Steve Riddick News

If football was all about tape measures and stop watches, there's still a chance Steve Riddick would have had his name in the paper at some point this season.

To a man, the UTEP football team still believes. At this point, that's what they have.

The UTEP football team always draws energy and confidence from the Sun Bowl. If they are to make anything out of this teetering season, however, it will have to come on the road.

The scenes were almost surreal. One week ago, Houston students and fans were rushing the field E jubilation raining down on Cougar town as they celebrated a huge, dramatic win over Texas Tech.

Here's a good question to ask a UTEP football player: Do you draw more motivation from losing to New Mexico State the past two years, or losing the first two games of this season? "Probably the past two years," linebacker Anthony Morrow said.

There won't be much subtlety to the mind-set that Buffalo brings to the Sun Bowl tonight.

UTEP head coach Mike Price discusses his opening game of the season against the Buffalo Bulls Saturday night at the Sun Bowl.

Even in August, the specter of November hangs over UTEP. The Miners always have struggled in that month, and a year ago the theme was to hit, hit, hit, get tougher and close the season harder.

As a boy at Eastwood High School, Jo Jo Ortiz used to sit in the Sun Bowl, watching the UTEP players walk down through the Mine Shaft, wondering what that moment would feel like.

Most preseason picks have UTEP third in Conference USA's West Division with a record within a game of .500 one way or the other, but not Sports Illustrated.

For the casual football fan, playing on the defensive line is a game of see ball/kill ball.

Upon his arrival, coach Mike Price lit a fire under UTEP and guided the football program to back-to-back eight-win seasons.

Upon his arrival, coach Mike Price lit a fire under UTEP and guided the football program to back-to-back eight-win seasons.

One player who UTEP fans probably won't see this year isreceiver/running back Corey Trisby, a grayshirt freshman who probably will become a redshirt freshman.

This year's edition of the annual Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine, the 50th anniversary edition, hit stores Monday around the state.