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EL PASO, Texas - Special teams determined the outcome of a Louisiana Tech game again this season but in a manner very different than 10 weeks ago. A booming punt by Gerald Shouse and a missed 32-yard field goal by UTEP's Jay Mattox allowed Louisiana Tech to escape El Paso with a 17-15 win Saturday afternoon at the Sun Bowl.

But even Mattox's missed field goal with 2:38 left in regulation didn't clinch the game. Tech would go three-and-out on its next possession but relied on Shouse's 61-yard punt to flip the field, his second punt of the game over 60 yards. Then Tech's defense took over with constant pressure on UTEP quarterback Ryan Metz and a bend but don't break attitude on the Miners' final drive.

A struggling Bulldog offense put the onus on securing a win on the two other facets of the game for Louisiana Tech (8-3, 6-1 Conference USA). The Blake Baker-led defense held its fifth straight opponent to under 17 points.

Vontarrius Dora led the defense with 11 total tackles while Nick Thomason, in his first game returning from an injury sustained on Oct. 30 at Rice, tallied 10 total tackles including one for a loss. Vernon Butler was a force up front with two of his three solo tackles coming for a loss.

Tech's offense did have two flashes of its usual self when Jeff Driskel connected with Carlos Henderson twice for scores. The first, a 16-yard pass, ended up sending the game to halftime tied at 10-10 and the Bulldogs taking their final lead of the game early in the third quarter on a 54-yard Driskel-to-Henderson play.

UTEP (4-7, 2-5) would get a safety after tackling Kenneth Dixon for a loss in the end zone and then Mattox would hit a 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. But his 32-yard attempt that would have given UTEP the lead -- and likely the win -- missed wide left.

Dixon would finish the day with 39 rushing yards on 19 carries. Tech would only register 307 total offensive yards, the first time all season the Bulldogs have not recorded over 400 yards in a game.

Louisiana Tech returns home to host Southern Miss in the Rivalry in Dixie next Saturday, Oct. 28 at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT and the game will be televised on FSN.

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