Utah State 21, UTEP 6

[December 22, 2014]  Utah State 21, UTEP 6: Freshman quarterback Kent Myers ran 48 yards for a score in the first quarter and the Aggies held on to defeat the Miners at the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, N.M.

Two-way standout Nick Vigil, who also plays linebacker, and Joe Hill had rushing touchdowns for Utah State (10-4), which won its third straight bowl game. Myers ran for 70 yards and completed 5-of-12 passes for 68 more while the Aggies held UTEP’s strong rushing attack to 3.2 yards per carry.

Jay Mattox provided the only points with a pair of field goals for UTEP (7-6), which saw its losing streak in bowl games increase to six. Aaron Jones ran for 88 yards on 25 carries while Miners quarterback Jameill Showers went 13-of-24 for 126 yards.

Mattox booted a 32-yard field goal, but Utah State responded three plays later when Myers sprung free on a quarterback draw for a 7-3 lead with 1:52 left in the first quarter. A fumbled snap took away a field goal opportunity for UTEP and Nick Diaz missed a 28-yard attempt for the Aggies -- both in the final minute of the first half.

Myers connected with JoJo Natson for 46 yards on the first series of the second half and Vigil finished the drive by plowing in from the 3 for a 14-3 lead. The Miners put together a 16-play drive to set up Mattox’s 34-yard field goal with 3:02 left, but Hill scored an 11-yard run with 1:33 remaining to seal it.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Aggies were playing in a fourth straight bowl game for the first time in school history and improved to 4-6 in 10 all-time bowl games. … Jones finished with 1,321 rushing yards, the fourth most in a single season for a UTEP player. … Utah State had lost three quarterbacks to season-ending injuries this season and Myers was knocked out for a few plays late in the first half before WR Ronald Butler moved under center and registered a career-long 61-yard run to set up a field-goal try.

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