The Schedule Got Tougher for Kugler

[JCorona]

After having seven home games and one of the easiest conferences schedule in recent history SK blew his opportunity at a winning season and a bowl game.

With the departure of Aaron Jones and SK's back against the wall CUSA just made his job a bit harder. The 2017 non divisional opponents were leaked early and UTEP drew the two toughest teams from the east. Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.

http://pilotonline.com/sports/colle...cle_8dbcb5ea-c318-59ac-9a31-80f75f6de593.html

The 2017 schedule will be released tomorrow with dates and times. We now know all the opponents.
OOC
@ Oklahoma
Arizona
@NMSU
@Army

C-USA (game order not set)
UTSA
RICE
@USM
La Tech
@North Texas
@UAB
vs WKU
vs Middle Tennessee

What's the early predictions for next season?

 

[El Paso Sports Fan]

If I remember correctly UTEP only has 5 home games, so I think either WKU or Middle Tennesee will be on the road.

 

[JCorona]

If I remember correctly UTEP only has 5 home games, so I think either WKU or Middle Tennesee will be on the road.

Yes one of them will be on the road. I don't know which one it will be so I listed them last and put "vs" in front of them instead of the confirmed home games which have nothing in front of them.

 

[El Paso Sports Fan]

Yes one of them will be on the road. I don't know which one it will be so I listed them last and put "vs" in front of them instead of the confirmed home games which have nothing in front of them.

My guess is WKU will be at home since Middle Tennesee played here in 2014.

 

[unihorn]

tough schedule

 

[JCorona]

My guess is WKU will be at home since Middle Tennesee played here in 2014.

That's very possible. We played at WKU in 2014 so it would make sense for them to visit the Sun Bowl for their first time ever. Hopefully with the coaching change they are experiencing we catch them on a down year.

 

[unihorn]

Well, Corona, which games do you think we can/should win?

 

[MineroFanatico]

Who in the world chose 7 wins? To borrow a phrase from Steve Yellen, "WOWWW!"

 

[JCorona]

Well, Corona, which games do you think we can/should win?

Through my homer eyes. We beat Arizona. In a historic victory over a P5 program for the first time in 50 years. We continue our domination over the aggies making it nine in a row. We sweep the Texas schools. We get one over either La Tech WKU or MT for bowl eligibility. The UAB game is a toss up for a winning season.

Of course this is UTEP football we are talking about so we can easily finish 2-10.

Ah shit FanatiCoog is going to be laughing when he finds out it was me who picked seven.

Edit: I'm not a big of a homer as I taught I was. Picked six wins instead of seven.

 

[unihorn]

Well, we suck on the road, so I'm going to say three wins:

NMSU or NTSU on the road

Rice and UTSA at home

 

[nattybry]

I have no idea what to expect, but I couldn't with a straight face predict more than 4

 

[allminer]

I went from 6 to 5 to 4...so 4.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

I say 5. NMSU, UTSA, Rice, UAB, and UNT. But we will blow a game we should win so I am changing my outlook to 4.

 

[MineroFanatico]

I said 3, but could see 4.

NMSU, Rice and UAB...possibly UNT.

 

[MineroFanatico]

I think UTSA is going to be much improved. I'm not so confident about that one. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[allminer]

I think UTSA is going to be much improved. I'm not so confident about that one. Hope I'm wrong.

I think this is the year the home team finally wins. It's been a weird series.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

I picked 8 wins because if I don't at least start out the season optimistic then what the hell. We all know by now that optimism goes out the window very early in most football seasons.

So to feed that optimism I will use the fact that UTEP has most of it's offensive and defensive starters back, including the QB. So, on paper, UTEP should be improved. USM loses a number off their offense, including their star QB. WKU will have a new coach and loses 7 starters from the offense and their defense is not particularly good. LT loses their QB and their best WR declared early for the draft.

UTEP wins at home vs Rice, WKU, UTSA, LT and on the road vs UNT, NMSU, USM, UAB. UTEP loses at home vs Arizona and on the road vs Oklahoma, Army and Middle Tennessee. 8-4 and 7-1 in conference which will be good enough to make the conference championship game vs ODU on the road. A win there puts UTEP in the Heart of Dallas Bowl vs the Big 12 representative, Texas.

So there you have it. A well reasoned prediction by looking thru oranged colored glasses and having hallucinations.

 

[unihorn]

I picked 8 wins because if I don't at least start out the season optimistic then what the hell. We all know by now that optimism goes out the window very early in most football seasons.

So to feed that optimism I will use the fact that UTEP has most of it's offensive and defensive starters back, including the QB. So, on paper, UTEP should be improved. USM loses a number off their offense, including their star QB. WKU will have a new coach and loses 7 starters from the offense and their defense is not particularly good. LT loses their QB and their best WR declared early for the draft.

UTEP wins at home vs Rice, WKU, UTSA, LT and on the road vs UNT, NMSU, USM, UAB. UTEP loses at home vs Arizona and on the road vs Oklahoma, Army and Middle Tennessee. 8-4 and 7-1 in conference which will be good enough to make the conference championship game vs ODU on the road. A win there puts UTEP in the Heart of Dallas Bowl vs the Big 12 representative, Texas.

So there you have it. A well reasoned prediction by looking thru oranged colored glasses and having hallucinations.

 

[JCorona]

At 7-1 I think we would host the championship game. The east is much tougher. Their representative will have at least two conference losses this upcoming season.

 

[DAYDEV]

We won 4 games last year with our best RB in school history. He's gone and we don't have a proven playmaker. UAB is gonna be damn good again so I don't see us beating them. 3 max and then after the season they will keep Kug and say he is rebuilding from the loss of Jones and get a extention.

 

[JCorona]

In 2015 without Jones starting and a freshman Metz we went 5-5. UTEP was one missed fg over a strong nine win La Tech from qualifying for a bowl game. It's not automatically a losing season now that Jones is gone.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

This may be a blessing in disguise, this staff and the players now face the reality that they can not lean on Jones for 4 quarters. They know someone needs to step up.