Pitting the two teams that the rest of Conference USA figures will fight for the league title come November, Friday night's main college football attraction has the Houston Cougars stopping by the Sun Bowl for a meeting with the Miners of Texas-El Paso. The Miners, who participated as a member of the Western Athletic Conference as recently as last year, began the 2005 campaign with a 34-17 victory over New Mexico State two weeks ago in a game that wasn't as close as the final score might indicate. As for the Cougars, they were one of the first teams in the nation to put on the pads on the first of September when they suited up against Oregon at their home away from home in Reliant Stadium. Unfortunately for Houston, the change to a bigger venue still left the team with a 38-24 setback in front of a nationally-televised audience. The Cougars managed to bounce back this past weekend with a 31-10 triumph over Sam Houston State though, evening their season record at 1-1. So far in this brief series the Cougars have yet to come out on top, with UTEP winning both of the previous meetings between the two schools back in 1946 and 1948. The Miners are trying to open the 2005 campaign with back-to-back wins for the first time since 1988.
Houston's rushing attack was on the mark on Saturday as Ryan Gilbert and his teammates raced for 293 yards against Sam Houston State. Gilbert finished with 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 carries, averaging seven and a half yards per attempt. Quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was second on the squad with 56 yards on the ground, hit on 19-of-31 passes for 206 yards and two scores, while being sacked twice and intercepted once. The production for Gilbert was a much-improved effort after he gained just eight yards on four carries against Oregon in the opener. Kolb is off to a fast start in what is supposed to be one of the more successful seasons in recent history for the Cougars, hitting 58.1 percent of his passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns. He does have three picks as well, but at least he's not afraid to take chances downfield when the situation calls for it.
With just over four minutes to play in the second quarter, the Bearkats had Houston a bit worried last week with the teams tied at 7-7. But from there on out Sam Houston State was lucky to come anywhere close to the red zone, posting a 38-yard field goal early in the third as the only other points for the squad. SHSU produced only 14 first downs and generated a mere 315 yards of total offense. The team was held to 2-of-12 on third down by the Cougars and less than 26 minutes of possession. But before Houston can get all excited with its accomplishments, it has to remember that the Bearkats are a I-AA program. Rodney Rideau led the home team with eight tackles, making two behind the line of scrimmage and one against the quarterback. In the opener against Oregon, the defense for the Cougars was completely overmatched as the visitors piled up 554 yards of total offense and ran 85 plays on the night. Houston allowed Oregon to score on 6-of-8 red zone possessions, with Rideau posting a mere three tackles. Rocky Schwartz saw much of the action with 12 stops for the Cougars, including one behind the line of scrimmage.
Jordan Palmer, the younger brother of former Heisman Trophy winner Carson, may not have had groundbreaking numbers as far as yardage is concerned against the Aggies, but his efforts were more than enough to push UTEP to the win two weeks ago on the road. Palmer stepped in and completed 15-of-26 passes, for 187 yards and connected on three touchdowns, while getting sacked just once. By the time the third quarter had drawn to a close, it was clear that Palmer, who also scored a touchdown on a one-yard run in the second period, was no longer needed in the pocket, which brought in former starter Orlando Cruz to direct traffic in the 17-point triumph. Running back Tyler Ebell, a transfer from UCLA who was seeing his first action with the Miners, picked up a team- best 63 yards rushing on 19 carries. But as far ahead as the team was the entire contest, they still didn't look all that great running the ball in an effort to kill some of the clock. UTEP runners gained a mere 97 yards on 35 attempts. The Miners are expecting big things from Ebell this season, not the least of which is taking some of the pressure off Palmer.
In posting their first win on the road against New Mexico State since 1991, the Miners sported one of the toughest defenses, at least in the trenches, that it has seen in years. NMSU was held to minus-17 yards rushing on the night, marking just the fourth time in history that UTEP has been able to limit an opponent to negative rushing yards in a contest. In fact, it's been so long since it has happened, not a single player on the roster was alive when the team last turned the trick in 1966. For nearly 50 minutes the Miners kept New Mexico State from even getting a sniff of the end zone, finally allowing a 39-yard field goal with 10:13 to play in the contest. Senior linebacker Thomas Howard, who was placed on the Watch List for the Butkus Award this season, was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week after he came in second on the team with 10 tackles, making two TFLs, one sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups in the decision over NMSU.
