| UTEP Miners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Current season: 2025 UTEP Miners
| |||
| |||
| First season | 1914 | ||
| Athletic director | Jim Senter | ||
| Head coach | Scotty Walden | ||
| 1st year, 0–0 (.298) | |||
| Home stadium | Sun Bowl | ||
| Year built | 1961 | ||
| Stadium capacity | 51,500 Record: 54,021 | ||
| Stadium surface | FieldTurf | ||
| Location | El Paso, Texas | ||
| Conference | Conference USA | ||
| Division | West | ||
| All-time history | |||
| All-time record | 408–623–28 (.398) | ||
| Postseason bowl record | 5–10 (.333) | ||
| Conference titles | 2 | ||
| Rivalries | New Mexico State (rivalry) | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 1 | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Blue, Orange, and Silver Accent
| ||
| Fight song | "Miners Fight" | ||
| Mascot | Paydirt Pete | ||
| Marching band | Sound of the Southwest Marching Miner Regiment | ||
| Website | utepathletics.com | ||
The UTEP Miners football team represents the University of Texas at El Paso located in El Paso, Texas. The Miners are a member of the NCAA FBS Conference USA and play their home games at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. The Miners are currently coached by Scotty Walden.
In 2026, UTEP will join the Mountain West Conference.
Affiliations[]
- 2026-future - Mountain West Conference
- 2005-2025 - Conference USA
- 1968-2004 - Western Athletic Conference
- 1962-1967 - Independent
- 1935-1961 - Border Conference
- 1914-1934 - Independent
Seasons[]
2020s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Scotty Walden | |
| 2024 | Scotty Walden | 3-9 |
| 2023 | Dana Dimel | 3-9 |
| 2022 | Dana Dimel | 5-7 |
| 2021 | Dana Dimel | 7-6 |
| 2020 | Dana Dimel | 3-5 |
2010s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Dana Dimel | 1-11 |
| 2018 | Dana Dimel | 1-11 |
| 2017 | Sean Kugler; Mike Price | 0-12 |
| 2016 | Sean Kugler | 4-8 |
| 2015 | Sean Kugler | 5-7 |
| 2014 | Sean Kugler | 7-6 |
| 2013 | Sean Kugler | 2-10 |
| 2012 | Mike Price | 3-9 |
| 2011 | Mike Price | 5-7 |
| 2010 | Mike Price | 6-7 |
2000s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mike Price | 4-8 |
| 2008 | Mike Price | 5-7 |
| 2007 | Mike Price | 4-8 |
| 2006 | Mike Price | 5-7 |
| 2005 | Mike Price | 8-4 |
| 2004 | Mike Price | 8-4 |
| 2003 | Gary Nord | 2-11 |
| 2002 | Gary Nord | 2-10 |
| 2001 | Gary Nord | 2-9 |
| 2000 | Gary Nord | 8-4 |
1990s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Charlie Bailey | 5-7 |
| 1998 | Charlie Bailey | 3-8 |
| 1997 | Charlie Bailey | 4-7 |
| 1996 | Charlie Bailey | 2-9 |
| 1995 | Charlie Bailey | 2-10 |
| 1994 | Charlie Bailey | 3-7-1 |
| 1993 | David Lee; Charlie Bailey | 1-11 |
| 1992 | ||
| 1991 | ||
| 1990 |
History[]
Although UTEP began competing in intercollegiate football in 1914, the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1937. The State College of Mines and Metallurgy fielded its first football team in 1914, under the direction of head coach Tommy Dwyer, who led the team until 1917.[1] Head coach Harry Van Surdam took over the reins of the Miners in 1920, the same year the school changed its name to the College of Mines and Metallurgy of the University of Texas.[2] Former Texas head coach E. J. Stewart led the Miners football program from 1927 to 1928, compiling a 5–6–3 record during those two seasons.[3]
Mack Saxon served as the head football coach of the Miners from 1929 to 1941, compiling a record of 66–43–9, making him the winningest head coach in program history.[4] He led the Miners to three 7–1 seasons.[4] Saxon led the Miners, an NCAA Division I-A independent for its entire 21-year history to that point, into the Border Conference in 1935.[5] Saxon's 1936 team lost 34-6 to Hardin–Simmons in the 1937 Sun Bowl, the only bowl game to which his teams were invited.[6] Jack Curtice had a successful run as the Miners head coach from 1946 to 1949, compiling a record of 24–13–3, which included back to back 8-2-1 campaigns during his final two years.[7] It was in 1949 that the College of Mines and Metallurgy of the University of Texas changed its name to Texas Western College.[2][8] Curtice left the Miners to accept the position of head coach for Utah after the 1949 season.[9]
In June 1950, Mike Brumbelow was hired as the head football coach and athletic director at Texas Western.[10] He had been operating sporting goods stores at Midland and Odessa, Texas (in partnership with Tex Carleton) at the time of his hiring at UTEP.[11] Brumbelow served as head football coach at UTEP from 1950 to 1956.[12][13][14] He had a successful tenure as coach, guiding his teams to a 46–24–3 record.[15] The team won eight or more games three times, in 1953, 1954 and 1956.[12] He led UTEP to appearances in the 1954 Sun Bowl, 1955 Sun Bowl, and 1957 Sun Bowl, two of which UTEP won.[16] Brumbelow retired as UTEP's football coach in July 1957 and as athletic director in 1959.[17][18] He retired as the school's second winningest head football coach and held that distinction until he was surpassed by Mike Price in 2012.[19] Brumbelow was inducted into El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame in 1964,[17] and the UTEP Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.[16]
Ben Collins was promoted from assistant coach to head coach following Brumbelow's retirement.[20] Under his tutelage, the Miners compiled a record of 18–29–1.[21] He also succeeded Brumbelow as athletics director.[20] Collins resigned after multiple losing seasons at the helm of Miners football.[22] Bum Phillips came to Texas Western from Amarillo High School and led the Miners for one season, a 4–5 campaign in 1962.[23] He left the Miners to return to the high school ranks with Port Neches–Groves High School in 1963.[24]
Conference championships[]
UTEP has won two conference championships, one outright and one shared. In 1956 the UTEP Miners finished the year with a 9–2 overall record and a 5–0 in conference to win the Border Conference and its first conference champions title. The season included wins over Arizona, Arizona State, and Texas Tech. The Miners were defeated by North Texas that year. Forty Four years later in 2000, the Miners shared the Western Athletic Conference Champions title with TCU. UTEP finished 8–4 overall record and a 7–1 in conference. The season included wins over Fresno State, Rice, and SMU. The Miners were defeated by TCU, its only loss in conference play.
