The date is August 27th, 2022, at 6:55 PM on a beautiful El Paso night. A sold-out Sun Bowl is rocking as UTEP takes the field to open their season against the North Texas Mean Green. Just a couple of years ago, no one would think that UTEP would sell out the Sun Bowl for a season opener against UNT. Yet, it is more than likely going to happen. UTEP Athletics announced that over 36,000 tickets have already been sold for the season/home/conference opener. The Sun Bowl hasn't been sold out since 2008, against Texas. This is huge for the Miners, who are coming off of a 7-6 New Mexico Bowl appearance and are looking to build off of that and make back-to-back bowls for the first time since 04, 05. With PLENTY of returning production, including a QB who has started the past two seasons, the expectations are higher than almost ever for the Miners. We are going to go in-depth in every game and we will break down each position group. This should be fun!

Position Breakdown

QBs

The QB position brings consistency with third-year starter Gavin Hardison coming back for his RS Junior year. He is coming off of a 3,218 yard campaign, with 18 TDs and 13 INTs. That was a step up from a 1,400 yard 2020 season. Those numbers look good, but when you dig up information about the 2021 offense, you see that two of the best WRs in C-USA were on the team but will not return this year, Jacob Cowing is off to bigger things at Arizona, after a stellar 2021 season, while Justin Garrett is off pursuing his NFL Dreams after being probably one of the most dedicated Miners and best jump-ball receivers in CFB. That is over 2000 yards and 11 TD's in production gone.  That means Gavin Hardison will need to step up after at times it felt like he relied too much on Cowing and Garrett last year. He will need to make his receivers better and make smarter decisions. A lot of the INTs he threw last year were in crucial times and were bad reads. He will need to limit that, especially with all †he losses from last year's team. In my opinion, UTEP will go as far as Gavin Hardison takes them. He needs to take a step up.

RBs

The RB core is led by Ronald Awatt and Deion Hankins, two of the most talented RBs in C-USA. Hankins struggled with injuries last year, after a stellar Freshman season, but that gave Ronald Awatt a chance to break out, which he did. He put up nice numbers, including averaging 5.3 yards per carry. If both guys can produce at the highest level we've seen them at, it could be a scary season for C-USA front 7's. Rey Flores will be a hybrid RB/WR again, so his playmaking out of the backfield is always welcomed. Willie Eldridge transferred out, which was unfortunate, but some JUCO additions such as Torrance Burgess Jr. and backups Jalen Joseph and Cartraven Walker will help stabilize that. 

WRs

Whew. Just this time last year, the receiver position was the most exciting position for the Miners. Jacob Cowing had broken out into a star, and Justin Garrett was a senior leader. Combine that with JUCO WR Tyrin Smith, WR was all the talk for the Miners. However, this offseason the Miners lost both Cowing (Transferred) and Garrett (graduated). With over 2000 yards in production gone, the Miners would have to bring in some talent that could make a quick impact. Kelly Akharaiyi led Tyler JC in yards this past season and had heavy interest from conference rival UTSA. He had a nice camp, and he is one of my guys who I expect to make a great impact this season. Don't be surprised if TCU transfer Penny Baker or WKU transfer Kyle McNamara get some targets this year. Baker is apparently one of the most talented guys on the team, and there is just some stuff that needs to be cleared up before he hits the field. Emari White, a 6'1 wideout from Sierra College had a nice camp too. He had 37 receptions for 557 last year at Sierra College. That is another guy to look out for. Jeremiah Ballard is a big 6'3 receiver from the Houston area. He is one of the highest-rated recruits on the team, and he redshirted last year. I have high hopes for him. I think if he has a breakout season, he will be regarded as the best receiver on the team, just based on his potential.  He, Kelly Akharaiyi, Emari White, and hometown product Rey Flores will compete for the two starting receiver spots. However, according to some sources close to the team, it seems like Akharaiyi has locked up the WR2 job. Flores had a breakout year this past season, playing a hybrid WR/HB role. I expect him to continue to play that role while having a lot more targets this year. We haven't seen much of Josh Farr, Jostein Clarke, or Deshaun Trotter, but with the position wide open, any one of them can make a difference. WR predictions: Tyrin Smith, Kelly Akharaiyi, and Jeremiah Ballard. Rey Flores continues his hybrid role as a playmaker on offense with an increased number of touches. According to people close to the team, the WR core is very talented and is even better than last year's.

