[2] Sophomore quarterback Zach Maynard threw for 159 yards in his first career start, leading Buffalo to a 23–17 win over UTEP in the season opener for both schools on Saturday in the Sun Bowl.

Maynard's 42-yard pass to Naaman Roosevelt with 12:13 remaining in the third quarter gave the Bulls a 23–7 lead that the Miners couldn't overcome – although they did come close.

UTEP chipped away, cutting the deficit to 23–14 on a 17-yard scoring run by James Thomas with 7:37 remaining in the third period, then 23–17 on a 31-yard field goal by Logan Barrett with 5:45 to play.

Trevor Vittatoe hooked up with Thomas for the apparent tying score with 14 seconds left, but the play was nullified due to a holding penalty on offensive lineman Rod Huntley.

Making matters worse, offensive lineman Lance Evbuomwan was charged with unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating the touchdown, backing up the Miners to the 42-yard line.

Vittatoe's final two pass attempts – both intended for Kris Adams – fell incomplete and the Bulls escaped El Paso with a victory.

In a twist of fate, UTEP's defense – much maligned over the last three seasons – kept the Miners in the game on a night when the offense struggled.

24 Kansas got two big punt returns from Daymond Patterson to beat Texas-El Paso 34–7 on Saturday night.

He threw a 5-yard TD to Sharp and worked again with Dezmon Briscoe, who returned from a one-game suspension for violating team rules and had eight catches for 154 yards.

The Miners, who finished with 4 yards rushing, avoided the shutout when Trevor Vittatoe found Donavon Kemp for a 75-yard catch-and-run with 12:39 remaining.

Reesing got off to a slow start, kicker Jacob Branstetter was 2 for 4 on field goal attempts and Kansas struggled early to convert third downs, going 3 of 9 in the first half before rebounding to finish 9 of 18.

Sharp, who rushed for 123 yards in last week's win over Northern Colorado, scored on a 1-yard plunge, then Branstetter made a 24-yard field goal for a 13–0 lead.

Donald Buckram ran for a career-high 113 yards as UTEP scored all five of its touchdowns on the ground in a 38–12 dismantling of NM State on Saturday night in Las Cruces.

A rain and lightning delay of nearly three hours couldn't stop the Miners from posting their 50th win in the long-running I-10 series.

2 Texas got the fast start they had been missing in recent weeks, rolling to a 40-point lead by halftime before cruising to a 64–7 win Saturday over Texas-El Paso.

The defense did its part, pounding UTEP Quarterback Trevor Vittatoe with pass rush that forced him into several bad throws.

Sergio Kindle sacked Vittatoe on the fifth play of the game, causing a fumble that set up the Longhorns' first touchdown on a 3-yard run by Tre' Newton.

With the game tied at halftime, the Miners outscored Houston 20–3 in the third quarter and then hung on while Keenum tried to deliver another comeback as he did the week before to knock off the Red Raiders.

Even though Keenum threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the Miners got three of their own: two on 8- and 27-yard runs by Buckram, and another on Roddray Walker's 70-yard fumble return with 3:25 to play.

The Cougars got out to a quick 10–0 lead, but after the Miners kicked a field goal, they stopped Houston's potent offense on fourth down at the UTEP 8.

Curtis Steele rushed for 240 yards as Memphis spoiled UTEP's bid for a fourth straight 2–0 start in Conference USA play with a 35–20 win over the Miners on Saturday in the Liberty Bowl.

Donald Buckram ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 29 seconds left in the game, to help UTEP beat Conference USA rival Tulsa 28–24 on Wednesday night.

The Golden Hurricane also had one-yard TD runs from Clay and Kinne and a 24-yard field goal from Kevin Fitzpatrick, and took a 24–13 lead with 12:37 remaining.

Senior quarterback Joe Webb threw for two touchdowns, ran one and caught a pass for another as Alabama at Birmingham snapped a two-game losing streak and defeated Texas at El Paso 38–33 on Saturday.

The Miners reached the Green Wave 2-yard line on the ensuing possession, but on fourth down from the 5, Alex Wacha sacked Trevor Vittatoe for a 21-yard loss that ended the game.

Kyle Padron completed 17 of 24 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns and added a pair of TD runs to lead the SMU Mustangs to a 35–31 win over the UTEP Miners on Saturday.

UTEP took a 31–28 lead after running back Donald Buckram scored on a 30-yard screen pass from Trevor Vittatoe with 8:57 left in the game.

Rice got back in the game, going 72 yards for a score to cut its deficit to 13–7, then recovering a fumble at the Miner 19 on the ensuing kickoff.

Rice briefly got back in the game, going 72 yards for a score to cut its deficit to 13–7, then recovering a fumble at the Miner 19 on the ensuing kickoff.

Jeff Moturi led receivers with 179 yards, including an 80-yard scoring pass from Vittatoe, who also connected for TDs with Tufick Shadrawy, Kris Adams, Jonny Moore and Donavon Kemp.