UTEP
UTEP is 1-8 and No. 137 of 138 in the machine's ratings, 23.9 points below an average FBS team. Last game: lost 17-14 vs Hawai'i in Week 10.
Week 11: vs Wyoming, Saturday, Nov 14: the matchup, unit by unit
Why UTEP is No. 137
- UTEP's rating is −23.9: the machine's estimate that UTEP is 23.9 points worse than an average FBS team on a neutral field. That is No. 137 of 138. For scale, 0 is an average FBS team: right now the closest to it is No. 68 Arizona State (0.2).
- It started the season at −16.6, ESPN's preseason Football Power Index from July. Its results since have moved it down 7.3.
- The biggest weekly moves: −2.6 after Week 5 (L 7-61 at New Mexico) and −2.6 after Week 4 (L 7-33 vs Oregon State).
- Its record is 1-8. The 8 losses were to No. 16 Oklahoma, No. 36 Michigan, No. 48 New Mexico, No. 69 North Dakota State, No. 70 Oregon State, No. 93 Nevada, No. 104 Hawai'i, No. 116 San José State, by 27.9 points on average. The win came by 41 points. The rating weighs how much a team won or lost by and against whom, not just the win-loss count.
- Its FBS opponents so far average No. 69 in the machine's ratings.
- Just above is No. 136 Akron (−22.8); just below is No. 138 Sacramento State (−26.1).
The rating, week by week
Strengths and weak spots
Head coach
Scotty Walden is in his 3rd season at UTEP (since 2024). This season: 1-8. At UTEP overall: 6-27, counting this season.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Team stats
Season totals and averages over 9 games, each with its national rank among 138 FBS teams (No. 1 = best). The game-by-game story is in the season, week by week.
Passing
| Completions-attempts | 125-197 |
|---|---|
| Passing yards | 1263 |
| Touchdowns-interceptions | 10-7 |
| Yards per attempt* | 6.3No. 125 of 138 |
| Explosive pass rate | 7.0%No. 130 of 138 |
| Sacks allowed (rate) | 16.1%No. 138 of 138 |
Rushing
| Carries-yards | 314-1267 |
|---|---|
| Yards per carry | 4.0No. 97 of 138 |
| 10-plus-yard runs (rate) | 16.6%No. 23 of 138 |
| Stuffed at or behind the line (rate) | 20.3%No. 111 of 138 |
Scoring
| Points per game | 14.1No. 138 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play | 5.05No. 124 of 138 |
| Third-down rate | 25.9%No. 138 of 138 |
| Red-zone TD rate | 36.8%No. 136 of 138 |
| Giveaways | 14No. 115 of 138 |
Defense
| Points allowed per game | 34.3No. 130 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play allowed | 6.17No. 117 of 138 |
| Yards per pass attempt allowed | 8.2No. 128 of 138 |
| Yards per carry allowed | 4.7No. 108 of 138 |
| Sack rate | 3.2%No. 127 of 138 |
| Takeaways | 11No. 73 of 138 |
| Third-down rate allowed | 47.4%No. 130 of 138 |
Totals are the official box score. * Yards per attempt and the rates come from the play-by-play, where passing yards count on completions only, so they can differ from the box score by a play or two.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Player leaders
The top 3 in each category over the same games. Passing yards count every completion (official box score).
Passing
- EJ Colson66-99, 687 yds, 7 TD, 5 INT
- Raymond Moore III57-96, 546 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
- Raymond Moore III77 carries, 522 yds, 3 TD
- Tavorus Jones71 carries, 290 yds, 1 TD
- Lamar Sperling33 carries, 137 yds, 1 TD
Receiving
- Jaden Smith36 catches, 303 yds, 1 TD
- Kam Thomas19 catches, 283 yds, 1 TD
- Carver Cheeks19 catches, 233 yds, 3 TD
Tackles
- Jayden Wilson55
- Justin Content50
- Xavier Smith47
Sacks
- Sterling Miles4
- Elijah Fields1.5
- Leander Parrish1.5
Interceptions
- Kaleb Miles2
- Esteban Guillory1
- Kode Lowe1
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Who's playing
Based on who has actually played this season, from the box scores, not the team's published depth chart. Each bar is that player's share of the team's attempts, carries (quarterbacks left out), catches or tackles. The box score lists no positions, so there is no offensive line here.
Throwing
- EJ Colson7 games99 attempts50%
- Raymond Moore IIIMost passes in the last game8 games96 attempts49%
Carrying
- Tavorus Jones8 games71 carries47%
- Lamar Sperling7 games33 carries22%
- Jaden Moore4 games12 carries8%
- Elijah McCoy4 games8 carries5%
Catching
- Jaden Smith8 games36 catches29%
- Carver Cheeks8 games19 catches15%
- Kam Thomas6 games19 catches15%
- Cash Cheeks7 games11 catches9%
Tackling
- Jayden Wilson9 games55 tackles9%
- Justin Content9 games50 tackles8%
- Xavier Smith9 games47 tackles7%
- Esteban Guillory9 games42 tackles7%
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
The season, week by week
- Week 1 L 0–51 at Oklahoma. The pass defense gave ground: Oklahoma got 12.2 yards an attempt, 5.4 over what it usually gains. The most yards an attempt it has allowed all season.
- Week 2 W 51–10 vs Texas Southern. Texas Southern is an FCS team, so there is no FBS baseline to grade this one against.
- Week 3 L 17–52 at Michigan. The pass defense gave ground: Michigan got 8.8 yards an attempt, 1.9 over what it usually gains. Its fewest yards a carry of the season.
- Week 4 L 7–33 vs Oregon State. The run game struggled: 2.2 yards a carry, 2.9 less than Oregon State usually allows. The offense gave up 7 sacks.
- Week 5 L 7–61 at New Mexico. The pass defense gave ground: New Mexico got 11.4 yards an attempt, 4.1 over what it usually gains. Lost the turnover battle by 4.
- Week 6 L 13–30 vs Nevada. The run defense gave ground: Nevada got 5.4 yards a carry, 1.7 over what it usually gains. The fewest yards an attempt it has allowed all season.
- Week 7 L 11–24 vs San José State. The run defense gave ground: San José State got 6.7 yards a carry, 4.0 over what it usually gains. The offense gave up 10 sacks.
- Week 9 L 7–31 at North Dakota State. The run game was the strength: 5.1 yards a carry, 1.4 more than North Dakota State usually allows. Lost the turnover battle by 2.
- Week 10 L 14–17 vs Hawai'i. The pass defense gave ground: Hawai'i got 7.6 yards an attempt, 1.4 over what it usually gains. Its most yards a carry of the season.