UTEP's 2010 football schedule

Sure the Miners have seven games remaining on their 2009 football schedule. But why not give some thought to the 2010 season?

The hope is that UTEP was able to parlay 2008’s home matchup with Texas into plenty of cash so that 2010 can be spent not having to play as many so-called money games or even home games against big names in hopes of boosting ticket sales. Of course, I’m not the athletic department’s accountant so I won’t even pretend to know how true any of this is. 

Regardless, you figure the Miners will be a decent football team in 2010 despite losing a good chunk of the defensive secondary and wide receiver Jeff Moturi. There are plenty of young guys getting reps this season and that should help next year. And with that comes questions about the nonconference schedule. 

Do you want to see the Miners take more shellackings at the hands of big names? Would you rather see UTEP schedule lower-rung teams in big conferences? FCS teams? 

Currently, the Miners’ only scheduled nonconference game in 2010 is against New Mexico in Albuquerque on Oct. 2. You figure Interstate 10 rival New Mexico State will also be on the slate at home. The Aggies host New Mexico on Sept. 18 and visit Kansas on Sept. 25. So UTEP presumably may host the Aggies during the weekends of Sept. 4 or Sept. 11. 

That likely leaves two open nonconference spots — probably one home, one away — on the schedule. The big-time programs already have their schedules tentatively locked up. But a slew of the lower-rung FBS schools haven’t sealed the deal. 

Here’s a quick list of some of those schools that are closer to home and the September dates they have open:

Arizona Sept. 11, 25

Arizona State Sept. 25

Baylor Sept. 18

California Sept. 18, 25

Idaho Sept. 4, 18, 25

San Jose State Sept. 18

TCU Sept. 18

UCLA Sept. 25

UNLV Sept. 11, 25

Utah Sept. 4

Of course, this doesn’t mean UTEP can’t schedule a nonconference game past September or even that these will be the only ones available come scheduling time. But it’s fun to look at possible matchups. 

If I had my druthers, I’d love to see the Miners take on Idaho to open the season at the Sun Bowl on Sept. 4, then host NMSU on Sept. 18 before taking a bye and visiting Kyle Field in College Station to face A&M on Sept. 25 and closing out nonconference against New Mexico. This presents a possible 3-1 start before heading into Conference USA play. 

The Miners played one of their fiercest games against Texas A&M in 2000. Back then, the Aggies were in the midst of a grand home-winning streak and were one of the better teams in the Big 12. The Aggies went into halftime down 17-14 before blowing up in the second half and sending UTEP home with a 45-17 loss. What I remember most from the game was the great atmosphere and the respect the Miners earned from A&M fans. But putting the Ags on the schedule in 2010 doesn’t seem likely. A&M has Sept. 25 open but it also already has 12 games scheduled. But I can dream, can’t I?

So there’s a wish list from someone who doesn’t have a say. What would your nonconference schedule look like? 

Comments

[Horace U. Rodeinon]

UNLV and Baylor. Drop NMSU. Nothing good can come from each team beating up on each other. That game is a lose-lose situation. So what if your team wins? You were supposed to beat them. But if you lose, you look even worse. I'm sure both schools feel this way.

[Anomynous]

Northwestern apparently has an open date on September 25th. It's not exactly close to home, but Northwestern is a BCS team that UTEP should be competitive with, and might even be able to schedule a return trip.

[Miner Maniac]

Either Arizona or Arizona State, and TCU. I'm sure Miner fans will remember when LaDainian Tomlinson torched us while at TCU. I'd also love to see UTEP play a Pac-10 school as well. Altogether, I don't want anymore Division II (or whatever they're calling it now) schools on the schedule. We need to upgrade our program by playing schools from the BCS conferences, or from the WAC or Mountain West.

[UTEP-Dallas]

I am in total agreement, no more sub-division schools. I would like to see more Texas schools in schedule. It would be great exposure and help with recruitment. Plus who cannot forget about the UTEP/Texas Tech game in Ep. If UTEP can get recognized throughout the state we, they can build a competetive team.

