​EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — UTEP’s first-ever Mountain West football game quickly turned into a day to forget for the Minners.University of New Mexico quarterback Toa Fa’avae led a balanced New Mexico offense as the Lobos beat UTEP, 61-7, in the Mountain West football opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 3 at University Stadium in Albuquerque.  Fa’avae finished 15-of-19 passing for 249 yards and three touchdowns with a 230.6 rating for New Mexico (4-1, 1-0 MW). The Lobos passed for 262 yards and rushed for 231. They also limited UTEP (1-4, 0-1 MW) to 271 yards and scored 31 points off five Miner turnovers.Fa’avae completed 11-of-14 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, directing the Lobos to a 21-0 lead. The Miners had a touchdown called back on their first offensive series due to an illegal touch pass. The UTEP defense had opened the game by stuffing UNM on fourth down at the Miner 35-yard line.The Lobos took control after that, generating touchdowns on three consecutive drives. Backup QB James Laubstein came in and rushed for a 14-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Later, Fa’avae connected with Cade Keith (12 yards) and Bailen George (52 yards) for TDs.A pick-six by Lobo safety Austin Brawley early in the third quarter extended the lead to 28-0. Brawley struck again later in the period when he blocked Brady Braun’s punt and New Mexico scored a safety.  “I’m embarrassed and sorry to the fans that made the trip. El Paso deserves better and we have to fight to give it to them,” third-year UTEP head coach Scotty Walden said. “I told the team at the end there will be no excuses, no deflection; it’s going to be all ownership. We got beat in every phase. It was a total team loss. We knew New Mexico is a really good team, but we gave them a lot. At the end of the day we have to be ready to play.” The Lobos added a couple more touchdowns before the Miners got on the board with Raymond Moore III’s 86-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. It was the sixth-longest rushing play in school history and the longest by a UTEP quarterback.  With 135 yards on the ground (11 carries), Moore became the first quarterback to rush for 100-plus yards since Calvin Brownholtz had 114 against North Texas in the final game of the 2020 season. It was the top rushing performance by a UTEP signal-caller since James Thomas II had 142 yards versus NM State in 2008.EJ Colson finished 6-of-12 passing for 45 yards and rushed for 24 yards before exiting the game early in the third quarter. Moore took over, and third-stringer Braesen Leon saw brief action later in the game.For the Lobos, Cameron Mathews had 108 yards rushing on six carries, including a 54-yard TD in the fourth quarter. The UNM defense produced four sacks, 10 tackles for losses, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.UP NEXTThe Miners will take on Nevada in their inaugural Mountain West home game at 5 p.m. next Saturday, Oct. 10. The fi