Texas State Is a Nice Home and Home Series for UTEP Football

It is hard to think about a game that will be played six years from now, especially when UTEP is getting close to selling out the Sun Bowl for their home opener against North Texas in two weeks. However, when news dropped a few days back about the Miners and Texas State agreeing to a home and home series in 2028 and 2031, I thought it was a good move for everyone involved.

It is always good when UTEP can play other Texas schools in football. Unlike the Power 5 schools (with the rare exceptions of Texas and Tech), the smaller programs in the Lone Star State will be more agreeable to come to the Sun Bowl and play the Miners as part of a home and home series. UTEP and Texas State have never played each other before, so it is good that they both agreed to change that beginning in 2028. As KTSM's Colin Deaver pointed out, current middle school students will most likely be taking part in these two games.

I think what is even more interesting to think about is where each program will be when they do meet on the football field. UTEP has high hopes for 2022 as head coach Dana Dimel and his program is coming of of a seven-win season and their first bowl game in seven years. The Miners were picked sixth in the Conference USA Media Poll, but many fans and members of the media expect a much better season than that. Will UTEP be a perennial bowl team and conference favorite by the time Texas State comes to the Sun Bowl?

As for the Bobcats, they play in the Sun Belt, which is welcoming former C-USA schools like Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss beginning this fall. They only won four games last season, but they were competitive in nearly all of them, including a 29-20 loss to Baylor in week one. They are projected to finish fourth in the Sun Belt's Western Division this year under head coach Jake Spavital.