TEs

We saw Dana Dimel use the TEs a little more this past year, especially in the passing game. Trent Thompson had a nice season, and I expect him to have an even better one this year. He and Zach Fryar should give UTEP a nice TE combo, who can block and catch. In the future, I am excited to see Luke Seib, a three-star recruit who had offers from Kansas State and Texas State. He is a very talented 6'4 TE. If UTEP can develop hometown product,  Juan Camacho, a 6'6 TE from Bowie HS, the Miners can be scary at this position in the future.

O-Line

The O-Line saw the departure of their anchor, El Pasoan Bobby DeHaro, who will get his shot in the NFL. However, the Miners return 4 starters on the O-Line from this past season. Elijah Klein (RG) and Andrew Mayer (C) are regarded highly by most analysts. They will be the leaders of this group, which also includes C-USA Honorable Mention T Jeremiah Byers and T Zuri Henry. I think depth won't be as big of an issue, with Otis Pitts lll, Robert Mervin, the big Aluma Nkele, and Sedrick Luke all being good backups. Justin Mayers will slide into the guard spot DeHaro leaves behind. If this unit can prove they can run block at a good level, I think UTEP will be ok. Pass blocking wasn't the issue last year, it was the lack of running room. They need to create holes for the talented two RBs UTEP will be using. If they can do that, UTEP will win a lot of games.

D-Line

The D-Line returns all 4 of their starters that includes All C-USA First team DE, Praise Amaewhule, and former highest-rated PFF IDL Keenan Stewart. Jadrian Taylor led the team in sacks last year and was an All C-USA Honorable Mention. Kelton Moss comes back for his third year as the starting DT, and coming off of an All C-USA Honorable Mention. The D-Line comes with not only loads of experience, but loads of talent. All of these guys have shown out and have the accolades to prove that. They will need to work on stopping the run a little better, but I believe that this will be one of the best units in the country. They will need to be dominant early to take pressure off of an inexperienced DB unit. I believe they will be up to the challenge and I do believe that the edge rush duo of Jadrian Taylor and Praise Amaewhule, known as their nickname "Shake and Bake", while combine for 14+ sacks, while on the interior, Stewart and Moss will stop the run very nicely. The depth is also very good on the D-Line, with players like Deylon Williams, Dresden McIver-Brown, Blake Thompson, Jalen Rudolph, Tavita Tafuna, and Sione Tonga'uiha already having experience. Maurice Westmoreland, a Kilgore transfer will also provide depth. I expect a lot out of this group. The front 7 as a whole will be scary, especially in the trenches.

LBs

Last year, Miner fans were slightly worried about the LB position. With a new system and losing 2 of their 3 starting LBs, UTEP fans didn't know what to expect. Stephen Forester and Jayson VanHook were the starters in 2020 with Tyrice Knight. However, their worries soon vanished. Marshall transfer Breon Hayward and the prior mentioned Tyrice Knight combined for 200+ tackles and played amazingly in the passing game. the 4-2-5 scheme worked perfectly for them, and they were able to roam around with the D-Line playing so well, giving them the chance to be playmakers. Breon Hayward graduated, however, he applied for a Waiver, and it seems like it will be granted by the NCAA. With their whole "Front 7" back, UTEP should be in great shape. Knight and Hayward are two of the most talented LBs in C-USA. They will need to stop the run a little better, and they will also need to rush the passer more, other than that the talent is there, no doubt. If Hayward does not return, James Neal will be the starting OLB. Neal was a JUCO All-American a couple of years ago, so he may not be Hayward, but he is a darn good replacement if need be. Another guy I am excited to see is Darryl Minor, a D1 bounceback from Texas Tech. He and Kiante Liggins will provide some nice depth at the position. If Hayward is back, I expect the duo to both to be on an All-Conference team and lead the defense to a top 3 finish in C-USA.

