Upcoming Event: Track & Field versus NCAA First Round on May 28, 2026
Track & Field
vs NCAA First Round
The University of Utah Athletics
Football
Game 6
Utah 34, UTEP 27
El Paso, Texas - Oct. 5Sun Bowl - Att. 28,271
EL PASO, Texas - It took the second-highest single-game rushing total in school history by sophomore running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala to prevent an upset in El Paso. Fuamatu-Ma'afala gained 236 yards and pulled the No. 24 Utes back from the brink of defeat to a 34-27 win. He also rushed for three touchdowns and caught two passes for 23 yards. Utah's defense, missing three starters on the line, nonetheless kept things close in the first half when the offense stalled. Utah trailed at the half, 6-3, with only a 50-yard Daniel Pulsipher field goal (made with 0:02 left) to its credit.
But Fuamatu-Ma'afala tore the Miners to shreds in the second stanza, scoring two TDs late in the game after Utah fell behind by 10 (27-17). He charged to 190 of his career-high 236 rushing yards in the second half--averaging 12 yards per rush. He dodged to a game-tying 24-yard score at 6:49 and later his 61-yard sprint set up the Utes' final score--also courtesy of Fuamatu-Ma'afala (4 yards).
Armand Boglin came up big for the defense, with two sacks for 17 yards and one caused fumble. Nate Kia had seven tackles, including one for a loss of three yards, and Harold Lusk led the Utes with 11 tackles. David Richards snuffed a late UTEP drive with his second interception of the season. The defense held UTEP to 307 total yards--the fewest allowed an opponent to date.
Utah 0 3 14 17 - 34
UTEP 3 3 7 14 - 27
Scoring Summary
UT--Olsen 33 field goal, 10:33, 1st
UT--Olsen 37 field goal, 10:28, 2nd
UU--Pulsipher 50 field goal, 0:02, 2nd
UU--Dyson 18 pass from Fouts (Pulsipher kick), 12:42, 3rd
UT--Hickl 3 run (Olsen kick), 8:51, 3rd
UU--Fuamatu-Ma'afala 4 run (Pulsipher kick), 0:55, 3rd
UT--Hicks 0 fumble return (Olsen kick), 9:28, 4th
UU--Pulsipher 38 field goal, 7:11, 4th
UU--Fuamatu-Ma'afala 24 run (Pulsipher kick), 6:49, 4th
UU--Fuamatu-Ma'afala 4 run (Pulsipher kick), 3:42, 4th
Team Statistics UU UT
First Downs 18 16
Net Rushing 35-207 48-183
Passing 31-15-1 26-10-1
Passing Yards 155 124
Total Offense 362 307
Fumbles 1-1 2-2
Penalties 7-53 8-84
Interceptions 1-0 1-15
Punting 6-218 7-304
Punt Returns 6-20 1-12
Kickoff Returns 5-97 2-29
Time of Possession 26:05 33:55
Third Down Conversions 4-12 5-16
Fourth Down Conversions 0-1 1-1
Sacks By 2-18 0-0
Individual Leaders
Rushing (Att-Yds-TD)--Utah: Fuamatu-Ma'afala 28-236-3, Johnson 3-11-0. UTEP: Polk 19-104-0, Hickl 19-44-1.
Passing (Att-Comp-I-Yds-TD)--Utah: Fouts 31-15-1-155-1. UTEP: Hickl 26-10-1-124-1.
Receiving (Rec-Yds-TD)--Utah: Dyson 7-72-1, Keehan 2-25-0, Fuamatu-Ma'afala 2-23-0. UTEP: C. Johnson 3-56-0, Johnston 1-6-1, Carpenter 3-33-0.
Kickoff Returns--Utah: Dyson 4-94. UTEP: C. Johnson 1-16.
Punt Returns--Utah: Lusk 5-19, Dyson 1-1. UTEP: Bailie 1-12.
Defensive Leaders--Utah: Tackles: Lusk 11, Lawson 9, Dart 8. Sacks: Boglin 2-17, Love 1-1. Interceptions: Richards 1-0.