| Conference championships | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Conference | Head Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
| 1956 | Border Conference | Mike Brumbelow | 9–2 | 5–0 |
| 2000† | Western Athletic Conference | Gary Nord | 8–4 | 7–1 |
† Co-champions
Logos/Uniforms[]
Image gallery[]
Bowl games[]
UTEP has played in 14 bowl games, compiling a record of 5–9.Template:Category handler/numbered[citation needed]
| Bowls played in | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Head Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
| 1936 | Mack Saxon | Sun Bowl | Hardin–Simmons | L 6–34 |
| 1948 | Jack Curtice | Sun Bowl | West Virginia | L 12–21 |
| 1949 | Jack Curtice | Sun Bowl | Georgetown | W 33–20 |
| 1953 | Mike Brumbelow | Sun Bowl | Southern Miss | W 37–14 |
| 1954 | Mike Brumbelow | Sun Bowl | Florida State | W 47–20 |
| 1956 | Mike Brumbelow | Sun Bowl | George Washington | L 0–13 |
| 1965 | Bobby Dobbs | Sun Bowl | TCU | W 13–12 |
| 1967 | Bobby Dobbs | Sun Bowl | Ole Miss | W 14–7 |
| 1988 | Bob Stull | Independence Bowl | Southern Miss | L 18–38 |
| 2000 | Gary Nord | Humanitarian Bowl | Boise State | L 23–38 |
| 2004 | Mike Price | Houston Bowl | Colorado | L 28–33 |
| 2005 | Mike Price | GMAC Bowl | Toledo | L 13–45 |
| 2010 | Mike Price | New Mexico Bowl | BYU | L 24–52 |
| 2014 | Sean Kugler | New Mexico Bowl | Utah State | L 6–21 |
References[]
- ↑ Navarrete, Juan Carlos. The good, the bad, and the mining: The first 100 years in sports – The Prospector. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 UTEP Encyclopedia – UTEP Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on October 15, 2016.
- ↑ University of Texas at El Paso People: Utep Miners Basketball Coaches, Utep Miners Football Coaches, University of Texas at El Paso Alumni. General Books (October 7, 2011).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mack Saxon Coaching Record. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017.
- ↑ Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association – NCAA History.
- ↑ Hardin–Simmons 34, UTEP 6 – Recaps – Hyundai Sun Bowl – December 29, 2017 – El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ↑ Jack Curtice Coaching Record. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
- ↑ Tales from the Morgue: 1954: TWC Engineering Students Cling To Old College Of Mines Name. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017.
- ↑ Maule, Tex. Cactus Jack and His Kokomos. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
- ↑ Bob Ingram. "Brumbelow Fills All the Requirements", June 24, 1950.
- ↑ "Mike Brumbelow Appointed Coach At Texas Western: Former E.P. High Mentor Succeeds Curtice", June 23, 1950.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Mike Brumbelow Records by Year. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved on May 4, 2010.
- ↑ "Football Coach Retires", July 3, 1957.
- ↑ "Texas Western Coach Happy", February 17, 1957.
- ↑ Mike Brumbelow Coaching Record. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 UTEP Athletic Hall of Fame. UTEP Athletics. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved on May 4, 2010.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Bob Ingram. "Mike Brumbelow dies; services set tomorrow", August 11, 1977.
- ↑ Bob Ingram. "Mike did lot in athletics at UTEP with little money", August 12, 1977.
- ↑ Stull, Bob. How fans can say ‘thanks’ to coach Mike Price. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Remembering UTEP Athletics Hall of Famer Ben Collins. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
- ↑ Ben Collins Coaching Record. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
- ↑ Archived copy. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved on December 2, 2016.
- ↑ Phillips, O.A.. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013.
- ↑ Bum Phillips (September 7, 2015). Archived from the original on August 29, 2017.
External Links[]
- UTEP Miners football article at Wikipedia
- Official team site
