Turner’s 72-yard burst breaks open Nevada’s 30-13 win at UTEP

Herschel Turner gave Nevada the separation it had been looking for with a 72-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter Saturday night. The Wolf Pack turned that burst and a restrictive defensive performance into a 30-13 win over UTEP at the Sun Bowl, improving to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mountain West.

Turner finished with 192 rushing yards on 19 carries. His touchdown made it 23-7 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter, moving Nevada from a two-score advantage to a position where UTEP needed several successful possessions. The Miners had struggled to produce even one sustained scoring drive through that point.

The Mountain West’s official highlights recap Nevada’s 30-13 win at the Sun Bowl.

Nevada's defense held UTEP to 211 total yards and nine first downs. The Miners converted only one of 14 third downs, leaving quarterback Raymond Moore III repeatedly facing another punt or a fourth-down decision. Moore supplied most of the offense himself, passing for 132 yards and two touchdowns while also leading UTEP with 65 rushing yards.

The Wolf Pack established the lead through a combination of Dominic Kelley and Joe McFadden. Carter Jones threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Kelley in the first quarter, and McFadden added a 33-yard field goal early in the second. Nevada was ahead 10-0 while UTEP had trouble putting together enough gains to cross the field.

A turnover briefly brought the Miners back into the game. Jones lost a fumble on a sack, and Dycin Davis recovered at Nevada's 13. UTEP took advantage of the short field, with Moore finding Jaden Smith for a 16-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 10-7. The scoring play followed a drive that needed only 13 net yards because of the turnover.

McFadden restored some room with a 26-yard field goal before halftime. His 45-yarder in the third quarter made it 16-7, and Turner's long run then provided the touchdown Nevada needed to pull farther away. Kelley added a six-yard touchdown run with 3:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 30-7.

Kelley finished with 99 rushing yards on 22 carries and scored both through the air and on the ground. Nevada's passing game produced 102 yards between Jones and AJ Bianco, but the backs supplied enough offense to keep the Wolf Pack ahead. Jones completed 11 of 19 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown without an interception.

UTEP's second touchdown came with 1:07 left, when Moore hit Cash Cheeks from eight yards out. The two-point pass failed. Smith finished with four catches for 56 yards, while Kam Thomas had six catches for 32 yards. The late scoring possession improved the Miners' final totals without changing the winner.

Nevada held the ball for 35:26 and finished with 21 first downs. The Wolf Pack visits North Dakota State next Saturday. UTEP fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in its new conference and stays home to face San Jose State.

Sources

ESPN final box score and scoring plays · KVIA: Nevada defeats UTEP · Turner runs for 192 yards