Liberty and UTEP meet in CUSA play

By Canadian Press on October 8, 2025.

Liberty (1-4) at UTEP (1-4), Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. EDT.

BetMGM College Football Odds Opening Line: Liberty by 1.5. Against the spread: Liberty 1-4, UTEP 1-3.

How to watch: CBS Sports Network

Key stats

Liberty Offense

Overall: 342.8 yards per game (107th in FBS)

Passing: 175.6 yards per game (112th)

Rushing: 167.2 yards per game (62nd)

Scoring: 17 points per game (125th)

Liberty Defense

Overall: 387.8 yards per game (93rd in FBS)

Passing: 162.8 yards per game (19th)

Rushing: 225 yards per game (132nd)

Scoring: 23.2 points per game (65th)

UTEP Offense

Overall: 346 yards per game (104th in FBS)

Passing: 244.8 yards per game (60th)

Rushing: 101.2 yards per game (121st)

Scoring: 20.8 points per game (110th)

UTEP Defense

Overall: 340.4 yards per game (56th in FBS)

Passing: 185.6 yards per game (38th)

Rushing: 154.8 yards per game (82nd)

Scoring: 26.6 points per game (92nd)

UTEP ranks 118th in third down percentage, converting 34.2% of the time. Liberty ranks 93rd on defense, holding its opponents to 41.8%.

UTEP is 122nd in the FBS with a -5 turnover margin.

Liberty ranks 125th in FBS in red zone offense, scoring on 72.7% of trips. UTEP’s red zone defense ranks 38th at 80%.

UTEP ranks 134th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 25:29, compared to Liberty’s 74th-ranked average of 29:35.

Team leaders

Liberty

Passing: Ethan Vasko, 763 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 57.3 completion percentage

Rushing: Evan Dickens, 344 yards on 65 carries, 2 TDs

Receiving: Donte Lee Jr., 261 yards on 10 catches, 3 TDs

UTEP

Passing: Malachi Nelson, 1,142 yards, 8 TDs, 9 INTs, 55.6 completion percentage

Rushing: Hahsaun Wilson, 205 yards on 31 carries, 1 TD

Receiving: Kenny Odom, 247 yards on 23 catches, 2 TDs

Last game

Liberty was beaten by Old Dominion 21-7 on Saturday, Sept. 27. Michael Merdinger threw for 77 yards on 6-of-11 attempts (54.5%) with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Caden Williams carried the ball 19 times for 92 yards. Lee had one reception for 53 yards.

UTEP lost 30-11 to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Sept. 27. Skyler Locklear threw for 74 yards on 4-of-6 attempts (66.7%) with one touchdown and one interception. Ashten Emory had 50 rushing yards on 11 carries, adding one reception for 10 yards. Wondame Davis Jr. put up 58 yards on two catches with one touchdown.

Next game

Liberty hosts New Mexico State on Oct. 14. UTEP plays at Sam Houston on Oct. 15.

The Associated Press