SMU 35, UTEP 31

Published Nov. 14, 2009 11:59 p.m. ET

foxsports

SMU (6-4, 5-1 Conference USA) gained sole possession of first place in the conference's West Division after Houston lost 37-32 to Central Florida earlier in the day. The Miners (3-7, 2-4) have lost three straight.

UTEP took a 31-28 lead after running back Donald Buckram scored on a 30-yard screen pass from Trevor Vittatoe with 8:57 left in the game.

But Padron threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Emmanuel Sanders with 4:34 left in the game to give SMU the lead. UTEP drove to the Mustangs' 14-yard line but Vittatoe was sacked by SMU's Taylor Thompson on fourth-and-6 with 26 seconds left.

Vittatoe finished 23-of-40 for 396 yards, one interception and two touchdowns. Buckram also rushed for 241 yards and one score.