DBs

I decided to combine the DBs and just have one full section for them. The secondary losses started CBs Walter Neil, Josh Caldwell, and starting safety Dy'vonne Inyang. Caldwell and Inyang played the Miners for a long time, so those are two big losses for the Miners. However, starting Nickelback Dennis Barnes returns along with CB Torrey Richardson, who technically wasn't a starter, however, he played a lot of meaningful snaps and led the team in Pass Deflections, with 8. Tyson Wilson is also back, after recording 31 tackles last year. Ty'reke James is someone who can make a big-time play and will get some playtime this year after getting a little last year. Two guys I am very excited about are returnees McKel Broussard, one of the highest-rated recruits in UTEP history. He played primarily special teams last year, in which he excelled in, but when he got a chance to start, he played well. The safety from CA will get another chance this year, and I believe a breakout year is incoming. Trejon Hugue was a JUCO All-American before coming to UTEP. He saw limited playing time last year, however, he played well down the stretch. I expect him to play a lot this year with all the losses to the secondary. The final returning starter is Safety Justin Prince. Prince was one of the leaders of this team before an injury sidelined him for most of the second part of the year. Prince has played a lot and dominated early in the year. He will be the leader along with Dennis Barnes of this secondary. They provide the most experience of the group. For the newcomers, Kobe Hylton is a Louisiana transfer. He was a JUCO All-American before not playing during his first year for the Ragin Cajuns. He is one of the only transfer portal additions for the Miners, so expect him to play a lot. He, Broussard, and James will compete for that open safety spot. I think Hylton will win that spot and start with Prince. For the two open CB spots, I think Torrey Richardson already has locked one up. He played basically as much as a starter down the stretch, and he also played as good as one. For the final CB spot, newcomer Josiah Allen from Sacramento City College and Trejon Hugue will compete for that spot. I think Hugue will edge out Allen, but it could go either way. The secondary lacks experience but has athleticism and leaders. I think if the front 7 can dominate early in the season and give the secondary a chance to gel, the secondary will be just fine. Also, I want to spotlight another newcomer in the secondary that I am excited about, D'Angelo Bellamy is a big 6'2 safety from Modesto, CA. He is athletic but a raw prospect. If UTEP can develop him, I expect him to be one of the best safeties in the country.

Special Teams

The Special Teams group will be interesting. Gavin Baechle was a solid kicker last year. He struggled the most when he kicked closer FGs. I think those were all just flukes, and I believe that he will be ok this year. He was 18/24  on FGs, but two of his misses were within 20 yards. He made a career-long 50-yard FG and he was 17-20 from 20-49 yards out. I expect him to be one of the best kickers in C-USA. Punter Joshua Sloan returns for his third year as the starter. I have high expectations of him too. He averaged 40 yards per punt, but he can pinpoint very well. Now, the Kick Returning and Punt Returning group needs a lot of work. UTEP needed a return specialist and got that with Walter Dawn coming back, and Marcus Bellon, who was a star in JUCO special teams, that will be interesting to see who wins that spot. UTEP needs to work on return packages on both put and kick returning. The special teams cost the team some games, and there is no hiding behind it. I hope Aaron Price makes the necessary changes to win. 

