Atkinson throws three touchdowns as Oregon State beats UTEP 33-7

Oregon State had control before halftime and finished a 33-7 road win over UTEP on Saturday night in El Paso. Braden Atkinson threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns, Jesse Legree caught two of the scoring passes, and AJ Newberry supplied an early rushing touchdown. ESPN’s final game record shows the Beavers leading 20-0 at the half and answering UTEP’s only touchdown before the third quarter was over.

Newberry opened the scoring on a 12-yard run with 12:23 left in the first quarter. Caleb Ojeda added a 37-yard field goal, and Atkinson found Legree from 14 yards late in the period for a 17-0 advantage. Ojeda’s 35-yard kick in the second made it 20-0. UTEP had held the ball for long stretches, but Oregon State turned its early opportunities into scores while the Miners had no points to show for their first half.

UTEP finally scored on EJ Colson Jr.’s six-yard pass to Carver Cheeks at 10:08 of the third. The response was decisive: Atkinson and Legree connected for a 19-yard touchdown less than four minutes later, restoring the 20-point gap. Atkinson later found Jameson Powell from 18 yards early in the fourth. The two-point attempt failed, but Oregon State did not need another score. The Beavers’ final three touchdowns all came through the passing game after Newberry’s first-quarter run.

Atkinson completed 24 of 34 passes for 301 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, according to ESPN’s final box. Legree had six catches for 109 yards and two scores; Newberry ran for 111 yards on 11 carries. Oregon State finished with 451 total yards against 222 for UTEP. Colson was 16-for-23 for 119 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Miners gained 92 yards rushing, went three of 12 on third down and could not turn their 34:23 possession time into sustained scoring.

Oregon State’s official game preview identified the UTEP trip as its final game of September. In the final, the Beavers’ quick start removed the pressure from a single must-have late drive. UTEP’s third-quarter touchdown briefly showed a route back, but Legree’s second score shut it. The yardage, third-down split and early 20-point lead all point in the same direction: Oregon State created better scoring chances and converted them, while its defense kept UTEP’s one answer isolated. The first-half scoring log includes Newberry’s run, Legree’s first touchdown and two Ojeda field goals. UTEP’s only touchdown came in the third quarter, and the Miners did not score in the fourth.