It's hard to predict which teams will be members of Conference USA, let alone who will win it. But close games and chaos typically are part of the mix.
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Here is what it said about UTEP.
Is UTEP a rising program or a flash in the pan? There are few more uplifting stories in college football than when UTEP is winning football games. The fan base is proud and supportive when it's given a reason to be, the Sun Bowl is a brilliant and beautiful venue, the Miners' colors are just the right shade of orange ... it all comes together nicely. And rarely. They have bowled just three times in 16 years and haven't won more than eight games since 1988.
That made 2021's early hot streak a thrill. Granted, they benefited significantly from schedule strength -- they were 7-0 against teams that finished 99th or worse in SP+ and 0-6 against anyone better -- but they were tough, physical, explosive and easy to root for.
The Miners return 15 starters. Quarterback
Gavin Hardison avoids pressure and wings balls downfield, and while he loses excellent big-play targets in
Jacob Cowing and
Justin Garrett, he still has
Tyrin Smith and
Reynaldo Flores (combined: 46 catches, 774 yards). More importantly, he has running back
Ronald Awatt and a mean line. This offense could desperately use some consistency -- they were second in marginal efficiency but 111th in success rate -- but it will be experienced, at least.
Defensively, there's more to like. The Miners were sturdy up front and return four players who recorded double-digit tackles for loss: end
Praise Amaewhule, tackle
Keenan Stewart and senior linebackers
Tyrice Knight and
Breon Hayward. They couldn't contain particularly explosive offenses (
Boise State, UTSA,
Fresno State), but there aren't a ton of those on the schedule. In fact, UTEP again plays eight opponents projected 100th or worse in SP+. The Miners' odds of bowling again are consequently solid.
DE Praise Amaewhule, UTEP. While Shipp is a big guy with quickness, Amaewhule is a smaller lineman (6-3, 245) with toughness. He and
Jadrian Taylor make for a lovely pass rush combo at end (they combined for 12 sacks), but Amaewhule also recorded 13 run stuffs to go with three forced fumbles and eight pass breakups. And he was fourth on the team in tackles. Busy guy.
LB Breon Hayward, UTEP. Like Davis, another tackling machine/playmaker combo. He attempted a tackle every 7.1 plays, and he made
20 run stuffs, the most on a team full of run stoppers.
Anniversaries
In 1967, 55 years ago, UTEP won a bowl game. Bobby Dobbs' Miners won their second Sun Bowl in three years, with future
Green Bay Packer Billy Stevens named MVP in both wins. Down 7-0 against John Vaught's
Ole Miss Rebels, Stevens led UTEP on two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to seal a 14-7 victory.
Why is this noteworthy? Wins over a Vaught team were always pretty impressive, but beyond that it was UTEP's last bowl win to date. They're 0-7 since.
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