UTEP - It's still bright

You give up 49 points, and lose. And your record goes under the line, 2-3.

HOWEVER!

UTEP's football team, as it did at nationally ranked South Florida last week, kept scoring in a 49-42  home loss to Houston. Kept at it. Didn't fold. Check the record books. Check recent history. Check ancient history. Ask your grandfather!

It was a game of yards gained. Get out the calculator.  If this was counting toward air mileage, each team's next road-game flight would be free.  Defense? No defense. In fact, UTEP's senior running back, Joe Banyard, a journeyman 3-yarder, got some 240 yards. The total offense of both teams was at about 1,300 yards. Was this football, with defense, or was it  the distance of a horse race?

UTEP was supposed to lose, based on all the pre-game, pre-season and last-season data. But UTEP was not supposed to keep coming ... and coming on offense.  Good news for Utepia.

Houston won this game by seven points, and it scored on eight of its last 10 possession going back into the first half.  No stopping Houston QB Case Keenum.

But the script for UTEP, which reads el foldo - el forever - changed on this night. The real deal,  QB, Nick Lamaison, kept coming at Houston and there was to be no blowout in the Sun Bowl.

Bottom line: UTEP doesn't have to play a South Florida or a Houston again this season. The opponents get more down to earth. UTEP can start playing kind-of UTEPs.

What if ... good things happen and future UTEP opponents, that are not quite on the level of the last two opponents ...?

What if?

 

Comments

[a fan]

A moral victory for the Miners tonight. They lost, and they were supposed to.

Tonight saw two terrible defensive teams and two decent offensive teams. God awful terrible defensive that is. At least UTEP has an excuse...smaller school, far away from the recruiting hotbed of central Texas, so it can get decent first stringers, but after that, not so much. Houston, well Houston is lucky it plays in CUSA and not the Big 12 or MWC for that matter. All offense and no defense isn't going to win you many games in tougher conferences.

If the Miners do anything, they play down to their opponent. An overtime win at home against a lower division team and a six point win against a pretty sad NMSU squad, which required a trick play to get the win, says it all. If the Miners can get beyond that tendency, then maybe a winning season is possible. If not, be prepared for another break even season or losing season.

[fa fa fa Fan]

Now that was a game. Did you see Nate Jefferys first two touchdowns ? Been saying it every week. The only way Jeffery can be stopped is by not giving him the rock.

[andyspringer]

Great effort and execution. UTEP would have beaten SMU if Lamaison had remained healthy and in the game. The effort against UH tells me we have a chance for a 6 win season. Great game plan Coach Price. Great effort Miners. WE DO NEED TO LEARN TO TACKLE. Practice, practice tackling every day.

[liebestraum]

A very entertaining game and fun to watch right to the end.

We've been here before, though. This is how UTEP plays in September. Heck, two years ago we beat a U of H team that was just as good, only to see the Miner season go south.

While it is true we'll start playing more "UTEP-like" teams, past history shows we are more than capable of sinking to the occasion. It would be great if that doesn't happen this year.

[Eppie Rael]

Past years there was great attendance for Lubbock, excellent attendance for Austin, but for Houston? Less El Paso respect for Houston, I guess. Where were the fans and the proud El Pasoans who support their city. Little fan help for UTEP to help win the tight games.

[JAT]

Great effort on offense but oh well. Just four more wins to make a bowl game but we're running out of opportunities...

[Armand]

This is one of the better teams I seen in years.Excellent proformance Go miners

[Oscar]

Great effort on the offensive side... Defense, that's a different story. Regardless of your opponent, tackling and discipline has to be a fundamental component of a winning ingredient. Adding constant pressure and disquising your upfront looks defensively needs to be more of the scheme in order to have a chance for a 6+ game winning season. Very frustrated watching the lack of the aformentioned.
Starts with the Head Coach and fiters to the Defensive coordinator.

C'mon guys let's get it right from now on.
In response to Coach Patterson's comments on nat'l TV....we do not settle for crackers....we deserve steak and "No" it's not okay for my kid to bring home "Cs".

[nopainnogain]

I agree the miners are looking better than expected. but while the rest of utep's schedule isn't quite USF or Houston, they're still gonna face some really tough teams. colorado st. & tulane don't look very good so I see the miners winning those 2. but then they face a solid 4-1 southern miss squad. and while the last 4 opponents are a combined 6-11, 7 of those losses are to ranked opponents. Rice hung with UT and notched a victory over BCS Purdue. ECU hung with #12 SC & #10 Virginia Tech in losses. Tulsa is always solid and hasn't yet lost to a nonranked opponent. & defending champ UCF has a strong team that has a blow out over BC and a strong showing in a loss to BYU.

Southern Miss & Tulsa were both projected by some to reach the conference title game.

I'd be happy if this young miners squad finishes with 5 wins.

[andyspringer]

A week off should help heal some wounds. Great game against Houston. Improved tackling on defense would really pay some dividendes. Probably would have won against Houston if not for so many tackles not being wrapped up. UTEP gave notice they are for real so no surprises for future opponents. Keep up the intensity and momentum gained against Houston and finish a good season. Go Bowling.

[ScoutWest]

UTEP almost won the UH game so the program is improving and they played pretty well against SMU....UH has a very good offense, Case will set a lot of records but again dont think they can win CUSA with that defense....

UTEP has a good enough team to get to a small bowl game this year but must beat Rice, Tulane, CSU for starters..those are not automatic wins.....

[al garcia]

even the national commentators on the S. Florida game stated that Julio Lopez was Mr sure hands ,that kid has never dropped a pass. Why don't they throw more passes to him. He is deadly on third downs.

[Idontknow]

Umm...if he was "Mr. Sure Hands"...would'nt he be playing for a better football team and not UTEP? Sorry but the UTEP football players are below average, and that is why they aren't playing for SEC, BIG 10, PAC 12 teams...just saying :)

[lalo]

The best thing we can say about the Miners is that they're not as bad as expected so far. They have as much chance of playing in a bowl this year as the Longhorns have of winning the BCS Championship.

[idontknow]

lol...and they are not good either :)