EL PASO, TEXAS – The FIU football team allowed 38 points in the first half before falling 40-6 at UTEP in the final road game of the season on Saturday afternoon at El Paso's historic Sun Bowl.
 
The Miners managed to post a total of 356 yards in the opening 30 minutes – while limiting the Panthers to 60.  For the game, UTEP posted a total of 525 yards (335 rush/190 pass).  FIU finished with a total of 71 yards of offense (56 rush/15 pass).
 
UTEP quarterback Calvin Brownholtz completed 12-of-18 pass attempts for a total of 190 yards and two touchdowns.  He completed passes to five different receivers, including Kelly Akharaiyi – who hauled in three catches for 99 yards, including a 68-yard TD grab.
 
Reynaldo Flores led the Miners on the ground with 128 yards on 13 carries – an average of 9.8 yards per carry.
 
FIU (4-7, 2-5 C-USA) saw starting signal caller Grayson James complete 6-of-16 pass attempts for 56 yards.  He also tossed one interception.  Freshman quarterback Haden Carlson played the entire second half for the Panthers.
 
Defensively, the Panthers were paced by linebackers Gaethan Bernadel and Donovan Manuel, who each tabbed nine tackles.  FIU's lone score of the game from the defensive unit on a 15-yard fumble return for a score by linebacker Alex Nobles.
 
UTEP (5-6, 3-4 C-USA) took the first lead of the game on an opening drive that stretched 75 yards and benefited from a pair of key FIU penalties that granted the Miners a total of 25 yards.  Brownholtz scored on a keeper up the middle from one yard out to make the score 7-0 with 9:15 left in the first quarter.
 
The Miners increased the lead to 14-0 with 1:05 remaining in the first on a 10-yard scoring run by Reynaldo Flores.  The drive covered a total of 59 yards – 42 of which came on the ground.
 
Flores busted free for a 43-yard touchdown run with just over nine minutes left in the second quarter to increase the UTEP advantage to 21-0.
 
Tyrin Smith snagged a 17-yard touchdown pass from Brownholtz at the 3:52 mark of the second to up the margin to 28-0 to complete a six-play, 69-yard drive for the Miners.
 
Following a punt by FIU, the Miners hit on a big play for a score to make the score 35-0.  Kelly Akharaiyi caught a pass down the deep middle from Brownholtz before racing the rest of the way to the end zone for a 68-yard touchdown.
 
An interception by FIU's James with 61 seconds left in the opening half gave UTEP one final possession at the FIU 43, which set up a successful 26-yard field goal by the Miners' Gavin Baechle and sent the teams into the break with UTEP holding a 38-0 edge.
 
The FIU defense broke up the shutout on a 15-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Nobles after junior Adrian Cole forced the fumble by UTEP's Brownholtz.
 
UTEP added a safety with just over five minutes left in regulation to account for the final 40-6 margin.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to "The Cage" in Miami for the final game of the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 26 in a 6 p.m. ET kickoff.  The game will be aired on ESPN3.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Saturday's game was the first meeting between FIU and UTEP since 2019 and the Panthers first trip to El Paso to face the Miners since 2016.
• FIU sophomore kicker Chase Gabriel missed a 42-yard field goal in the second quarter.
• Graduate linebacker Alex Nobles recovered his second fumble of the season in the fourth quarter and returned it 15 yards for the first touchdown of his collegiate career – the first fumble returned for a score since Sage Lewis took one back 61 yards for the Panthers at Charlotte on 11/17/18.
• UTEP recorded a safety with just over five minutes left in regulation – the first by an FIU opponent since August 31, 2017 at UCF.
• Junior cornerback Adrian Cole forced a fumble in the fourth quarter for the FIU defense.

 
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Football season and individual tickets, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office
 
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