Winding down to halftime: BYU stumbles into an almost unheard-of phenomenon known as a "UTEP defensive stop" and punts the ball away after just over two minutes of play. Trevor Vittatoe loses 16 yards on second down and the Miners give it right back.
A flagrant third-down roughing of Jake Heaps on BYU's next series sets the Cougars up for a possible four-touchdown lead, but some ancient demigod of El Paso reaches down a caring hand, and wee Heaps is intercepted to the tune of a 43-yard run in the opposite direction.
The Miners won't score in response, but they get close, winging themselves to the Cougars' 3-yard line before the clock runs out on the half. Mike Price attempts to play the "second half is a whole new ballgame" card in his halftime interview, and seems to realize how ridiculous he sounds about halfway through his first sentence. The Cougars and Miners hit the locker rooms, with BYU holding a 31-10 lead in the 2010 New Mexico Bowl.
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New Mexico Bowl, BYU Vs. UTEP: Jake Heaps Intercepted, But Cougars Hold Commanding Halftime Lead
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