2011 Week 10

This game featured no turnovers and only three combined trips to the red zone. El Paso jumped to the early lead on a bomb into cover 3 zone, but Pine Bluff evened it on a 59 yard run by JerMicah "Conan" Conant, last week's NCAA player of the week. UAPB built a 28-7 first quarter lead behind a Penn punt return, a 40 yard TD pass play from the flats by Conant, and a 64 yard pass play hookup between Hale and Post, a great read by Hale on that play.

UTEP fought back into it on Reid's 2 yard run and Dorsey's 30 yard reception. The teams traded scores on Dorsey's (of UAPB, no relation) kick return and Reid's TD plunge. But Pine Bluff weathered the charge as seldom-used fullback McKinney bounced through arm tackles into the end zone, and Longstone finished things out with a field goal after a UTEP turnover on downs.

Conan is solidifying his rise in the depth chart with another huge game today - 193 all-purpose yards and 2 TDs. The balanced scoring of UAPB - 2 rushing TDs, 2 receiving TDs, and 2 return TDs - was the right antidote to UTEP's high octane assault. UTEP's defensive front proved its worth too, as Pine Bluff only registered 4 pancake blocks.

For UTEP, it's a stunning reversal of fortune after a four game hot streak, but is unlikely to jeopardize Miner bowl chances. QB Jimmy Harris, a redshirt freshman, put on a show today; he usually evaded the first would-be tackler, and sometimes the second, but Pine Bluff eventually began to zero in on blitz packages that would expose Harris to a follow-up defender to bring him down - and at 6'7, 242, Harris is a load to bring down. For Pine Bluff, the victory keeps hopes alive to salvage a split season if the Bluffies can win at Tulane, regardless of next week's outcome with Auburn.

After the game, UAPB received a commit from Andrews, TX, a 4* prospect who will likely start next season.