PonyFans.com preview: UTEP

[PonyPride]

After a welcome bye week, the Mustangs return to action this Saturday in a 4:05 p.m. (Dallas time) game in El Paso against the UTEP Miners (2-8 overall, 1-5 against Western Athletic Conference opponents.) The game can be heard locally on KTCK (1310-AM), with pregame coverage beginning at 3:30.

The Miners lost their third straight game Saturday, dropping a 23-17 decision at Nevada, a game in which the UTEP offense gained exactly zero yards in the third quarter.

UTEP has been on the business end of four lopsided decisions this year and has given up at least 58 points four times, losing 77-17 at Kentucky, 68-0 at Oklahoma, 58-24 at San Jose State and 58-3 at home against Boise State. The Miners have been outscored by an average of 43.1-16.1 points per game through 10 games this season.

After losing two quarterbacks to injuries, the UTEP offense now rides the arm of Omar Duarte, a 6-2, 190-pound sophomore who has completed 37-of-87 passes (42.5 percent) for 405 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. The longest completion in Duarte's seven games as the Miners' signal-caller has been for 34 yards. The top UTEP receiver this far has been senior wide receiver Terrance Minor, who has 33 catches this year for 480 yards (including a long of 83 yards) and six touchdowns. Trailing Minor are freshman WR Chris Francies (6-2, 190), who has 18 receptions for 205 yards, sophomore tight end Jonas Crafts (6-4, 250), who has 16 catches for 195 yards and sophomore WR Dirk Dillard (6-1, 190) and TE Justin Hunt (6-5, 230), who have 14 catches apiece.

With the aerial game being somewhat erratic, the Miners lean on the running game, where sophomore RB Howard Jackson (5-10, 155) leads the team with 770 yards on 152 carries (5.1 yards per carry), with 6 rushing touchdowns. Freshman RB Matt Austin (6-0, 185) is second on the team with 46 carries for 232 yards (5.0). Sophomore RB Jimmy Smith is the only other UTEP ball-carrier to score this year, reaching the end zone three times on the ground.

Safety D.J. Walker (6-3, 210) leads the UTEP defense with 94 tackles (76 solo) and six sacks, while fellow DB Tim Woodard (5-11, 190) is second on the team with 91 stops. Senior Camar Jackson (6-3, 245) leads the linebackers with 50 stops. Redshirt freshman Chris Mineo (6-3, 270) is the Miners' top defensive lineman, with 36 tackles and five quarterback sacks.

UTEP might be just the antidote for what ails the Mustangs. The Ponies are 7-2 all-time against the Miners, who are 12 and 21 during the tenure of third-year head coach Gary Nord. In the last meeting between the teams, SMU beat UTEP, 40-14, in Dallas last year. In the nine meetings between the schools, the Ponies never have scored fewer than 20 points. Saturday's game is the home finale for the Miners, who end their season next week at Louisiana Tech.

Senior starting UTEP tackle Ariel Famaligi (6-4, 310) did not make the trip to Reno for the game against Nevada after violating team rules last week. He's expected to return to the lineup against SMU. Sophomore DB Jahmal Fenner had two interceptions against Nevada, making him the first Miner to pick off two passes in a game since Robert Weathers snatched two passes against SMU in 1999.

[ClassOf81]

If I remember correctly, the UTEP game last year was one where we were down 14-0 and came back with 40 unanswered points. Wasn't that also the second straight 200-yard game for ShanD last year?
Let's see if Kincade can get untracked against what sounds like a bad UTEP defense.

SMU 38
UTEP 6

[Lefty]

Sure hope you're right, '81!

Does anyone know if Garrett is playing this week?

Go Mustangs!
Beat UTEP!

[Pony Up]

Those receievers might not be Nate Burleson, but they sound like the big receivers who have given us trouble this year. Let's not get ahead of ourselves and assume they won't be able to pass the ball (although it sure would be nice if they struggle as badly as their stats indicate.)

SMU 23
UTEP 17

[Charleston Pony]

our last 2 trips to El Paso have been unpleasant ones. I see Vegas likes us in this one, installing the Ponies as 6 1/2 pt favorites. Hope the oddsmakers are right this time. With 2 weeks to mend some wounds and to prepare for the Miners, I expect the Ponies to play well Saturday. I'm past the point of making predictions, though. Just play well, Mustangs, and we will see if that's enough to win this one.

[EP Pony Fan]

Trust me, there's good reason for Vegas to put the Ponies as favorites. UTEP is a bad team. A really bad team. They are not pretty to watch. They can't run the ball and they can't throw it, and they can't stop anybody. When your kickers are the best part of your team, you're in deep .... trouble.

Go SMU!

[Pony4Life]

UTEP's RB, Jackson, is a skinny little guy, but he's fast and he's tough. UTEP's #1 rushing play is a power run up the middle, and he's survived so far.

[Charleston Pony]

If UTEP is so horrible, how did they beat Rice? At 1-9, we have no reason to be over confident. Like I said, let's just play well because I will bet that everyone on this team knows they can play better than what they've shown to date.

[PonyFan]

I see 3 sacks for Don Ieremia-Stansbury and two receptions (one for a TD) for DB-turned-WR Matt Rushbrook. They're both El Paso natives and they'll be jacked up to play for their friends and families.