Dawkins' 6 TDs lead Wildcats' rout of UTEP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EL PASO, Texas -- Brandon Dawkins scored six touchdowns -- three passing and three rushing -- to lead Arizona to a 63-16 win over UTEP on Friday night.
Dawkins, who played only one series in the fourth quarter, threw for 155 yards on 18-of-22 passing and ran for 143 yards on 13 carries.
Arizona came into the game as a 25-point favorite, but struggled in the first quarter against winless UTEP before scoring 28 unanswered points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Wildcats (2-1) scored on the first play of the second quarter when Dawkins found freshman J.J. Taylor for 2-yard TD on fourth-and-goal, capping a 12-play, 78-yard drive. Dawkins connected with Shun Brown on a 36-yard touchdown pass followed by a 5-yard Dawkins TD run three minutes later to push the lead to 28-0.
After UTEP (0-3) scored on a pass from Zack Greenlee to Tyler Batson with 2:50 remaining in the half, Dawkins scored his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard run as the Wildcats scored 35 second-quarter points to take a 35-9 lead.
It was the first points allowed by the Wildcats in three quarters after holding Houston scoreless in the second half last week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Arizona continued its offensive onslaught in the third, scoring two more touchdowns -- on Dawkins' 13-yard run and Bryce Wolma's catch.
"It just came down to execution," Dawkins said. "We executed a lot better, I executed a lot better and that's the kind of result you're going to get."
UTEP scored its lone second-half touchdown on Mark Torrez's 6-yard run in the third and Arizona closed with 21 unanswered points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez was impressed with how Dawkins came back from last week's loss to Houston.
"He showed me that he is the competitor I thought he always was," Rodriguez said. "That's one thing that will not change about Brandon. He is a competitive guy. He played well, he did a nice job and bailed us out a couple of times."
THE TAKEAWAY
Arizona: How young are the Wildcats? Arizona has played 24 freshman, including 14 true freshman, in the first three games.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}UP NEXT
Arizona: The Wildcats host Pac-12 South rival Utah next Friday in the conference opener for both teams.