Vattiato's late TD run helps Middle Tennessee beat UTEP 20-13
EL PASO, Texas (AP) Nicholas Vattiato threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Myles Butler and ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:53 to play to help Middle Tennessee beat UTEP 20-13 Saturday.
Vattiato was 21-of-35 for 239 yards with two interceptions for Middle Tennessee (3-6, 2-3 Conference USA). Butler finished with five receptions for a season-high 101 yards.
On the go-ahead drive, the UTEP defense jumped offsides on a third-and-1 and a few plays later was called for pass interference on a third-and-9 to give the Blue Raiders fresh sets of downs before Vattiato’s TD capped the scoring.
Zeke Rankin kicked a 21-yard field goal for MTSU to open the scoring midway through the first quarter. Buzz Flabiano made a 35-yard field goal about 5 minutes later to make it 3-3 and JP Pickles added a 17-yard touchdown run to give the Miners a seven-point lead with 7:31 left in the first half.
Vattiato hit Butler over the middle at the UTEP 45 and he evaded a would-be tackler near the 40 before racing the rest of the way to the end zone to make it 10-10 with 3:40 remaining in the second.
Dorian Hopkins intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards to the UTEP 46 to set up a 29-yard field goal by Flabiano to give UTEP (1-8, 1-5) a 13-10 lead with 13:34 left in the third quarter.
JP Pickles was 18-of-33 passing for 145 yards with an interception and added 77 yards rushing on 17 carries for the Miners. Jevon Jackson ran for 83 yards on 21 carries and caught five passes for 33 yards.
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Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
N. Vattiato
11 QB
|
N. Vattiato | 21/35 | 239 | 1 | 2 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Credle
22 RB
|
J. Credle | 10 | 40 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Middlebrook
32 RB
|
J. Middlebrook | 7 | 33 | 0 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Vattiato
11 QB
|
N. Vattiato | 8 | 14 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Williams
18 S
|
X. Williams | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
O. Kelly
1 WR
|
O. Kelly | 2 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Butler
5 WR
|
M. Butler | 6 | 5 | 101 | 1 | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Middlebrook
32 RB
|
J. Middlebrook | 7 | 5 | 34 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
O. Kelly
1 WR
|
O. Kelly | 6 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Credle
22 RB
|
J. Credle | 5 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Poticher
42 TE
|
E. Poticher | 4 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Sherman
13 WR
|
J. Sherman | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Sudderth
82 TE
|
T. Sudderth | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
H. Sutton
9 WR
|
H. Sutton | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
S. Woods
98 NT
|
S. Woods | 1-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Butts
93 DE
|
A. Butts | 1-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Smith
92 DL
|
D. Smith | 1-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Williams
18 S
|
X. Williams | 0-0 | 0.0 | 1 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
Z. Rankin
7 K
|
Z. Rankin | 2/2 | 27 | 2/2 | 8 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
G. Chadwick
97 P
|
G. Chadwick | 6 | 42.2 | 2 | 55 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
C. Lacy
86 WR
|
C. Lacy | 1 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Brewton
0 RB
|
B. Brewton | 1 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
O. Kelly 1 WR
|
O. Kelly | 2 | 4.5 | 30 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Stewart 19 WR
|
K. Stewart | 1 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
J. Pickles
19 QB
|
J. Pickles | 18/33 | 145 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Locklear
9 QB
|
S. Locklear | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Jacklin
29 P
|
A. Jacklin | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Jackson
4 RB
|
J. Jackson | 21 | 83 | 0 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Pickles
19 QB
|
J. Pickles | 19 | 77 | 1 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Jolly
22 RB
|
E. Jolly | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Jackson
4 RB
|
J. Jackson | 7 | 5 | 33 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Goodman
1 WR
|
T. Goodman | 6 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. White
8 WR
|
E. White | 7 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Odom
6 WR
|
K. Odom | 7 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Vinson
82 TE
|
M. Vinson | 2 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Nickelberry
0 WR
|
A. Nickelberry | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Jolly
22 RB
|
E. Jolly | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
D. Hopkins
41 LB
|
D. Hopkins | 1-0 | 1.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Allen
22 S
|
J. Allen | 0-0 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Jolly
22 RB
|
E. Jolly | 0-0 | 0.0 | 1 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
B. Flabiano
36 K
|
B. Flabiano | 2/3 | 32 | 1/1 | 7 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
A. Jacklin
29 P
|
A. Jacklin | 5 | 40.0 | 1 | 60 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
A. Nickelberry
0 WR
|
A. Nickelberry | 2 | 12.0 | 14 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
T. Goodman 1 WR
|
T. Goodman | 2 | 16.5 | 24 | 0 |