HOUSTON BOWL
COLORADO vs. UTEP ? December 29th, 4:30 pm
The University of Texas at El Paso?s HC Mike Price has done a tremendous job of turning around this UTEP team which had a combined 3-30 record against I-A competition over the three years prior to Price taking over at the beginning of the season. In his first year at the helm, the team has improved to an 8-3 record and is going to a bowl game. Price has very deservedly been named a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award as the nation?s top coach. As you might imagine, this Miner team is thrilled to be playing in the Houston Bowl and the fans are expected to show up in force to join an already pro-Texas crowd.
The Colorado Buffaloes? story is a bit different. After winning the Big 12 North Conference and a trip to the Big 12 Championship game, Colorado was humiliated by powerhouse Oklahoma in that game as the Sooners got three passing touchdowns from Jason White and three more from Adrian Peterson on the ground in a near flawless 42-3 dismantling of the Buffs. Colorado generated just one first down without the benefit of an OU penalty in that game and averaged a mere one yard per play on offense. There is a very real question regarding whether or not this team can regain any confidence after that debacle.
Colorado does have some offensive weapons in QB Joel Klapp who passed for 2,065 yards this season albeit with only 9 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He had help from the backfield with RB Bobby Purify?s 1,017 yards rushing but these numbers were mostly put up against a very depleted Big 12 North group. The Buffaloes were joined by only Iowa State (6-5) as teams from the North with winning records. As I look at the defense, it seems legitimate to question how Colorado could play for the Big 12 title when it was allowing so many yards defensively. The game with Oklahoma dropped the Buffs into last place in that category in the Big 12 with a 426.6 yard per game average.
While the WAC Conference can certainly not be compared to the Big 12, two of UTEP?s three losses this season came against bowl bound Arizona State and Boise State and the Miners beat Fresno State and Hawaii, each of which have already won their bowl games. UTEP lost their final game in a heartbreaker at Tulsa where PK Reagan Schneider missed four field goals and the game ended with a 37-35 score. UTEP has a balanced offensive game with QB Jordan Palmer who is a 59% passer and averages over 226 yards per game through the air. The sophomore has thrown for 24 touchdowns on the year and appears to be following in footsteps of his brother Carson of USC fame. In the backfield, RB Howard Jackson added 1,150 yards rushing an 9 touchdowns this year. The Miners also have a deep pass threat in Johnnie Lee Higgins, who is only fifth on the team in catches but first in yardage and touchdowns, averaging 21 yards per catch and scoring nine times. The Miners have been a scoring machine, accumulating at least 35 points in nine of their eleven games and each of their last six. On defense this team is fast and hard hitting, demonstrated by the fact that they have forced 30 turnovers this season.
Without question, there are tremendous differences in the motivation that these teams bring to this game based on what their expectations were at the beginning of the season. Colorado bounced around their schedule, never really getting their season going, only to amazingly find themselves in the Big 12 Championship game and then was beaten down mercilessly by an Oklahoma team that had a point to prove. UTEP began the season with the excitement that a new big time coach like Price can bring to a small school but the team never really expected that they would be playing in a bowl game. Well they are, and it is straight down I-10 in their home state. Look for Price to have these kids up for this game and for the Buffs to be wondering why they are even bothering to play in this lower tier bowl game. If Colorado?s defense gives up even close to the 426 yards that they have allowed this season, the Miners will be going back to El Paso with a trophy and big smiles on their faces.
The Verdict: UTEP (+4)
COLORADO vs. UTEP ? December 29th, 4:30 pm
The University of Texas at El Paso?s HC Mike Price has done a tremendous job of turning around this UTEP team which had a combined 3-30 record against I-A competition over the three years prior to Price taking over at the beginning of the season. In his first year at the helm, the team has improved to an 8-3 record and is going to a bowl game. Price has very deservedly been named a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award as the nation?s top coach. As you might imagine, this Miner team is thrilled to be playing in the Houston Bowl and the fans are expected to show up in force to join an already pro-Texas crowd.
The Colorado Buffaloes? story is a bit different. After winning the Big 12 North Conference and a trip to the Big 12 Championship game, Colorado was humiliated by powerhouse Oklahoma in that game as the Sooners got three passing touchdowns from Jason White and three more from Adrian Peterson on the ground in a near flawless 42-3 dismantling of the Buffs. Colorado generated just one first down without the benefit of an OU penalty in that game and averaged a mere one yard per play on offense. There is a very real question regarding whether or not this team can regain any confidence after that debacle.
Colorado does have some offensive weapons in QB Joel Klapp who passed for 2,065 yards this season albeit with only 9 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He had help from the backfield with RB Bobby Purify?s 1,017 yards rushing but these numbers were mostly put up against a very depleted Big 12 North group. The Buffaloes were joined by only Iowa State (6-5) as teams from the North with winning records. As I look at the defense, it seems legitimate to question how Colorado could play for the Big 12 title when it was allowing so many yards defensively. The game with Oklahoma dropped the Buffs into last place in that category in the Big 12 with a 426.6 yard per game average.
While the WAC Conference can certainly not be compared to the Big 12, two of UTEP?s three losses this season came against bowl bound Arizona State and Boise State and the Miners beat Fresno State and Hawaii, each of which have already won their bowl games. UTEP lost their final game in a heartbreaker at Tulsa where PK Reagan Schneider missed four field goals and the game ended with a 37-35 score. UTEP has a balanced offensive game with QB Jordan Palmer who is a 59% passer and averages over 226 yards per game through the air. The sophomore has thrown for 24 touchdowns on the year and appears to be following in footsteps of his brother Carson of USC fame. In the backfield, RB Howard Jackson added 1,150 yards rushing an 9 touchdowns this year. The Miners also have a deep pass threat in Johnnie Lee Higgins, who is only fifth on the team in catches but first in yardage and touchdowns, averaging 21 yards per catch and scoring nine times. The Miners have been a scoring machine, accumulating at least 35 points in nine of their eleven games and each of their last six. On defense this team is fast and hard hitting, demonstrated by the fact that they have forced 30 turnovers this season.
Without question, there are tremendous differences in the motivation that these teams bring to this game based on what their expectations were at the beginning of the season. Colorado bounced around their schedule, never really getting their season going, only to amazingly find themselves in the Big 12 Championship game and then was beaten down mercilessly by an Oklahoma team that had a point to prove. UTEP began the season with the excitement that a new big time coach like Price can bring to a small school but the team never really expected that they would be playing in a bowl game. Well they are, and it is straight down I-10 in their home state. Look for Price to have these kids up for this game and for the Buffs to be wondering why they are even bothering to play in this lower tier bowl game. If Colorado?s defense gives up even close to the 426 yards that they have allowed this season, the Miners will be going back to El Paso with a trophy and big smiles on their faces.
The Verdict: UTEP (+4)