Schedule Outlook

Aug. 27 vs North Texas

Most likely the most important game on the schedule, at least in my opinion, is this one. UTEP opens with UNT with what should be a sold-out Sun Bowl to watch. UNT opened as a -1 favorite. UTEP needs to win this game, to set the tone for what fans expect to be one of the most memorable UTEP football seasons ever. UNT comes in with All-Conference LB KD Davis, some interesting P5 Transfers, and a 6-7 2022 season. UTEP has competed with UNT the past two years, including a tough 43-45 loss in 2020 with backup Calvin Brownholtz starting, and a home game that was played in Denton. In 2021, a game many said UTEP should've won, was lost in the final seconds when UTEP gave up a huge play and UNT's Ethan Mooney kicked the game-winning field goal to give UNT the 20-17 win. The last time the Mean Green played in El Paso was in 2018 when they survived against the then winless Miners, 24-27. What I am saying is that this is going to be a close game. UTEP will need to establish the run game, and the defense will need to feed off of the crowd's energy and get stops on 3rd downs. They will also need to get to whoever the starting QB for the Mean Green is, whether that is the guy who beat UTEP the past two years, Austin Aune, the former 4 star, Jace Ruder, or the transfer who was brought in post-spring ball, Grant Gunell. UTEP will need to disrupt the QB early and stop him from finding chemistry with his receivers. Offensively, Gavin Hardison will need to be relaxed and rely on his two great RBs. If UTEP sets the run game up early, it'll make Hardison's night way better. The key will be to convert on red zone opportunities, stop UNT from creating chemistry offensively early, and stop big plays. If UTEP can do all that, they will win the football game in front of 46,000+ rowdy fans. 

Final Prediction: UTEP 28, UNT 24

Sep. 3 @OU

What a coincidence! OU's former Head Coach, Lincoln Riley, departed for USC this off-season and was replaced by Clemson DC Brent Venables. UTEP will be Venables first game as the OU Head Coach, just like they were Riley's first game as the OU head coach in 2017. But if the past tells us anything about the future, UTEP may be in for a long afternoon. (UTEP lost 56-7 in 2017). OU will be led by former UCF QB Dillon Gabriel, who led the Knights to an 18-8 record while putting up wild numbers in his injury-riddled 3 seasons. After missing most of 2021 with an injury, he entered the portal and landed at OU this offseason. But with good, comes the bad. OU lost their starting Quarterback(s), with Spencer Rattler transferring to UofSC and Caleb Williams following Lincoln Riley to USC. Offensively, they lost both of their leading QBs, their leading rusher, and 3 out of 4 of their leading receivers. They used the portal and have some backups from last year who are very talented, but that with a rebooted O-Line will cause what I hope to be a shaky start to the game. No, I am not saying that UTEP will win, or that UTEP will even keep it close, but I believe that with all these factors, UTEP can keep it close for a little. UTEP simply cannot compete physically with OU, but a new coaching staff and a team that hasn't played much together can cause some early trouble for the Sooners when they take on the Miners.

Final Prediction: UTEP 17, OU 48

Sep. 10 vs NMSU 

EW. The Aggies. A rivalry old as time. Just 45 minutes up the road is an NMSU team coming off of a 2-10 season. UTEP beat the Aggies in Week 0 last year, 30-3 in Las Cruces. However, the Aggies will look a little bit different this year. They are led by new head coach Jerry Kill, who brings in loads of head coaching experience, and brought in some P5 transfers and a nice recruiting class. The Aggies lose their starting QB, starting RB, and 3 starting receivers. They replace that talent with NMMI starting QB Diego Pavia, who was very successful and led the Broncos to an NJCAA National Championship, TCU transfer RB/CB Ahmonte Watkins, and JUCO RB Jahmoni Jones. Their defense is much more experienced, which should be pretty interesting. They have some solid LBs, highlighted by Chris Ojoh. The line returns some talent that needs to develop a little more, and the secondary brings in 2 solid transfers, including Michigan transfer Andre Seldon and returners like Syrus Dumas, but I think the Aggies just won't be able to compete with the Miners for 4 quarters in El Paso. UTEP's O-Line overpowers NMSU's D-Line and a whole new offense will not be able to compete with a stout defense that UTEP has. I think the Miners take a win and beat the Aggies for the second straight time.

