EL PASO, Texas (Ticker) -- Jordan Palmer continued his hot passing for No. 25 Texas-El Paso.

Palmer threw for a career-high 339 yards and five touchdowns as the Miners won their school record-tying seventh straight game by defeating SMU, 57-27, in a Western Athletic Conference game.

UTEP (8-2, 6-1 WAC) gained 528 yards and scored 45 consecutive points after falling behind, 20-10, in the second quarter.

Palmer, the younger brother of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, has thrown for 1,323 yards and 19 touchdowns in his last five games. He completed 20-of-27 passes against the Mustangs.

"Tonight's game was a testament to all the hard work we've put in this season," Palmer said. "This is not going to be a one-year wonder. This is going to be how UTEP football is now." Palmer hit Casey Mauch and Chris Marrow with TD passes just before halftime to give UTEP a 24-20 lead at intermission.

The Miners scored all 28 points in the third quarter. Palmer tossed a pair of touchdowns to Johnnie Lee Higgins and one to Jason Boyd, who had six receptions for a career-high 122 yards.

Defensive back Quintin Demps intercepted Tony Eckert in the third quarter and raced 43 yards to the end zone to make it 45-20.

"We gave up too many points in the first half," UTEP linebacker Thomas Howard said. "Coach (Mike Price) told us to settle down and make the right mental adjustments. We never panicked." Eckert was 7-of-13 for 76 yards and shared time with Jerad Romo, who was 14-of-20 for 158 yards and was sacked five times.

UTEP, which dropped eight games by at least 28 points last season, matched its school-record winning streak set in 2000.

"I've got my bowling shoes and my bowling glove," Price said.

"I finally mentioned the B-word. This team is very deserving and it's a great way to send the seniors out." The Miners scored 50 points for the second time in five games.

The last time UTEP had two 50-point games on one season was 1986.

SMU (3-8, 3-5) lost in its bid for its first three-game win streak since 1999.