Well, almost OK for UTEP; almost

UTEP's football team didn't break ... didn't break ... 00000h in the fourth quarter it broke in a 52-24 loss at No. 18-ranked South Florida Saturday. Nice going for a while.

The oddsmakers had this one just about right-on pegged. But it wasn't until late that UTEP's river levee breached - two late interceptions and no real second-half offense against the Bulls, now 4-0. UTEP is 2-2 and its levee is againin peril when Houston comes to the Sun Bowl Thursday for a made-for-TV game.

Coach Mike Price was wise to not play starting quarterback Nick Lamaison, who is mending his passing arm. This wasn't to be a win, anyway. In fact,  the Big East's South Florida scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, then got a field goal by halftime.

UTEP was in it only because of Lamaison's replacement for this game, sophomore Carson Meeger. In the first half he  matched South Florida  almost score-for-score  - pass for pass. And UTEP had a semblance of a power running game. 

But as the game wore on, this Bulls team that has won at Notre Dame this season, just poured on the rush against UTEP's offense - and stifflied it.

Bottom line: UTEP lasted ... lasted ... still lasted ... oooooh. It was a Mr. Bill after all.

 

Comments

[David]

Defense got much better in the second half again. USF just had too much speed and there was some poor tackling on UTEPs part. UTEP had many chances to get within 1 score until that last 5 minutes. Meger did a great job! Things are looking up for UTEP if they can get healthy. I really like this team and I think Houston is in for a tough game. Go Miners!

UTEP can certainly beat Tulane and Colorado state. Then who knows. Confidence is everything.......

[Little miss piggy]

Sooooooooooo frustrating!!!!! Dropped pass here, missed field goal here, should ah, could ah. That’s football. Go Utep!!!!!

[chamrod04]

Will UTEP ever get rid of the "Oh well we tried" mentality? Oh wait, I forgot that El Paso continues to be a town with a mediocre attitude. When will the people and the university expect more, thrive to be the best and not just go and "give it a try"? Im sick and tired of all this BS UTEP and Price sell to the community. El Paso deserves and should want better

[Morgan]

Thank God for the likes of NMSU and Stony Brook.

Houston? Ouch.

[a fan]

There are some positives from Saturday's loss.

1. UTEP doesn't have to play S. Florida again this year
2. The Miner defense is going to be featured on a couple TV specials: "How Not To Tackle" and "Swiss Cheese D"
3. The UTEP QB who didn't play also didn't hurt his stats
4. The Miners have some huge wins this year to take away the sting of having half a hundred points hung on them
5. There's always next year
6. Basketball season is right around the corner

[Bobby S.]

I guess Natalicio's 'rah rah' for the team didn't do much.
Time for a new administration at UTEP, too many old people running the place.

[EricInNewYork]

chamrod04, I have no idea what you're whining about - you sound like a giant baby.
Giant. Baby.

This was our third string QB and his first start. I'd like to see how PITT or anyone else would have done under those circumstances.

We played well, I like that we might have a new starting QB. As for the whining about administration et al.
First, sports should be considered last. Second, throw money at UTEP. That's the only way you're going to get this program where you think it should be.
The real problem with El Paso is they want everything for nothing.

[football]

My gosh, I knew I shouldn't have read this, more bullpoop from Joe Utepia. It was not oh well we tried, it was watching the USF coaches freaking out because the Miners were a heck of a lot better then they thought. Their special teams coach looked like he was having a stroke on the sidelines. Arghh, it doesn't matter, it wouldn't matter if the Miners were 4-0, this reporter would find negative stuff. Very disappointing.

[Marco Lopez]

I love how you die-hard miner fans will defend them til the end...even as they embarass El Paso over and over again. It's people like you, who don't demand more, that allow such nonsense to continue. Quit defending Price and his acceptance of failure. No wonder UTEP has such a history of failure...Miner fans are happy just to see the miners play half a competitive football game. Miners fans....demand more or expect the same losing tradition! Dont you get it!

[Morgan]

40+ years of mediocrity has taken its toll on the fans' expectation of Miner football. When the standard is comparing our team with UNM and NMSU, then you know about where the Miners stand in college footballdom.

That's okay. There's the occasional win, and, there are great football games on TV.

[JAT]

UTEP usually plays Houston very well.

UTEP usually plays decent on national TV.

Because of those things I'm going out on a limb to say neither of those things happen and UTEP loses ugly by 14+ going away. Why?

Players got rather healthy pretty quickly just to play in the national spotlight. Unfortunately, not very many of them have been there before. The first quarter will be an emotional display by the players/fans but Houston's athleticism will take over and end the fun.

[UTEP fan in SA]

Marco Lopez...cool dude.

I've been a UTEP fan for years now and go into every season with high hopes for our teams. It does get frustrating when they under perform season after season but like Ericinnewyork mentioned, we need to give more money to our programs. Mike Price is the best we are going to get for what we're paying and he's still a decent coach. I've stayed true to UTEP over the years in hopes that we will work our way up to the elite eventually. The basketball program seems to have consistently been a contender going back to 2003 and with the recruiting Tim Floyd has been doing lately I think in 2 years will be a team dancing in March. People need to stop bashing UTEP and pull together to support them. Start off by not reading Meunch's articles. He has more negative things to say than positive about UTEP anyway.

[JCT1Miner]

UTEP athletics in general are great. The football program, however, is abysmal. The above post is correct about the 40 years. Five or six winning seasons in all that time is bound to wear. When was the last time the Miners won a bowl game? 1960? Is that good enough?

I say put your money in basketball or girls volleyball or track. Football is a different story. It eats a huge amount of resources that could be going to make UTEP a national contender in other sports.

[עבודה לצעירים]

UTEP had many chances to come to a point until the last 5 minutes. There is much did a fantastic job! Things come to UTEP if they can get healthy.