Final Prediction: UTEP 35, NMSU 20

Sep. 17 @UNM

The Miners beat the Lobos last year in the Sun Bowl on Texas Western Night. The Miners fell behind early but after a Ryan Metz proposal at halftime, the Miners came out with a purpose. The defense shut down the underhanded Lobos, and the offense got some drives going. The defense stopped any run game that the Lobos tried to establish. Granted, the Lobos were without most of their WRs, and to many, the Miners should have dominated, but the game was close. This year, the Miners will need to travel to Albuquerque and play the Lobos. The Lobos lost El Pasoan Aaron Dumas led the Lobos in rushing as a freshman. He is now in Washington playing for Kalen DeBoer. Second leading rusher Bobby Cole is off in the portal. Nathaniel Jones will be the guy after missing all of last year. The O-Line doesn't have developed depth and the QB situation is interesting. Terry Wilson is gone and it seems like Kansas transfer Miles Kendrick will be the man. He can run well but isn't the most gifted passer. The WRs are back, including leading WR Luke Wysong who led the team with 224 yards. The WR core is decent but not all that great. The Miners should win this one if they play a controlled game and try not to do too much. UNM's defense was much better, considering how bad the offense was last year. The defense was young and they produced. Tavian Combs and Jerrick Reed are very talented and will lead this group. The LBs will need to develop if the Lobos want a chance to beat the Miners. However, as I said, the Miners, in my opinion, will be too much for the Lobos.

Final Prediction: UTEP 38, UNM 23

Sep. 23 vs Boise St.

This one should be fun. Boise State returns their end of the home and home with a Friday night nationally televised game in the Sun Bowl. If the Broncos begin 3-0, there is a real chance they could be ranked. A ranked Boise State team playing a 3-1 Miner team could be another sell-out, although I highly doubt it. After a 2-0 start in 2021, the Miners went to Boise and got destroyed, 54-13. It was a rough game for a team that would win 4 straight after this game. The Miners were simply outclassed in that game. The defense struggled immensely in this game. The offense could not get going without a turnover happening deep in the drive. At times, it felt like UTEP gave up. But it's a whole new year. The man who torched the UTEP secondary last year, Khalil Shakir, is gone. He led the Broncos in receiving. Stefan Cobbs will step into the WR1 role. The man at the helm, Hank Bachmeier will come into the year as one of the better QBs in CFB. The O-Line gave up 27 QB hits last year, however, they brought in some talented transfers with experience that should help solve that problem, such as Washington State transfer T Cade Beresford. The run game wasn't great last year, so they will look to establish that. Defensively was great last year, leading the MW in scoring defense. Most of the stars on the defense are back, including DT Scott Matlock and S JL Skinner. Both are playmakers that can cause a turnover at any time. UTEP has a better chance of winning round 2 than most may think. They're at home and will be inspired by the crowd. Despite that, Boise may be just too good. If UTEP can slow down Bachmeier and not let Boise establish a run game, that will slow down the offense. However, UTEP will need to convert on red zone opportunities and be smart with the ball. I think UTEP falls just short in this one. 

Final Prediction: UTEP 27, Boise St. 36

Oct. 1 @Charlotte 

0-26-1. That ends Oct. 1. Or at least I hope. The Miners have never won a game in the Eastern Time Zone. Coach Dimel hates this stat. Rightfully so. But back to the game. Charlotte is coming off of a 5-7 year that started electric, with a win over Duke. After a 4-2 start, they would fizzle out and go 1-5 to end the season. Grant DuBose and Victor Tucker are both back as WR1 and WR2, which should be scary, along with starting QB Chris Reynolds back. They were explosive at times, and combine that with a solid run game and nice two-punch, Charlotte's offense should be explosive. 4 O-linemen return from a unit that was inconsistent but good enough. The defense on the other hand...Well, they struggled. A lot. They allowed 30+ points in 7 games, and 40+ in 4. They allowed 465 yards per game and couldn't get in the backfield at all. They lose most of their tackle production and kinda hit the reset button on the defense. It should be interesting to see if they gel. The defense needs to step up and stop the 49ers. If they can contain the passing game well enough, I think they'll be ok. The secondary will need to show up big time. If the offense plays their game and doesn't force the ball, they will dominate on what seems to be another sub-par Charlotte defense. I have the Miners breaking the curse and beating Charlotte, in NC. 

