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The bowl question is now erased from the board for the UTEP football team. Hang it on the board. Following a 35-17 destruction of North Texas that represents a mirror of the drubbing they took last year in Denton, the 6-4 Miners posed a different set of questions. When is the last time UTEP was this good? When is the last time the defense was this good? When was the last time, with so much at stake, the Miners came out and laid this kind of beating on a team that was supposed to be far, far better than them two months ago? The biggest game of the Kugler era was in substance, if not statistics, the finest moment, a statement, an exclamation point. Read more: http://www.elpasotimes.com/sports/ci_26948782/utep-going-bowling-after-rout-north-texas

NORTH TEXAS (3-6, 1-4 Conference USA) at UTEP (5-4, 3-2), 9 p.m. CT Saturday (Fox Sports) Line: UTEP by 6 1/2. Series Record: North Texas leads 14-5-3. WHAT'S AT STAKE After celebrating Homecoming with its first conference victory against Florida Atlantic, North Texas has to win the rest of its games to get bowl eligible for the second year in a row under coach Dan McCarney. The Mean Green would have to start by getting their first road win. UTEP is still one win shy of bowl eligibility with three games left. The Miners went to consecutive bowls in 2004-05, but their only postseason game since was the 2010 New Mexico Bowl.

"my youngest son is a student at UNT and is a member of Talons - UNT's spirit group. If UNT wins, I'll never hear the end of it." "Well, until we beat the crap out of them in basketball." lieb Read more: https://utep.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=509&tid=206434756&mid=206434756&sid=991&style=2

***He opens the North Texas talk by saying they are a physical team in all phases. ***Credits North Texas' negative turnover margin as the reflection of their record compared to last year. ***North Texas averages 150 rushing yards a game, lead by Reggie Pegram, and Antoinne Jimmerson. ***Talks about wide receiver Carlos Harris, and tight end Marcus Smith as the top weapons in the North Texas passing game. ***North Texas returned every starter along the offensive line from last year, Kugs notes this as their overall strong point. *** "Very physical, very big offensive line, I think they have only one starter that is under 300 pounds" ***On North Texas' defense, Kugler talks about how they have a solid run defense that only allows 3.9 yards per rush. ***North Texas' defense had piled up 28 sacks, and 54 tackles for loss, they also are holding teams to a 38% conversion mark on third downs. ***The Mean Green aren't as big, size wise as they were a year ago along the defensive line, but very athletic and fast up front. *** "This will be the best special teams unit, top to bottom that we have faced all year, and that's including Kansas State". ***North Texas ranks number one in the nation in kickoff coverage, and have two dynamic kick returners. ***Kugler says North Texas went back to their roots of running the football against FAU which lead to their big 31-10 win at home last week. Read more: http://www.minerrush.com/2014/11/11/7190823/monday-lunch-with-kugler