EL PASO (Interstat) — EJ Colson Jr. threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score, and UTEP rolled to a 51-10 victory over FCS-member Texas Southern on Saturday night, Sept. 12, 2026, at the Sun Bowl. The nonconference game was played before a home crowd as UTEP evened its record at 1-1. Texas Southern fell to 1-2. Colson, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound quarterback from Byron, Georgia, guided an offense that scored in every quarter and pulled away after a competitive start. UTEP scored 51 points in the first home win of the season for the Miners, while Texas Southern managed 10 points against a faster Bowl Subdivision opponent. The Tigers scored first-quarter and second-quarter points but could not keep pace once UTEP’s passing game found a rhythm.

UTEP opened the scoring with 12:32 left in the first quarter when Colson connected with Kam Thomas on a deep middle pass. Thomas caught the ball near the Texas Southern 45 and raced to the end zone for an 83-yard touchdown. Carlos Arreola made the extra point. Texas Southern answered at 4:55 of the first quarter. Athean Renfro Jr. took a rush to the right side, broke through the defense and scored from 16 yards out. Miguel Arana III kicked the extra point to tie the game.

The Tigers briefly took the lead in the second quarter when Arana made a 43-yard field goal with 12:05 remaining. Texas Southern’s defense tried to hold, but Colson and the Miners responded before halftime. Colson completed a short middle pass to Cash Cheeks, who caught the ball near the Texas Southern 1 and stepped into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown with 37 seconds left in the half. Arreola’s kick was good. UTEP carried momentum into the locker room and then took control after the break.

The third quarter turned the game into a rout. On a scoring drive with 12:04 remaining, Colson completed a short left pass to J. Nash. Nash caught the ball near the Texas Southern 24, fought toward the goal line, and fumbled at the 2. Fabian Wells forced the fumble, but Cheeks recovered in the end zone for a UTEP touchdown. Arreola added the extra point. Less than two minutes later, Colson again found Cheeks, this time on a short right pass. Cheeks caught it near the Texas Southern 14 and scored from 13 yards out. Arreola’s kick made it a three-score game. UTEP added another touchdown at 6:28 of the third when T. Jones rushed left for 33 yards and reached the end zone. Arreola remained perfect on extra points.

UTEP added to its lead in the fourth quarter when Arreola made a 35-yard field goal with 9:40 remaining. Texas Southern had a chance to cut into the deficit at 1:40, but Arana’s 31-yard field goal attempt missed. The Miners closed the scoring with 48 seconds left when R. Moore III broke free on a rush to the right and ran 79 yards for a touchdown. Arreola’s extra-point attempt failed, leaving the final margin at 41 points.

Colson finished the night as the central figure for UTEP, accounting for five touchdowns. He threw four scoring passes and added a rushing score. Cheeks scored multiple times, including a receiving touchdown and a fumble recovery in the end zone. Thomas provided the biggest early strike with an 83-yard touchdown catch. Jones and Moore added long touchdown runs in the second half. Arreola handled the kicking duties and made field goals and extra points before the late missed extra point.

Texas Southern’s best moments came early. Renfro scored on a 16-yard run, and Arana made a 43-yard field goal. Cam’Ron McCoy, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound quarterback from Saint Louis, Missouri, helped direct the Tigers’ offense. Jordan Thompson, Garfield Lawrence, Lajuan Zaccaro, Donovan Jones, Aaron Kizzee and Josef Aganbi were among the Texas Southern players who saw key roles. Zyion Claville, Kordell Rodgers, Jaquan McGee, Xavier Phipps and Danny Green Jr. also contributed for the Tigers. Defensively, Texas Southern received work from Lawrence, Donovan Jones, Rodgers, Jamaal Cherry, Ryan Robinson Jr., Quinton Murray, Joey Sumlin, Amare Garrett, Jaheim Miller, MJ Hinson and Fabian Wells. Wells forced a fumble on UTEP’s third-quarter scoring play, though the Miners recovered it for a touchdown.

UTEP’s defense limited Texas Southern after the early scores. Chace Biddle, Esteban Guillory, Donavan Howard, Jayden Wilson, Grant Stewart and Adarius Hutchinson were among the Miners who helped slow the Tigers. UTEP punter Brady Braun and kicker Carlos Arreola contributed on special teams. Nik Henry, Jaylan Brown and other UTEP receivers worked into the offense as the Miners built their largest lead of the young season. The victory gave UTEP a split of its first two games after a season-opening loss at Oklahoma on Sept. 4. Texas Southern had opened the season with a 42-30 home win over North Carolina Central on Aug. 29 before falling 52-14 at Prairie View on Sept. 6.

Texas Southern returns to action Sept. 26 at Alcorn State. The Tigers then visit Florida Atlantic on Oct. 3 before returning home to face Mississippi Valley State on Oct. 10. Southwestern Athletic Conference play continues later in October with Southern and Grambling visiting, followed by Alabama State at home and a trip to Alabama A&M. Arkansas-Pine Bluff is scheduled to visit Texas Southern on Nov. 21. UTEP travels to Michigan on Sept. 19, then hosts Oregon State on Sept. 26. The Miners visit New Mexico on Oct. 3 and return home for Nevada on Oct. 10 and San Jose State on Oct. 17. Later games include a trip to North Dakota State on Oct. 31, home dates with Hawaii and Wyoming, and road games at Air Force and Northern Illinois.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of UTEP 36, Texas Southern 24. Interstat’s ELO system had projected UTEP with an 84.9 percent probability to win. The actual result exceeded that projection as the Miners scored 51 points and held the Tigers to 10.