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Florida International would score touchdowns on their first five offensive possessions, and racked up 520 yards of total offense in a 52-12 rout of UTEP.
FIU went 75 yards in six plays on their opening drive capped off by a two yard plunge from Alex Gardner to open the scoring in just 2:37. Then after a UTEP three and out, FIU quarterback Alex McGough found Thomas Owens for a 43-yard touchdown strike to put the Panthers up 14-0 after a six-play 80 yard drive at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter.
UTEP would only manage 37 yards on their first four possessions, including a pick six off Ryan Metz by Jeremiah McKinnon who housed it 31-yards to give FIU a commanding 35-0 edge to open the second quarter.
FIU would go into the half with a 42-3 lead, with the 42 points being a FIU school record for points in a half.
The Panthers piled up 337 total yards of offense in the first half, while UTEP averaged 4.3 yards per play in the first half.
True freshman Kavika Johnson took over at quarterback for Ryan Metz late in the first quarter, and led UTEP on a 11-play 75 yard scoring drive with Cole Freytag hauling in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Johnson for UTEP's first and only offensive touchdown of the game with 8:41 left in the third quarter.
The touchdown pass was Johnson's first career collegiate touchdown.
Alex McGough had a career high 270 passing yards and threw for two touchdowns, also completing passes to seven different receivers. Alex Gardner had 96 yards receiving, and also added 56 yards on the ground. FIU had 22 first downs to UTEP's 13.
Johnson finished 10/20 for 107 yards passing, the Miners were 4/15 on third downs, and finished with 272 total yards with an average of 3.8 yards per play. UTEP did manage to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark with 155 total yards rushing yards.
Wide receiver Warren Redix saw ten carries at running back and led UTEP with 52 yards rushing, Cole Freytag had two catches for 81 yards.
Autrey Golden passed Cedrick Johnson to become UTEP's all-time leader in kick off return yards with 2,758 career yards.
UTEP drops to 2-4 on the season, and 0-2 in conference play. The Miners have a much needed bye week coming up, before they return to the Sun Bowl on October 24th against the Florida Atlantic Owls.