UTEP beats Stephen F. Austin 24-14 in season opener
Freshman RB Hankins scores pair of TDs in UTEP's win
Deion Hankins scores the first two touchdowns of his career to help UTEP pick up a 24-14 win over Stephen F. Austin in the season opener.
EL PASO, Texas -- Deion Hankins ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns to lead UTEP to a 24-14 victory over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.
Gavin Hardison was 17-of-28 passing for 212 yards and tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Justin Garrett that pulled the Miners to 14-10 late in the second quarter. Hankins ran for a 10-yard touchdown with 20 seconds remaining before halftime, and added a 4-yard scoring run with 3:50 left that capped a nine-play, 80-yard drive.
Trae Self threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Lawton Rikel for the Lumberjacks. Da'Leon Ward added a 1-yard TD run to put Stephen F. Austin up 14-3 early in the second quarter. Self finished 14 of 21 for 133 yards passing.
The attendance was 6,047 at the 51,500-seat Sun Bowl. There was no general admission seating. Tailgating was prohibited and masks inside the stadium were required.
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Game Information
2024 Southland Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Incarnate Word | 7-0 | 11-3 |
| SE Louisiana | 6-1 | 7-5 |
| Stephen F. Austin | 4-3 | 7-5 |
| Lamar | 4-3 | 7-5 |
| Houston Christian | 3-4 | 5-7 |
| McNeese | 3-4 | 6-6 |
| East Texas A&M | 2-4 | 3-9 |
| Nicholls | 2-5 | 4-8 |
| Northwestern State | 0-7 | 0-12 |
2024 Conference USA Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State | 7-1 | 9-5 |
| Western Kentucky | 6-2 | 8-6 |
| Sam Houston | 6-2 | 10-3 |
| Liberty | 5-3 | 8-3 |
| Louisiana Tech | 4-4 | 5-7 |
| UTEP | 3-5 | 3-9 |
| Florida International | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| New Mexico State | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Middle Tennessee | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Kennesaw State | 2-6 | 2-10 |
NCAAF News