The TD catch that could cost the Miners' a bowl game. Rice's James Casey makes a circus catch out of the endzone but has one foot in bounds to give Rice a 49-37 lead with just minutes to play. Photo: Brax - VPC

With a name like Miners, you'd think that digging out of tight spots would be an afterthought. But, with the games remaining for the UTEP Miners to pick and shovel themselves out of a huge first-half of the season hole getting uncomfortably few; the Miners, instead of securing a foothold and catching a few glimmers of sunlight took a bad fall last Saturday night. That fall may be fatal to their opportunity to play in a bowl game. In fact, the fall may be so bad that UTEP may not be able to recover as the Miners lost a close one in a shoot out against the Rice Owls 49-44.

It is not as if the Miners purposely continued to dig themselves deeper... and to be honest, the Miners have been in every game except against recently ranked No. 1 Texas and when they failed to show up after the first quarter against Tulsa... They just couldn't pull out a badly needed win against the Owls.

Miners running game and yards after catch helped. Photo: Brax - VPC

One reason they couldn't win one for the home crowd was that Rice continued to answer the bell each time the Miners cut the defecit to 5-points. And, the last answer was devastating for the Miners giving the Owls another 12-point lead with time running out.

If that game was the demise of the Miners bowl hopes then perhaps, the nail in the coffin for the Miners' season was the incredible, acrobatic circus catch by Owl do-it-all James Casey. Casey spun and twisted his big frame in the air to reel in a pass from Chase Clements that was out of the endzone. But, unfortunately for the Miners... Casey's feet... er, make that his foot... was in bounds. (See photo above.)

That gave the Owls a 49-37 margin with only a little more than five minutes go play. The Miners fought valiently and scored once more as Jeff Moturi caught his third touchdown catch with only 1:23 to play. But, that would not be enough as time ran out for the Miners when Rice recovered the onside kick.

Vitatoe running for huge gain late in the game. Photo: Brax - VPC

When you score 44 points you figure you have a good chance at winning the ball game... especially at home. The Miner fans were up and making noise throughout the game... it just came down to the defense that couldn't put enough pressure on Clements and couldn't stop the Owls from third and fourth down conversions. The Miner defense allowed the Owls to roll 60-yards plus on seven TD drives. And there is no stopping a receiver like Casey when he has one foot in bounds.

Now at 3-5 and needing to win at least six games to be bowl eligible the Miners must win three out of the final four games. That is a tough row to hoe for any team and the Miners will have their work cut out for them.

The Miners must play Louisiana-Lafayette next week and play their last home game against SMU on November 15th. Then the Miners must go on the road for their final two games: Houston and Eastern Carolina.

Key Miner reception on late 4th quarter drive. Photo: Brax - VPC

At 3-5, the Miners need a miracle for a bowl game but, they have shown improvement this year and with a defense descimated by injuries they are still, but a few inches away from being 6-2... or at least 4-4.

Go Miners!

  Prepared by WestsideReader staff.

(Photos: File - Valley Publishing Company)

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