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UTEP Football: Bowl Projections Week 11

Could UTEP be returning to the site of their first victory to end the season?

Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

 

With the score 27-21 early in the 4th and UTEP driving down the field many assumed we would score seven and go up by 13. Instead Showers does a bad read and throws a pick six. The turnover gave WKU the momentum, the game and keeps our bowl hopes on hold.

 

Our season is not over like it is for C-USA associates FAU, FIU, UTSA, and Southern Miss. Actually we can't be eliminated and we will remain alive for a post season bowl until the last week of the season at our senior night vs Middle Tennessee.

 

Which bowl do the football experts have UTEP playing in this holiday season?

Jerry Palm at CBSsports has us playing in Albuquerque Saturday December 20th against Utah St (7-3). This is probably where we would end up if we get bowl eligible. The only problem I see is that over 12,000 will fill the Don Haskins for our highly anticipated showdown with (2) Arizona on Friday Night. With a start time of 9 pm one can expect to get home around midnight take a quick nap, wake up at 6 am and drive 4 hrs to Albuquerque for a noon kickoff.

Over on ESPN Brent McMurphy has us also playing Utah State in the New Mexico Bowl. Mark Schlabach project us in the Hawaii bowl playing against Utah St. One thing seems to be clear if we go bowling we might end up matched against the Aggies.

Bowl Matchup Mark Schlabach Brett McMurphy
Gilden New Mexico RICE vs Air Force Utah St vs UTEP
Hawaii Bowl UTEP vs Utah St Air Force vs UAB

 

Bill Bender of Sporting News has UTEP in a different bowl. He projects us in the Boca Raton Bowl Dec 23rd against Central Michigan (6-4) of the MAC.

Dec. 23: Boca Raton Bowl: Central Michigan vs. UTEP

Sports Illustrated has UTEP in Honolulu Dec 24th against Air Force (7-2)

Hawaii Dec. 24 Honolulu C-USA vs. MWC UTEP vs. Air Force

Phil Steele has us in an interesting game against Texas St (5-4) playing in the Heart of Dallas Bowl Dec 26 at 11 am MT.

HEART OF DALLAS BOWL QUICK LANE BOWL
DEC 24 • 8:00 PM ET • ESPN
DEC 26 • 1:00 PM ET • ESPN
DEC 26 • 4:30 PM ET • ESPN
CUSA vs MW Big Ten* vs CUSA ACC vs Big Ten
Middle Tennessee vs Air Force
Texas St* vs UTEP
North Carolina vs Penn St

There you have it some of the many projections out there. We still need to do our part and win one out of three remaining games. As a city we need to do our part and support our team to a 6th victory next Saturday vs North Texas anything under 30,000 would be a shame.

I personally would prefer UTEP in the Heart of Dallas bowl game. We have a strong Alumni presence in Central Texas so we would have a good representation from UTEP. The payout is bigger than the other bowls. My main reason is because of the Friday night game against Arizona. I think attendance would be diminished in Albuquerque due to the late start of the basketball game and early start of the bowl game.

 

What about you guys and gals where would you like to see UTEP playing this winter?