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EL PASO, Texas (AP) Nick Mullens threw for 176 yards and three touchdowns to help lead Southern Mississippi to a 34-7 win over UTEP on Saturday night.
Ito Smith ran 16 times for 108 yards and added 33 yards receiving with a touchdown for Southern Miss (3-1, 1-0 Conference USA), who outgained UTEP by 120 yards (378-258) and forced three Miners turnovers. D.J. Thompson and Allenzae Staggers also caught TD passes for the Golden Eagles.
An Aaron Jones 68-yard touchdown run gave UTEP (1-3, 0-1) its only lead of the game late in the first quarter. But Southern Miss responded, reeling of 21 unanswered points in the second quarter for a 24-7 halftime lead.
Curtis Mikell added to the Golden Eagles lead midway through the third, intercepting a Zack Greenlee pass at the goal line and returning it 100 yards for a touchdown.
Jones led the Miners with 127 yards and one TD.
