UTEP Football: Can Miners improve upon 2020 season’s 3 wins?

How will UTEP football fare in 2021?

UTEP does not have any Power Five opponents on their schedule, but that does not mean it is an easy schedule. UTEP plays some of the best teams in the conference and improving upon last season’s three wins is not going to be an easy task.

• Game 1: at New Mexico State (W) — This is a great chance for a win to start the season off right against one of the nation’s worst teams.
• Game 2: Bethune Cookman (W) — Another chance for a win against an FCS opponent.
• Game 3: at Boise State (L) — Boise State is looking to get back into a New Year’s Six bowl and UTEP won’t be able to slow them down.
• Game 4: New Mexico (L) — This is a toss-up game that UTEP could win, but I will give the edge to the Lobos.
• Game 5: Old Dominion (L) — Another game that UTEP could win, but its hard to trust them in this spot, even against ODU.
• Game 6: at Southern Miss (L) — Southern Miss is going to contend for the conference title and UTEP will not be able to keep up.
• Game 7: Louisiana Tech (L) — I think this is another possible win for the Miners, but they will once again come up short.
• Game 8: at FAU (L) — Willie Taggart will get the Owls back to winning games and they should dispose of UTEP at home.
• Game 9: UTSA (L) — The Roadrunners are going to be a contender in the C-USA and will be too much for UTEP.
• Game 10: at North Texas (L) — North Texas should have a bounce-back season and the Miners are not going to be able to take them down on the road.
• Game 11: Rice (L)- The Owls will have one of the best defenses in the conference and that will be the difference in this game.
• Game 12: at UAB (L) — UAB has become the best program in the C-USA and is light years ahead of UTEP.

Final Record: 2-10 (0-8 C-USA)

This projected record could be seen as a step back from 2020, but those wins last year were against two FCS programs and this schedule is much tougher. If UTEP can be competitive against some of the better teams in the conference, this season could be seen as a success.