Texas-El Paso<\/p>\n
(2-10 overall, 1-7 CUSA)<\/p>\n
Old rivals: It\u2019s been 21 years since the University of Texas at El Paso left the Western Athletic Conference to join Conference USA. The Miners are entering their first year back in the same conference as former WAC opponents Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV and Wyoming. The Cowboys have a 26-6-1 all-time record against UTEP, with the last meeting coming in 1995.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that we\u2019re transitioning to the Mountain West, people are like, \u2018Oh my God, I remember the times we were playing Wyoming, and now they\u2019re coming back to the Sun Bowl,\u2019\u201d UTEP running back Kam Thomas said at MW media days. \u201cThe town is ready to see that matchup again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Third-year head coach Scotty Walden also understands the history between UTEP and some of the other teams in the new MW.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like home,\u201d Walden said. \u201cIt feels like we\u2019re back home where we belong with our regional footprint. On top of that, we want our program to be able to compete at the (Group of Six) level in the national scope, compete for championships and compete for bowl games. You can\u2019t do that if you\u2019re not in a conference that fosters that. \u2026 That\u2019s the standard of this league, and we\u2019re blessed to be part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking to build: The Miners made a bowl game during their first season in the CUSA in 2005. They\u2019ve made just three bowl appearances since, with all three resulting in losses in the New Mexico Bowl. UTEP hasn\u2019t won a bowl game since it was independent in 1967. The Miners have had 15 different coaches since that 1967 Sun Bowl win over Ole Miss. Walden is the latest, as he\u2019s going into his third season with a 5-19 record. The Miners won one conference game last fall and return just five starters, including zero on offense.<\/p>\n
Key piece: UTEP\u2019s offense will be led by quarterback EJ Colson, who transferred in from FCS Incarnate Word. Colson started 10 games last fall, throwing for 2,142 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions. He added 287 yards and three scores on the ground while completing 70.9% of his passes. Thomas will accompany him at \u201cMiner back,\u201d which he describes as a scat back\/slot receiver hybrid. The Miners will look to improve on a minus-12 turnover margin, which tied for 127th nationally last fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to be the fastest show in the Mountain West,\u201d Walden said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to play fast football, we\u2019re going to play clean football, and we\u2019re going to play physical football. We want to be a line-of-scrimmage football team, no matter what. Rain, sleet, shine, day game, night game, whatever. We take a personal responsibility for our players to play extremely hard and physical when they put on that pickaxe in that orange and blue.\u201d<\/p>\n