Final
UTEP 38
(6-2, 4-1 C-USA)
San Jose St 20
(2-5, 1-3 WAC)
5:00 PM ET, October 30, 2004
SPARTAN STADIUM (CA), SAN JOSE, CA
Top Performers
Passing: J. Palmer (UTEP) - 218 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: T. Thompson (SJSU) - 25 CAR, 84 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving: R. Skillern (SJSU) - 5 REC, 84 YDS
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Jordan Palmer threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to help Texas El Paso secure its second winning season in 16 years with a 38-20 victory over San Jose State on Saturday.
Palmer, with 10 touchdown passes in his last three games, completed his first eight passes in leading the Miners (6-2, 4-1 WAC) to a pair of first-quarter touchdowns.
Jayson Boyd and Johnnie Lee Higgins caught touchdown passes as UTEP won its fifth straight and completed an undefeated October for the first time since 2000, and the second since 1967.
The Miners, 24th in the BCS rankings, matched their win total from the past three years combined in winning their third straight conference road game. UTEP won just two games in each of its last three seasons.
Tyson Thompson ran for 84 yards and scored a touchdown for San Jose State (2-5, 1-3) in the Spartans' third straight loss.
The Miners drove 83 yards in six plays on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. Palmer's 38-yard pass to Chris Francies set up Josh Chamois' 1-yard scoring run. In four carries this year, Chamois has scored three touchdowns.
Howard Jackson, who ran for 89 yards, went 44 yards to set up Palmer's 23-yard scoring toss to Jayson Boyd that gave the Miners a 14-0 lead seven minutes later.
Thompson's 9-yard run late in the first quarter brought the Spartans to 14-7.
Higgins caught a 9-yard pass from Palmer early in the third quarter and the Miners extended their lead to 31-7 before San Jose State scored twice in the fourth quarter.
Higgins has caught a touchdown pass in six straight games.
Palmer was 16-of-22 for 218 yards.
Thomas Howard recovered a fumble in the end zone and Reagan Schneider kicked a 24-yard field goal for the Miners, who snapped a three-game losing streak to the Spartans. Schneider missed a field goal try after making his first 12 of the year.
UTEP forced five turnovers -- two interceptions and three fumbles.
Spartans quarterback Dale Rogers was 13-of-27 for 146 yards and ran for a touchdown. Backup quarterback Adam Tafralis also scored on a 1-yard run.
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Team Stat Comparison
| UTEP | SJSU | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 14 | 24 |
| Total Yards | 372 | 305 |
| Passing | 228 | 173 |
| Rushing | 144 | 132 |
| Penalties | 8-78 | 2-10 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 4-10 | 4-15 |
| 4th Down Conversions | 1-1 | 3-4 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 5 |
| Possession | 24:29 | 35:31 |
Scoring Summary
| FIRST QUARTER | UTEP | SJSU | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | TD | 13:24 | JOSH CHAMOIS 1 YD RUN (REAGAN SCHNEIDER KICK) Drive info: 6 plays, 83 yards. | 7 | 0 |
| TD | 6:19 | JAYSON BOYD 23 YD PASS FROM JORDAN PALMER (REAGAN SCHNEIDER KICK) Drive info: 7 plays, 92 yards. | 14 | 0 |
 | TD | 4:43 | TYSON THOMPSON 9 YD RUN (JEFF CARR KICK) Drive info: 6 plays, 67 yards. | 14 | 7 |
| THIRD QUARTER | UTEP | SJSU | |||
| TD | 10:08 | JOHNNIE LEE HIGGINS 9 YD PASS FROM JORDAN PALMER (REAGAN SCHNEIDER KICK) Drive info: 7 plays, 60 yards. | 21 | 7 |
| FG | 1:08 | REAGAN SCHNEIDER 20 YD FG Drive info: 7 plays, 24 yards. | 24 | 7 |
| FOURTH QUARTER | UTEP | SJSU | |||
| TD | 14:50 | THOMAS HOWARD 0 YD DEFENSIVE FUMBLE RETURN (REAGAN SCHNEIDER KICK) | 31 | 7 |
| TD | 10:09 | DALE ROGERS 3 YD RUN (FAILED 2PT RUSH) Drive info: 10 plays, 60 yards. | 31 | 13 |
| TD | 7:46 | JORDAN PALMER 6 YD RUN (REAGAN SCHNEIDER KICK) Drive info: 6 plays, 19 yards. | 38 | 13 |
| TD | 3:24 | ADAM TAFRALIS 1 YD RUN (JEFF CARR KICK) Drive info: 10 plays, 70 yards. | 38 | 20 |
