EL PASO, Texas -- Nick Smith sprinted 20 yards to score in the fourth quarter to give North Texas just enough cushion to hold off UTEP 27-24 on Saturday night.
Smith's touchdown gave the Mean Green a 27-17 lead with 5:46 left to play. The Miners responded two plays later when Ryan Metz, in his first start for UTEP, hit Keynan Foster in stride for a 67-yard scoring strike to trail 27-24.
UTEP, which has lost 18 consecutive games, got the ball back with 2:45 remaining but the Mean Green defense stiffened when Bryce English and E.