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News Nuggets, 07.05.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

UTEP, Texas Tech resurrect football rivalry

East Carolina, which recently announced a flurry of future football scheduling deals with prominent regional opponents, is not the only Conference USA team boosting the caliber of its non-conference slate.

Texas-El Paso — which officially joined C-USA on July 1 — has reached an agreement with Big 12 Conference power Texas Tech to play a two-game series in 2006 and 2007, UTEP officials have announced.

The Miners and Red Raiders are scheduled to meet on Sept. 9, 2006 in El Paso, and on Sept. 8, 2007 in Lubbock.

“It’s a thrill for our school and our program to play Texas Tech again,” stated UTEP head coach Mike Price in a release on the Miners' Website. “I think the fans on both sides will look forward to the resumption of the series. It’s a natural setup.

"[Coach] Mike Leach has done a great job at Texas Tech. They run an exciting offense, and hopefully it will be an exciting game.”

Leach also had positive comments about the upcoming games between the two schools and about Price, the Miners' second-year head coach.

“We are excited about this series and the opportunity to play a quality team like UTEP,” stated Leach. “UTEP had a good year in 2004 and is an up-and-coming program with a quality head coach in Mike Price.”

The 2006 contest will mark the first meeting between the West Texas rivals since Sept. 5, 1998, a 35-3 Red Raider victory in Lubbock.

Texas Tech hasn’t paid a visit to the Sun Bowl since Nov. 16, 1963. The Red Raiders won 7-3 in only the fourth Miner game played in the Sun Bowl, which opened that year.

UTEP was scheduled to host Texas Tech in a nationally televised (ESPN2) game on Sept. 13, 2001, but the game was cancelled due to the attack on America on Sept. 11.

Texas Tech leads the series 12-6-1, including a 6-3-1 edge in games played in El Paso. The schools have met just twice since 1963, including a 35-7 Texas Tech triumph in the 1980 season opener in Lubbock.

UTEP hasn’t beaten Texas Tech since Oct. 12, 1957, when Bob Forrest rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns to spur the Miners to a 26-14 victory in El Paso. Future NFL Hall of Famer Don Maynard made the only reception of the game for the Miners, a 15-yard catch from Bob Laraba.

The Red Raiders have won eight games or more in each of the past three seasons, a first in school history. Texas Tech finished the 2004 campaign ranked 17th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and 18th in the Associated Press poll.

The Red Raiders downed fourth-ranked California 45-31 in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl to cap an 8-4 season.

Texas Tech has won the NCAA passing title the last three years, throwing for 4,796 yards and 34 touchdowns a season ago.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:26 PM