Garza Throws 4 Scoring Passes as UTEP Outguns Utah, 55-44

Sammy Garza passed for 402 yards and 4 touchdowns Saturday night to lead Texas El Paso to a 55-44 Western Athletic Conference victory over Utah.

The victory overshadowed the performance of Utah quarterback Larry Egger, who threw for 492 yards and 5 touchdowns while completing 39 of 58 passes. Egger threw three touchdown passes to Loren Richey and two to Craig McEwen.

Utah (2-9 overall, 1-7 in the WAC) had 607 yards of total offense. It was the third time this year that the Utes have had more than 600 yards and lost.

Garza’s touchdown passes went to tight end Bob Keseday, John Harvey, Harold Collins and Barney Adkison. Harvey also scored on runs of 59 and 19 yards.

UTEP (4-8, 2-6) trailed, 31-27, at halftime, but outscored the Utes, 14-0, in the crucial third quarter on Garza’s 48-yard hookup with Collins and a 10-yarder to Adkison. UTEP put the game out of reach at 48-31 on Harvey’s long scoring run.