Final Prediction: UTEP 38, Charlotte 31

Oct. 8 @LA Tech

The Miners finally took down a Skip Holtz led team for bowl eligibility, 19-3 in Sun Bowl last year. Now, under a new head coach, La Tech will look for revenge. Sonny Crumbie takes over as head coach and the former Texas Tech OC is known as an offensive mastermind and put together a nice team this off-season. Parker McNeil will most likely lead the offense this season. The former Troy starter and Texas Tech backup knows Crumbie's system well. Smoke Harris is a talented 5'6 receiver that caught 71 balls and had 6 TDs last year. He and Tre Harris will lead the WRs. The O-Line is probably the most talented group, with 3 very talented guys. G Joshua Mote and C Abraham Delfin lead the inside with Dakota White being a plus T. They lose their leading rusher Marcus Williams is gone, but Vandy transfer Keyon Henry-Brooks will fill that nicely. The defense is under former SFA DC Scott Power, who loves to create turnovers. The defense struggled last year, and that was mainly because they couldn't create any pressure. They were the 114th scoring defense in CFB. The defense will be highlighted this year by LB Tyler Grubbs, who led the team in tackles last year, and Safety BeeJay Williamson. Williamson is 2x All-Conference C-USA. I think the Miners come into Ruston will their heads way too high and La Tech gives them a rude awakening. UTEP should win this game, but I think the offense stalls in front of the rowdy fans in Ruston, and La Tech's offense finally figures it out and goes crazy. I think this is the one game UTEP loses, that they should've won.

Final Prediction: UTEP 17, LA Tech 34

Oct. 22 vs FAU 

Coming off of a bye week that proceeded with a tough loss to La Tech, the Miners will take on the Owls at home. The Owls are one of the teams who utilized the portal. They went 5-7 in Willie Taggart's second season as the Head Coach of The Owls. The Miners traveled to Boca Raton last year. The Miners were 6-1 going into this game, however, they struggled after a 50-yard bomb from N'Kosi Perry that ended the half, which gave them the lead, 10-14. The Owls would run off and score another two touchdowns before the Miners would make a late 15-point push late in the 4th quarter. The Miners had a chance to win late in the game but ultimately fell short. The O-Line is filled with very experienced vets that will protect Perry. Perry was solid last year, but he was inconsistent at times. LaJohntay Wester and Je'Quan Burton are two proven playmakers in the WR core. Pair that with Johnny Ford coming back, and the offense should be very explosive. The defense received some much-needed transfers. They struggled down the stretch, but I put that to chemistry issues. I am not sure if FAU will be able to gel at all this year, and if these P5 transfers are even that great. Despite all that, the offense will be explosive, and Teja Young will lead an interesting defensive group. If FAU should get it all together, they will be one of the best teams in C-USA. But I think the Miners will be inspired and the defense will stop FAU's explosive offense. Dimel will expose the weaker FAU front 7 and the run game will dominate. I think the Miners bounce back and win this one.

Final Prediction: UTEP 31, FAU 25

Oct. 29th vs MTSU 

MTSU went 7-6 last year, and that included a Bahama Bowl win against Toledo. They have been very consistent the past few years. The Blue Raiders return their two starting QBs? They found success with both Nicholas Vattiato and Chase Cunningham both had good production last year. They will fight for the position this year. The running game wasn't really there last year and their leading runner, who barely surpassed 300 yards last year, is gone. The running game will be bleak. Jaylin Lane and Yusuf Ali return after combining for 80+ receptions. ECU transfer TE Jacob Coleman will be a good part of the offense. Defensively, they forced a lot of turnovers. They led the nation in turnovers last year. Despite that, they lose A LOT of talent on the defense, including S Reed Blankenship and DQ Thomas, both were considered the heart and soul of their team. They also lose their 4 leading tacklers and 5 pick corner Quincy Riley. They lose most of their playmakers. Their D-Line will be somewhat stable. With all of that being said, the Miners should win this game. I believe that the Miners will stop any sort of run game and force MTSU to pass a lot more. The secondary will finally hit their stride and force turnovers. The Miners will win this defensive battle in the Sun Bowl.

