25 Years After UTEP’s ‘Miner Miracle’ Over BYU

The Miners and Cougars go way back.

In fact, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the biggest upset in UTEP football history – the shocking victory over the defending national champion BYU cougars.

UTEP’s 23-16 upset happened on Oct. 26, 1985 and was dubbed “The Miner Miracle.”

Bill Yung, who coached the Miners to that victory still lives in El Paso – and is always reminded about the game.

“It’s one of those things, kind of a history marker for El Paso,” Yung, 76, said. “People didn’t realize at that time, that was a team better than Texas University or A&M.”

The Sun Bowl crowd that night was officially listed at more than 22,000. But today, thousands more claim to have been there.

Some call the game the biggest upset in the history of college football.

“A lot of people would come see the BYU game, just because they didn’t like ’em,” Yung said.

And that dislike for BYU, despite no longer playing on an annual basis, has remained with many El Pasoans over the years.

“It would really make it just icing on the cake if we could beat them up there this week in New Mexico,” Yung said.