2023 UTEP Pre-Season Picks Contest

[MinerInWisconsin]

My annual college football bible (Phil Steele Magazine) arrived today and since the mag always is rated the most accurate, I'll use it to guide me. Plus I'm sure Phil wouldn't lie to me.

He predicts that UTEP will be among the most improved teams in the country and will have at least 8 wins and play in the conference championship game vs WKU. He has UTEP coming in 2nd behind the Toppers.

UTEP 34 Jax St 17
UTEP 45 UIW 21
UTEP 31 NW 27
UTEP 24 AZ 34
UTEP 28 UNLV 21
UTEP 34 LT 31
UTEP 35 FIU 20
UTEP 31 NMSU 21
UTEP 28 SHSU 17
UTEP 30 WKU 31
UTEP 28 MTSU 24
UTEP 31 LIB 28

That's 10-2 and headed to the CUSA CCG. Sorry, I tried to be pessimistic but Phil's damn magazine got the best of me.

[Minermojo]

Ay ya yay, us Miner fans with our orange colored glasses. I wish his predictions were true, but we've been letdown so many times I can't get excited anymore. I'll still follow them but I won't be expecting miracles.

Thanks anyway.

[KiddMiner]

I have us beating WKU but losing to MTSU as well as Arizona, whatever the outcome I am hopeful for at least 8 wins and then a bowl game win. Being in BIG 12 country I am familiar with the Ol' K State type of offense, it does work, but you have to be patient and go with the flow.

I believe we will see a defense this year that has never been seen in UTEPs history.

[kyyote]

I had to change my pick for the northwestern game. They are in complete disarray right now.

[kyyote]

If you haven?t already made your picks, I encourage you to do it now. With Hardison looking to make this his big year and newcomers looking to plow through the conference on their way up it is going to be interesting if nothing else. Prizes will be worthwhile.

[kyyote]

If you haven't made your picks, you should or you will wish you had. 

The Miners are a 1.5 point underdog as of today.  That means that a UTEP win will get bonus points for those who picked a UTEP win.

[KiddMiner]

I will stick with my picks, a 10-win season.

 

[kyyote]

vegasinsidernow has UTEP -1.5 points. That means if it stays that way the underdogbonus will go to those who picked JSU if they win. Good to see that the experts think we will win.

[SisyphusMiner]

FWIW, preseason ESPN bottom 10 has JSU in their bottom 10.  Solely based on them moving up from FCS however as far as I can tell.

[kyyote]

That is so much part of the fun. Like I said in another post, I figure we?re walking into an ambush.

Normal teams would handle it like ants at a picnic. But we aren?t normal. We are sumo wrestling dudes from El Paso. We ride in like a cavalry unit and from everywhere Cheyenne and Apache are bashing brains and whooping it up while the cavalry weights for them to wear themselves out. I am afraid that since they are champing at the bit and fresh as a daisy they will have that slightest of an edge.

[Alaska Miner]

I am afraid that since they are champing at the bit and fresh as a daisy they will have that slightest of an edge.

I was worried about this earlier in the week, until I was reminded how pumped we were for the first game of the season last year, and UNT completely took the air out of our balloon. If it can happen to us, it can happen to them.

[Alaska Miner]

Just figured I?d put mine in before the start of the season tomorrow?

Ok, here are my predictions:

                                                     Home                Winner                     Score

Aug 26 UTEP                                 Jax State               UTEP                       31-24

Sep 2   Incarnate Word                  UTEP                     UTEP                       35-17

Sep 9   UTEP                                 Northwestern         UTEP                       28-20

Sep 16 UTEP                                 Arizona                  AZ.                           31-21

Sep 23 UNLV                                 UTEP                     UTEP                       28-17

Sep 29 LA Tech                              UTEP                     UTEP                      34-21
 
Oct 18 NM State                            UTEP                     UTEP                       28-21

Oct 25 UTEP                                  SHST                     UTEP                       36-14

Nov 4  WKU                                  UTEP                      WKU                        35-28

Nov 18 UTEP                                 Mid Tenn                UTEP.                       24-14

Nov 25  Liberty                             UTEP                     UTEP                          28-21

[ATL-Miner]

                                                      Home                Winner                     Score

Aug 26 UTEP                                 Jax State               UTEP                     30-27

Sep 2   Incarnate Word                  UTEP                     UTEP                       27-21

Sep 9   UTEP                                 Northwestern         NW                      24-21

Sep 16 UTEP                                 Arizona                  AZ                          41- 28

Sep 23 UNLV                                 UTEP                     UTEP                       27- 24

Sep 29 LA Tech                              UTEP                     UTEP                        31- 24

Oct 11 UTEP                                   FIU                      UTEP                        34 - 17

Oct 18 NM State                            UTEP                     UTEP                        27 - 24

Oct 25 UTEP                                  SHST                     UTEP                       28 - 17

Nov 4  WKU                                  UTEP                      WKU                        34 - 24

Nov 18 UTEP                                 Mid Tenn                Mid Tenn                   24 - 17

Nov 25  Liberty                             UTEP                     UTEP                       28 - 24                       

[kyyote]

I changed my pick to UTEP at the last minute.

[kyyote]

Sis gets a point for the winner, 3 for First Place in the opt and a three point bonus for the upset pick.

Ist Place Sis  7 points

ALSO, now that entries are in I will tell you that First Prize this year is $100.  Second is $50, and third place is $25.