UTEP Explodes in Second Half, Rolls Past Texas Southern 51–10 in Sun Bowl Home Opener

EJ Colson Jr. accounts for five touchdowns as Miners answer season-opening shutout with dominant offensive performance EL PASO, Texas — One week after being shut out on the road by one of the nation’s top programs, the UTEP Miners returned home Saturday night and delivered the kind of offensive response they desperately needed. Quarterback EJ Colson Jr. accounted for five touchdowns, Tavorus Jones rushed for more than 100 yards, and UTEP's defense completely took over after halftime as the Miners defeated Texas Southern 51–10 before the home crowd at the Sun Bowl on Sept. 12, 2026. The victory moved UTEP to 1–1 on the season and provided an emphatic answer following last week's 51–0 loss at No. 10 Oklahoma. Colson finds his rhythm Colson, making his second career start for the Miners, looked like a completely different quarterback from the player who struggled against Oklahoma. The UTEP quarterback completed 14 of 21 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns, while adding a rushing touchdown for five total scores. His night started in explosive fashion. With 12:32 remaining in the opening quarter, Colson connected with Kam Thomas for an 83-yard touchdown, immediately putting UTEP in front 7–0. Texas Southern responded with a touchdown and later took a 10–7 lead, but Colson and the Miners regained control before halftime. Colson scored on a 3-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter, then found Cash Cheeks for a 13-yard touchdown with only 37 seconds remaining before halftime, sending UTEP into the locker room with a 21–10 advantage. That lead would quickly become a rout. Third-quarter avalanche UTEP turned the game into a runaway in the third quarter, scoring three touchdowns in less than nine minutes. The Miners opened the half with a defensive touchdown after Texas Southern quarterback C. McCoy fumbled. The loose ball was recovered by UTEP and ultimately returned for a score by Cash Cheeks. Moments later, Colson connected with Cheeks again for a 13-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 35–10. Then Jones delivered the exclamation point. The El Paso native broke loose for a 33-yard touchdown run with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter, pushing the Miners ahead 42–10. Jones finished with 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, providing UTEP with the physical rushing presence it needed. Defense sets the tone While Colson and the offense grabbed the headlines, UTEP's defense was equally responsible for the dramatic turnaround. The Miners limited Texas Southern to 211 total yards, compared with 491 yards for UTEP. Texas Southern also committed two turnovers, while UTEP's defense repeatedly created short fields and momentum-changing plays. Safety Xavier Smith finished with seven tackles, tying him for the team lead and providing a steady presence in the UTEP secondary. The Orange and Blue also received strong defensive contributions from a unit that had been heavily criticized following the Oklahoma loss. UTEP finishes strong The Miners added a 35-yard field goal from C. Arreola early in the fourth quarter to make it 45–10. Then, with less than a minute remaining, quarterback Raymond Moore III broke loose for a spectacular 79-yard touchdown run, completing the scoring and sending the Sun Bowl crowd home with a 51–10 final. The 41-point victory marked an enormous turnaround from UTEP's season-opening defeat and gave third-year head coach Scotty Walden his first win of the 2026 campaign. The Miners entered Saturday's game emphasizing the importance of defending their home field. Walden had stressed during the week that playing at the Sun Bowl carried particular significance for his program. They backed that message up. A much-needed statement For UTEP, Saturday night was about much more than simply beating an FCS opponent. After being held scoreless and managing only 198 total yards against Oklahoma, the Miners responded with 491 yards of offense and 51 points against Texas Southern. Colson's development was perhaps the most encouraging storyline. The transfer quarterback went from throwing for only 52 yards in his UTEP debut to throwing for 239 yards and four touchdowns one week later. His five total touchdowns against Texas Southern demonstrated the playmaking ability UTEP believed it was acquiring when Colson arrived in El Paso. For a program entering its first season of Mountain West competition, the road ahead remains challenging. But on Saturday night at the Sun Bowl, UTEP looked like a team that had learned from its opening-week defeat — and was determined not to let it define the season. FINAL Texas Southern 10 UTEP 51 UTEP Leaders EJ Colson Jr.: 14/21 passing, 239 yards, 4 TD; 1 rushing TD — 5 total TDs Tavorus Jones: 104 rushing yards, 1 TD Kam Thomas: 92 receiving yards, 1 TD Xavier Smith: 7 tackles UTEP total offense: 491 yards PREP1 Network | El Paso, Texas