[Rob]

Ya know in a blog post about the 2010 schedule I would expect to actually see the schedule listed somewhere in the story..

Oh wait! you actually provided a link to the 2010 schedule, (gotta love the inconvenience for your readers..) BUT when you actually go to the link..all it lists is 1 game...
Nice move! (insert huge eye roll here)

How hard is it to create a simple list? Apparently too hard for you...don't waste our time with incomplete stories.

[curious]

Rob, the 2010 schedule isn't out, fool. He's asking for your wish list of who you'd like to see on their schedule.

[shyminer]

I would love to take a trip to Arizona... or heck give us Texas Southern...what is the issue with Kansas? when do the Miners return the game?

[shyminer]

i'd be happy with a west coast team as well, so I can make a trip home on the way...

[Pick Ax]

In the words of the famous Lee Corso, "not so fast my friend!"

Texas A&M is considered a lower-rung team in a big conferences. I would not count out a win there. Lowly Arkansas STATE (not Arkansas but STATE) beat them there last season. I also believe one of the lowly military institutes did punk them there two years ago. So no, I would say 4-0 heading into CUSA play according to your scenario.

Out of the list of opponents, I would love to see Baylor, TCU, UCLA or UNLV. Anyone on the list really but San Jose State and Idaho. I would even like to see UTSA when start playing Div. I ball so that we can destroy them. It would be good for the potential San Antonio recruits.

I'll second the sentiment of no more Div. II or lower schools. You gain nothing from beating them and lose a lot if you lose. NO MAS!

Pick Ax

[Lorenzo]

I think I mentioned this in an earlier blog, but Phil Steele devotes a portion of his website to listing teams' future schedules:

http://www.philsteele.com/NCAASchedules/FutureSchedules/cusaconf.html

To my knowledge, UTEP's 2010 sked would look something like this:

NON-CONFERENCE
vs New Mexico State
at Arkansas
at New Mexico
vs Utah ???? (the website lists the Utes as UTEP's other non-con home game but I still have my doubts)

CONFERENCE
at Houston
at UAB
at Marshall
at Tulsa

vs SMU
vs Rice
vs Tulane
vs Memphis

The Miners play the return game against Kansas in 2011 I believe.

[Pick Ax]

Oh, lowly Baylor has passed A&M on totem pole of Big 12.

Pick Ax

[TJJackson]

I'd like to see some of the old WAC foes -- New Mexico, Colorado State, Wyoming or Utah -- on the nonconference schedule.

Or, schedule home-and-home with Baylor, North Texas State or perhaps the three military academies. I'd love to see Navy or Army come here. Even Air Force.

[John Franco]

Glad to see some of you guys from Muensch's blog hiding over here. All you gotta do is see what a disaster this year's non-conference schedule was, to determine who we should play! No one of higher caliber than a Buffalo type of team. Stay away from the Big 12 or PAC 10! This isn't like basketball where you have to play high rank teams. You make a bowl game with 6 wins! UTEP will never make the BCS, so don't even think about it! New Mexico on the schedule is good, Hawaii, Louisiana Lafayette, etc. should be scheduled.

[Pablo Villa]

Great thoughts, folks.

TJJackson, Army would be a great team to bring to El Paso given our Fort Bliss ties. Can't imagine that game wouldn't sell more than 40,000 tickets if not a sellout.

Lorenzo, thanks for the link. I've seen Phil Steele's future schedules before. He's usually spot on with the big-time schools. But he's iffy with the non-BCS conferences. But Arkansas and Utah are pretty staunch additions to the schedule if that's true.

Pick Ax, I'm with you on the scheduling of UTSA. No one believes me, but I think UTEP will be in dogfight with that program over recruits once it takes the field in 2011, even if they aren't FBS right away.

And I'm with all you guys on the leaving off FCS schools sentiment. UTEP gains nothing by scheduling the Sam Houston States and Texas Southerns of the world. And what would we be saying if the Miners actually lost to one of those teams? Too bad we weren't around when Gary Nord's team did just that against Cal Poly in 2003.

