UTEP vs Tulsa Preview

The UTEP Miners travel to Tulsa to play the Golden Hurricane on a rare Thursday night game that features two teams going in the opposite directions. The Miners come in having lost 5 out of their 6 games this season which recently included getting shutout at home against SMU last week.

Meanwhile the Hurricanes are currently in first place in Conference USA and riding a 5 game winning streak. The Hurricanes offense is averaging 46 points during that stretch as they remain unbeaten in conference play. UTEP hopes to contain the three headed running game of Trey Watts, Ja’Terian Douglas and Alex Singleton, who together have combined for 17 touchdowns so far this season.

For the UTEP Miners though, it has been downhill since the start of the season, the offense is ranked 115th in the nation, and recently got shutout at home vs SMU 17-0. It was the first time the Miners were shutout at the Sun Bowl since 2003. Quarterback Nick Lamaison and Carson Meger each kept rotating spots as they struggled to get into SMU territory and both combined to throw 3 interceptions with one of Lamaison’s being returned for a touchdown.

There is starting to be a quarterback and coach controversy in El Paso as fans were loudly heard at Saturday’s game, wanting Lamaison out and a new QB in. Head Coach Mike Price kept shuffling Lamaison and Meger in the 1st half and finally stuck with Lamaison in the 2nd half. Coach Price has already said he is sticking with Lamaison on Thursday.

Price is also in the hot seat this season as he is in his final year of his contract. Price wants to return but if one more loss occurs it would be UTEP’s seventh consecutive losing season under Coach Price. So far there has been no talk on the future and the team is still focused about this season.

The Miners haven’t beaten the Golden Hurricane in Tulsa since 2000. That’s a streak of five straight losses while being outscored 195-118.