Florida Atlantic holds off late UTEP charge, earns 28-25 win
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Johnny Ford ran for a 27-yard touchdown in the first quarter and James Charles scored on a short run in the fourth to give Florida Atlantic an 18-point lead, and the Owls held off a late UTEP comeback attempt to earn a 28-25 win on Saturday night.
The loss snapped UTEP's four-game win streak heading into a first-place showdown with UTSA next week.
Ford's run put Florida Atlantic (5-3, 3-1 Conference USA) up 7-3 in the first quarter. N'Kosi Perry hit LaJohntay Wester with a 39-yard touchdown pass with :02 left in the first half to send the Owls into the break with a 14-10 lead.
Zaire Mitchell-Paden punched in with 3:27 left in the third quarter to make it 21-10, and Charles' 1-yard run pushed it to 28-10 early in the fourth.
UTEP mounted a comeback with an 82-yard, seven-play drive. Ronald Awatt scored on a 5-yard run with 2:50 left and punched in the two-point conversion to make it 28-18. Gavin Hardison fired a 49-yard touchdown pass to Tyrin Smith with 2:02 left.
UTEP got the ball with :30 left but could not get itself in position to attempt a game-tying field goal.
Perry finished with 149 yards on 13-for-26 passing and Ford finished with 93 yards on 123 carries.
The Miners (6-2, 3-1) outgained Florida Atlantic 454 to 279. Hardison threw for 337 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice.
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Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
G. Hardison
12 QB
|
G. Hardison | 24/47 | 347 | 2 | 2 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
D. Hankins
33 RB
|
D. Hankins | 11 | 71 | 0 | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Awatt
22 RB
|
R. Awatt | 10 | 31 | 1 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Hardison
12 QB
|
G. Hardison | 5 | 5 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Flores
3 RB
|
R. Flores | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
T. Smith
1 WR
|
T. Smith | 6 | 4 | 114 | 1 | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Garrett
2 WR
|
J. Garrett | 11 | 6 | 107 | 0 | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Cowing
6 WR
|
J. Cowing | 13 | 7 | 47 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Thompson
45 TE
|
T. Thompson | 2 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Tupou
31 FB
|
J. Tupou | 2 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Hankins
33 RB
|
D. Hankins | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Awatt
22 RB
|
R. Awatt | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Clarke
80 WR
|
J. Clarke | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Flores
3 RB
|
R. Flores | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
J. Caldwell
22 DB
|
J. Caldwell | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Wilson
1 DB
|
T. Wilson | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Hayward
17 LB
|
B. Hayward | 3-4 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Longino
10 QB
|
J. Longino | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Moss
7 DT
|
K. Moss | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Williams
42 DE
|
D. Williams | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Richardson
8 CB
|
T. Richardson | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
P. Amaewhule
23 DE
|
P. Amaewhule | 1-2 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Knight
10 LB
|
T. Knight | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Taylor
11 DE
|
J. Taylor | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Barnes
13 DB
|
D. Barnes | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Robinson
44 DE
|
E. Robinson | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Stewart
54 DT
|
K. Stewart | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Inyang
5 DB
|
D. Inyang | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
W. Neil
15 CB
|
W. Neil | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
G. Baechle
40 K
|
G. Baechle | 1/2 | 24 | 2/2 | 5 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Sloan
13 P
|
J. Sloan | 6 | 41.7 | 0 | 48 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
D. Barnes
13 DB
|
D. Barnes | 3 | 17.0 | 18 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Garrett 2 WR
|
J. Garrett | 6 | 4.3 | 16 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
N. Perry
7 QB
|
N. Perry | 14/28 | 161 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Ford
5 RB
|
J. Ford | 13 | 93 | 1 | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Charles
28 RB
|
J. Charles | 7 | 10 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. McCammon III
3 RB
|
L. McCammon III | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Wester
83 WR
|
L. Wester | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Perry
7 QB
|
N. Perry | 11 | 4 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Burton
82 WR
|
J. Burton | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
L. Wester
83 WR
|
L. Wester | 8 | 4 | 62 | 1 | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Chase
18 WR
|
T. Chase | 1 | 1 | 45 | 0 | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Mitchell
85 WR
|
J. Mitchell | 2 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Robinson
89 WR
|
B. Robinson | 3 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ford
5 RB
|
J. Ford | 5 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
L. McCammon III
3 RB
|
L. McCammon III | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Charles
28 RB
|
J. Charles | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Burton
82 WR
|
J. Burton | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Dean Jr.
21 RB
|
K. Dean Jr. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Z. Mitchell-Paden
87 TE
|
Z. Mitchell-Paden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
R. Mungin
20 CB
|
R. Mungin | 5-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Williams
3 LB
|
E. Williams | 3-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Young
4 S
|
T. Young | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Moultrie
1 LB
|
A. Moultrie | 2-4 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Joyner
0 DE
|
J. Joyner | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Leroy
2 LB
|
A. Leroy | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Krakue
54 LB
|
M. Krakue | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Helm
35 S
|
J. Helm | 1-1 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Adams
17 WR
|
D. Adams | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Z. Gilbert
24 CB
|
Z. Gilbert | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Smith
29 CB
|
K. Smith | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Southall
92 DT
|
M. Southall | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Hawthorne
90 DL
|
D. Hawthorne | 0-2 | 0.5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Veingrad
94 DL
|
R. Veingrad | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Anderson
8 DL
|
E. Anderson | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Lasater
7 LB
|
C. Lasater | 0-2 | 0.5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Adams
30 S
|
A. Adams | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
A. Shahriari
46 K
|
A. Shahriari | 0/0 | 0 | 4/4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
M. Suarez
38 K
|
M. Suarez | 0/0 | 0 | 1/1 | 1 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
M. Hayball
15 P
|
M. Hayball | 9 | 50.2 | 4 | 62 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
L. Wester 83 WR
|
L. Wester | 1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |