Ask yourself, what is a rival. I think, if you get down to it, it is a competitor with an emotional connection. There are competitors who compete against each other without a thought about it other than winning, losing, technique, form and such. They may not have ever met the competition before. They are rivals in a seemingly distant way. There are one-sided rivalries in which one team regularly beats the other and the records are lopsided. In these, the competitive event may mean little more than an opportunity for the two emotional sides to meet in battle. Often, there is a regional component to these rivalries. Then there are rivalries that are competition based. Rivalries can spring up overnight or they can grow slowly over decades. Rivalries can sometimes develop around other things first and then be seen in competition and vice versa. The competition between El Paso and San Antonio is a whole lot older than football. But, when UTEP and UTSA met of the football field it all had a focal point in competition. So, here is my assignment for you to contemplate. List in order and give your reasons why for your Top Three UTEP Miners rivals.
