WESTERN ATHLETIC ROUNDUP : Brown Leads Utah in Rout of UTEP

Charlie Brown tied a school record by running for four touchdowns and gained 143 yards in 18 carries as No. 12 Utah ran over Texas El Paso, 52-7, on Saturday at Salt Lake City.

“I didn’t even know I’d carry the ball that much,” Brown said. “I thought Rob Hamilton was going to be the man. But I got my chance and I gave it everything I had.”

Hamilton, the Utes’ fullback, gained only 31 yards as the 5-foot-9, 192-pound Brown dominated the running game.

Brown’s four touchdowns matched a record last equaled in 1988 by Eddie Johnson against Brigham Young and helped Utah, 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Western Athletic Conference, to its best record since 1930.

“I’m a more mature runner now,” Brown said. “Instead of waiting for a big hole, I just take any crease and hit the line with all my force.”

Utah quarterback Mike McCoy completed 25 of 36 passes for 391 yards, with one interception.

Two of McCoy’s touchdown passes were to Deron Claiborne, who led the Utes with seven catches for 128 yards.

“I knew we could do this to them,” McCoy said. “We knew the things that would work, and we did them. It was a matter of going out and playing our kind of game.”

While Utah racked up 628 yards in all, its defense--ranked first in the WAC and eighth nationally--held UTEP (3-6, 1-5) to 288 yards.

San Diego State 38, Hawaii 23--Wayne Pittman rushed for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns in 33 carries at San Diego to help the Aztecs (4-5, 2-4) hand the Rainbows (2-6, 0-6) their fifth consecutive loss.

Billy Blanton of San Diego State completed 20 of 28 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Hawaii hurt itself with six turnovers, including five interceptions.

New Mexico 49, Fresno State 32--Stoney Case passed for two touchdowns and ran for three to lead the Lobos (3-6, 2-3) over the Bulldogs (4-5, 2-3) at Fresno. Case ran for 114 yards in 16 carries and completed nine of 14 passes for 199 yards.

New Mexico, seventh nationally in total offense, racked up 565 yards, 89 more than its average.

Fresno’s Adrian Claiborne completed 18 of 32 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions, and Jerome Oliver rushed for 167 yards in 24 carries.

Air Force 34, Wyoming 17--Preston McConnell passed for touchdowns of 39, 24 and 23 yards and ran 78 yards for another score to lead the Falcons (5-3, 4-2) over the Cowboys (4-5, 2-3) at Laramie, Wyo.

It was the first time since Oct. 14, 1989, that Air Force, which relies on a wishbone offense, had passed for three touchdowns.