the things that we still need to figure out towards the end of the year is how to execute in big time moments.” UTEP graduate student linebacker Dorian Hopkins said.
UTEP got the ball back at its own 25-yard line with 01:54 left in the game. The Miners had the chance to go down the field, score a touchdown, tie the game, and do it all with true freshman JP Pickles leading the way.
It was a scenario UTEP had practiced with Pickles running the Blue Blaze offense earlier this week.
“We went over that same situation, kind of similar to LA Tech last week, in practice this week,” UTEP freshman quarterback JP Pickles said.
“He [JP Pickles] led the offense on a touchdown drive,” Walden said on the practice drive JP Pickles led earlier this week. “That’s what gave everyone the confidence that he could do it and we dang near did it.”
“We were ready for the moment. Just at the end, I got to do better for my team. Execute better.” Pickles said.
UTEP’s offense marched down to MTSU’s 19-yard line during its last drive of the game. With 4 seconds left, UTEP faced a 3rd and 6. Pickles’ pass to Trey Goodman was broken up by MTSU’s Jalen Davis at the 1-yard line and that was game as time expired.
Pickles was the first UTEP true freshman quarterback to start under center since 2013 when Mack Leftwich did it in the last four games of the campaign. Pickles finished 18-of-33 for 145 yards and an interception while rushing for 77 yards on 19 carries. Pickles scored the Miners’ only touchdown of the game with a 17-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
Jevon Jackson, who has averaged 130.0 yards rushing the last games, led the way with 83 yards on 21 carries. Jackson has rushed for 343 yards in the last three games (114.3 ypg). He also tallied 116 all-purpose yards after leading the team in receiving yards (33) and receptions (five).
Nate Dyman led the defense with a career-high 13 tackles, while Dorian Hopkins tallied 11 tackles. Hopkins added his first sack in a UTEP uniform and picked off his second pass of the season.
Maurice Westmoreland recorded a career-best seven tackles and posted a breakup. Boyd-Matthews registered a career-best five tackles and tallied his first career forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The defense held an opponent under 100 yards rushing for the third straight contest. The Miners’ D has yielded 62.0 yards rushing in the last three games.
The Miners forced a trio of Blue Raider turnovers as Vattiato threw two interceptions and Cam’ron Lacy fumbled the opening kickoff to open the second half. The Miners scored six points off turnovers. The first three points came off a Josiah Allen pick in the first quarter that resulted in a Flabiano 32-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3. Flabiano’s 29-yarder came after Amier Boyd-Matthews tallied a forced fumble and fumble recovery to open the third quarter.
UP NEXT
UTEP (1-8, 1-5 Conference USA) will take on CUSA newcomer Kennesaw State at the Sun Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 9. That is UTEP’s Senior Day.
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