Hope you guys will keep reading and commenting.

[Pick Ax]

I disagree Pablo. Those recruits can easily go to Texas State in San Marcos, about 30 miles away. Any recruit good enough to play Div I ball is crazy to pass up that chance to play in a lower division school. Now, if UTSA is elevated to Div I, then we can have the argument. That is why we should schedule them when they come up to Div 1 or whatever it is called these days.

Pick Ax

[Miner Maniac]

I was around when Cal Poly beat UTEP. It was not pleasant!

BTW, for those that do not know this. Gary Nord is now the offensive coordinator for Purdue!

[just a thought]

I'd like to see UCLA but what makes more sense is Baylor, Arizona and/or San Jose St. as MP and company like to recruit in these areas.

Utah and TCU for sentimental reasons of course. The A&M game in 2000 was fun to watch. My buddy from A&M sweated bullets until the second half and that atmosphere could be overwhelming to some teams. WR Lee Mays however was not intimidated that game.

[Orangefever]

I spoke to Lou Holtz recently snd he told me that UTEP would be playing both Arkansas (in Little Rock) and Notre Dame (in El Paso) in 2010.

[RoOstEr]

Orangefever... I would like to doubt you man, but your always pretty spot on that would be AWESOME if your not lying. Just a thought... I think Baylor would make more sense. MP could hit up Central Texas Killeen, Waco, Belton, Coppers Cove (Buckrams hometown) and steal some sleepers from the other Texas schools. Depending on the the game is a lot of Miners Fans could go to the game and drive north to catch a Cowgirls game.

[Orangefever]

I'm not lying RoOstEr. Holtz has coached at both schools and knows a little something about what's going on. Holtz told me the Arkansas game vs UTEP in Little Rock is pretty much set. Notre Dame has a date in question on November 6th vs TCU. TCU is balking. If Notre Dame can get TCU to come to South Bend that would give the Irish 7 home games next year. From what I'm told, ND is talking to UTEP but UTEP wants the Irish to come to El Paso on that date and then schedule the Miners to go to South Bend in later years. It's the way UTEP does things. They had Texas come here first as well as Kansas and Texas Tech. ND would have to get off of their "high horse" and agree to do the same. It's in the works and I agree it would be AWESOME ! If anyone can pull this off, Bob Stull and Mike Price can. We shall see.

[Jay Koester]

When has Orangefever EVER been spot on?

[Horace U. Rodeinon]

After the shellacking the Miners took from the Longhorns, and the drubbing by the Jayhawks, why is everyone so keen on seeing the same thing happen against Notre Dame, Utah, or the whole host of other schools mentioned? Even Arizona and Idaho are flirting near the top 25. While we shouldn't say no to a BCS conference team that we could actually beat, we need to play schools such as UNLV, or Army (great idea by the way), who can give the Miners a leg up on a Bowl worthy season. Yes we beat a top 25 team last week, but that was the exception rather than the norm.

[Lorenzo]

Orangefever, just out of curiosity, how do you know Lou Holtz???

[Orangefever]

Obviously you do Jay since you've quoted me to make a point that you agree with (example- when I agreed (and am correct) that it would be better to have your Big-12 play in the Sun Bowl than the Big East). And Lorenzo, I cannot give out this info but I do know lots of Head Coaches and Former Head Coaches some examples being Dennis Erickson, Mike Singletary, Larry Coker. That should give you at least a hint to my age.
Go Miners ! Yes We Can !

[Jaime]

Lorenzo put up phil steele's website, which if you look close, doesnt have NMSU on the 2010 calender. It does have @ Arkansas, as orange fever posted. As for Army, they played in LC a few years back and there were maybe 1000 troops from ft. bliss in attendance and that was because NMSU gave them the tickets for free. Most of the guys root for their hometown team and not Army. Of all my military friends, I can only think of one that roots for his service academy, and if they played utep he'd wear orange.