Final Prediction: UTEP 18, MTSU 10

Nov. 3rd @Rice

The Miners take on the only conference opponent that in the past 3 years, have a winning record against. The Owls fell to the Miners last year in the Sun Bowl, 38-28 on Senior Day. The Miners will travel to Houston and play the Owls on their own turf for the first time since the Miners picked up their first win of the Dimel era. Wiley Greene will most likely be the starting QB. He played a little last year in a crowded QB room that was led by Jake Constantine. Greene had a decent year, throwing for 413 yards and 4 TDs. He will have Tulsa transfer, Sam Crawford, to throw to. He converted QB Luke McCaffrey, and second-leading receiver Cedric Patterson will lead a really solid WR core. Ali Broussard is back after leading the team in rushing. The depth at RB is questionable, but it should be ok. The O-Line is below average, so they will need to improve on that for sure. The defense returns after a sub-par year that included allowing 36 PPG and 400+ yards per game. They lose 3 of their top-front 7 guys. Star NT Elijah Garcia is off, and LB duo Antonio Montero and Desmyn Baker both transferred out. They lose a lot of playmakers but Rice is known for its defensive rotations. They will lose a lot but it isn't as big as a deal most would think. I think the Miners win this one in Houston. I doubt the Owls will improve much this year, despite some interesting off-season moves. If the defense can get pressure and destroy the Rice O-Line, then I believe that the offense will be stagnant. I think Hankins and Awatt will dominate the roughed-up Rice defense. I think this is one of the games UTEP dominates. 

Final Prediction: UTEP 42, Rice 24

Nov. 19 vs FIU

The Miners return home to play FIU on Senior Day. The Golden Panthers were one of the worst teams in FBS last year. Mac MacIntyre takes over a team that went 1-11 last year. The Panthers shocked the world and beat Miami in 2019 in a bowl-winning season, but haven't beaten an FBS team since (1-17). Gunnar Holmberg was a P5 starter at a time, and along with some P5 transfers (Jacolby Hewitt, Indiana, and Sharod Johnson, Syracuse), the offense should be ok. Lexington Joseph will probably take the bulk of the carries, but he was below average last year. The defense brings back some ok pieces from last year, and the front 4 will be ok with DE Davon Strickland. The secondary is young and hasn't played much time, so who knows what to expect. The Panthers won't be as bad as last year, but they won't be a great team. I think the Miners take this one convincingly, and Gavin Hardison destroys the FIU secondary. 

Final Prediction: UTEP 49, FIU 22

Nov. 26 @UTSA 

The Roadrunners came to El Paso last year ranked and in front of a 30,000+ crowd, and destroyed the Miners. The then 6-2 Miners couldn't handle a very good UTSA O-Line that opened not only holes for All-Conference RB Sincere McCormack but helped open the passing game up for Frank Harris. The Miners will be looking for revenge in San Antonio, but it will be a tough task for the Miners. The UTSA WR core is one of, if not the best in C-USA.  All three of their leading receivers come back after they all surpassed 700+ yards. Zakhari Franklin will lead the team will two other All-CUSA caliber behind him. The man that was under center of the offense last year, Frank Harris is back and many believe he is the best C-USA QB. He will be protected by a very talented offensive line that loses one starter, granted their best one in school history. De'Anthony Lewis and Tye Edwards will most likely combine for a nice one-two punch, behind senior Brendan Brady. Coming off of a 36.9 PPG scoring offense that was top 15 in the nation, the Miner defense will face its second hardest test of the season. However, the Miners will be in their best shape of the season. UTSA's defense doesn't return as much as the offense doesn't return as much, but NG Brandon Brown, two ILBs Jamal Ligon and Trevor Harmanson, and Rashad Wisdom all had an All-Conference season last year. The defense gets reinforcements in the secondary after losing the freakish athlete Tariq Woolen to the NFL, with two P5 transfers in former LSU DB Pig Cage, and former West Virginia DB Nicktroy Fortune. The Miners will fight hard in this one. The offense will give it all they have against a talented UTSA defense, that includes two former P5 studs, and the defense will get dirty and give a talented UTSA O-Line one of their roughest outings, but at the end of the day, it may be too little. The Roadrunners will overdo the Miners and a late turnover will end the Miners run at the possible conference champs.