After the first week the Miners led the nation in run defense, but the sense here is that Houston will be able to at least move the ball somewhat on the ground and for sure in the air against UTEP. However, with Palmer making the right decisions in the pocket, the Miners will also put plenty of points on the score board.
So we will go for the over in this game,yes 62..
I believe we can get there......i hope
BET ID=121463610
Straight Wager 09/15/05 22:49 ET
200.00/181.82 Result: Pending
Houston
UTEP 09/16/05 (20:05 ET)
Over 62
Houston's rushing attack was on the mark on Saturday as Ryan Gilbert and his teammates raced for 293 yards against Sam Houston State. Gilbert finished with 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 carries, averaging seven and a half yards per attempt. Quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was second on the squad with 56 yards on the ground, hit on 19-of-31 passes for 206 yards and two scores, while being sacked twice and intercepted once. The production for Gilbert was a much-improved effort after he gained just eight yards on four carries against Oregon in the opener. Kolb is off to a fast start in what is supposed to be one of the more successful seasons in recent history for the Cougars, hitting 58.1 percent of his passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns. He does have three picks as well, but at least he's not afraid to take chances downfield when the situation calls for it.
With just over four minutes to play in the second quarter, the Bearkats had Houston a bit worried last week with the teams tied at 7-7. But from there on out Sam Houston State was lucky to come anywhere close to the red zone, posting a 38-yard field goal early in the third as the only other points for the squad. SHSU produced only 14 first downs and generated a mere 315 yards of total offense. The team was held to 2-of-12 on third down by the Cougars and less than 26 minutes of possession. But before Houston can get all excited with its accomplishments, it has to remember that the Bearkats are a I-AA program. Rodney Rideau led the home team with eight tackles, making two behind the line of scrimmage and one against the quarterback. In the opener against Oregon, the defense for the Cougars was completely overmatched as the visitors piled up 554 yards of total offense and ran 85 plays on the night. Houston allowed Oregon to score on 6-of-8 red zone possessions, with Rideau posting a mere three tackles. Rocky Schwartz saw much of the action with 12 stops for the Cougars, including one behind the line of scrimmage.
Jordan Palmer, the younger brother of former Heisman Trophy winner Carson, may not have had groundbreaking numbers as far as yardage is concerned against the Aggies, but his efforts were more than enough to push UTEP to the win two weeks ago on the road. Palmer stepped in and completed 15-of-26 passes, for 187 yards and connected on three touchdowns, while getting sacked just once. By the time the third quarter had drawn to a close, it was clear that Palmer, who also scored a touchdown on a one-yard run in the second period, was no longer needed in the pocket, which brought in former starter Orlando Cruz to direct traffic in the 17-point triumph. Running back Tyler Ebell, a transfer from UCLA who was seeing his first action with the Miners, picked up a team- best 63 yards rushing on 19 carries. But as far ahead as the team was the entire contest, they still didn't look all that great running the ball in an effort to kill some of the clock. UTEP runners gained a mere 97 yards on 35 attempts. The Miners are expecting big things from Ebell this season, not the least of which is taking some of the pressure off Palmer.
In posting their first win on the road against New Mexico State since 1991, the Miners sported one of the toughest defenses, at least in the trenches, that it has seen in years. NMSU was held to minus-17 yards rushing on the night, marking just the fourth time in history that UTEP has been able to limit an opponent to negative rushing yards in a contest. In fact, it's been so long since it has happened, not a single player on the roster was alive when the team last turned the trick in 1966. For nearly 50 minutes the Miners kept New Mexico State from even getting a sniff of the end zone, finally allowing a 39-yard field goal with 10:13 to play in the contest. Senior linebacker Thomas Howard, who was placed on the Watch List for the Butkus Award this season, was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week after he came in second on the team with 10 tackles, making two TFLs, one sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups in the decision over NMSU.
After the first week the Miners led the nation in run defense, but the sense here is that Houston will be able to at least move the ball somewhat on the ground and for sure in the air against UTEP. However, with Palmer making the right decisions in the pocket, the Miners will also put plenty of points on the score board.
So we will go for the over in this game,yes 62..
I believe we can get there......i hope
BET ID=121463610
Straight Wager 09/15/05 22:49 ET
200.00/181.82 Result: Pending
Houston
UTEP 09/16/05 (20:05 ET)
Over 62