Final Prediction: UTEP 31, UTSA 40

Statistical Outlook

• QB: Gavin Hardison: 3,962 Yards, 29 TDs, 11 INTs, 62% completion rate

• RBs: Ronald Awatt: 193 carries, 1,017 yards, 7 TDs, 5.2 YPC. Deion Hankins: 151 carries, 724 yards, 4.8 YPC, 11 TDs

• WRs: Kelly Akharaiyi-59 Rec, 1,007 Yards, 6 TDs. Tyrin Smith: 51 Rec, 926 Yards, 4 TDs. Jeremiah Ballard: 49 Rec, 890 Yards, 9 TDs. Rey Flores: 538 Yards, 5 TDss 

• TEs: Trent Thompson: 19 Rec, 387 Yards, 5 TDs

• DEs: Praise Amaewhule: 42 Tackles, 8.5 sacks, 18 TFLs, 7 PD's, 3 FF. Jadrian Taylor: 21 Tackles, 7 sacks, 14 TFLs, 1 FF

• DTs: Keenan Stewart: 21 Tackles, 9 TFLs, 5 sacks. Kelton Moss: 18 Tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2 sacks

• LBs: Breon Hayward: 115 Tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 9.5 TFLs. Tyrice Knight: 107 Tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 9 TFLs

• CBs: Torrey Richardson: 32 Tackles, 11 PDs, 3 INTs. Trejon Hugue: 28 Tackles, 6 PDs, 1 INT. Josiah Allen: 23 Tackles, 3 PDs, 0.5 sacks. Dennis Barnes: 65 tackles, 6 PDs, 3 INTs, 1 sack.

• S: Justin Prince: 58 tackles, 4 PDs, 1 INT, 3.5 TFLs 1 sack. Kobe Hylton: 51 Tackles, 4 PDs, 1 INT, 2 TFLs. McKel Broussard: 31 Tackles, 1 PD, 1 TFL, 1 sack. Tyson Wilson: 33 tackles.

• K: Gavin Baechle: 42 of 44 XPs, 17 of 20 FGs. 

Final Thoughts

II believe that the Miners will win 8 games and go to another bowl game. The Miners have a team full of hungry guys looking to prove they are one of the best in the conference. The offense returns its starting QB, RB, and 4 O-Lineman. If QB Gavin Hardison can take that step up, UTEP will be looking good. If he relies on a good run game, his job will be much easier. Building chemistry with the new guys will be key, but I believe in the new WRs. They are very talented and deep. If the O-Line can be consistent with opening lanes for the two ultra-talented RBs, then the offense can be lethal. But these are all what-ifs. The Miners need to come out strong in the UNT game and build off of that. The defense has higher expectations, including a front 7 that is one of the best in the country. I believe that Amaewhule will compete for C-USA DPOY, and Taylor will dominate with the 1 on 1's he will be getting. Keenan Stewart will return to 2020 form and possibly be even better, while Kelton Moss will have that breakout season we've been looking for. The secondary will need time to gel and build chemistry since it will have at least 3 new starters. If the front 7 holds up for a few games, I think the secondary will be just fine. I think Justin Prince will finally play a full season, and Kobe Hylton will have a nice opening year for the Miners. I think Dennis Barnes will provide that experience needed for the CBs, and I think Torrey Richardson will have a nice breakout year, and become an elite playmaker in the defense. I have high hopes for this team. I hope they prove me right. @UtepZay on twitter.