Texas Tech University Athletics
Game Preview: UTEP
September 06, 2015 | Football
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Sept. 6, 2015
Fans may tune into one of the 44 region-wide affiliates of the Texas Tech Radio Network. Brian Jensen returns to the broadcast booth as play-by-play announcer for his 16th consecutive season and is joined by veteran John Harris, who will be in his 33rd year of providing analysis. In his sixth season, Chris Level rounds out the crew as sideline reporter.
Texas Tech is looking to start a season at 2-0 for the 11th straight year dating back to 2005. It plays its 1,001st all-time football game as the Red Raiders own a 545-423-32 all-time football record in 91 total seasons. The Red Raiders have accumulated 55 winning seasons and advanced to 36 bowl games.
Both Texas Tech and UTEP each play their second game of the 2015 season on Saturday. Last year, Texas Tech finished a disappointing 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Big 12 Conference. The sub-.500 season marked Texas Tech's second sub-.500 season in the last 22 years.
UTEP enters Saturday's contest after dropping a 48-13 loss at No. 18 Arkansas on Saturday. Last year, UTEP finished 7-6 overall (5-3 in Conference USA) and advanced to the Gildan New Mexico Bowl where it lost a 21-6 decision to Utah State in Albuquerque, N.M. It marked UTEP's first winning season in nine years and since 2005. The Miners ranked second nationally in time of possession and their defense improved from allowing 39.3 points per game to 28.1 in 2014.
Coached by Sean Kugler, UTEP was picked by Conference USA media members to finish third in the Western Division behind first place Louisiana Tech and second place Rice. Senior kickoff returner Autrey Golden and junior running back Aaron Jones were named to the preseason All-Conference USA team by league coaches. UTEP also returns 12 starters and 48 letterwinnners from the 2014 squad.
The two schools meet for the second time in as many seasons as Texas Tech claimed a 30-26 come-from-behind win over the Miners in El Paso on Sept. 4, 2014. Last year's meeting also marked the second contest of the season for both teams.
Beginning his third season as Texas Tech's head football coach, Kliff Kingsbury returns 16 starters from last year's team. As head coach at his alma mater, Kingsbury is attempting to begin a season with two consecutive wins for the third straight year.
Both head coaches--Kingsbury (TTU) and Kugler (UTEP)--are graduates of their respective universities.
TOP GAMEDAY STORYLINES
? For the second consecutive season, Texas Tech plays UTEP in its second game.
? Texas Tech is attempting to start a season at 2-0 for the 11th consecutive year dating back to 2005.
? Both head coaches--Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury and UTEP's Sean Kugler--are graduates of the schools they coach.
? Texas Tech returns 16 starters including nine on offense and seven on defense.
? Texas Tech returns 78 percent of its total offensive yardage from 2014, where the Red Raiders ranked 10th nationally in that category.
? Texas Tech is one of the nation's most consistently successful football programs as the Red Raiders have enjoyed winning or .500-plus seasons in 20 of the last 22 years and earned postseason bowl bids in 13 of their last 15 campaigns. Tech has also made 36 all-time bowl bids, a number that ranks among the nation's best.
? The Red Raiders enter their matchup with UTEP with a 27-1 overall record against non-conference opponents at Jones AT&T Stadium dating back to the 2003 season.
? Texas Tech owns a 60-10 record against unranked opponents at Jones AT&T Stadium since the 2000 season.
? Texas Tech and UTEP meet for the 23rd time in series history with the Red Raiders holding a 15-6-1 advantage dating back to the series' first game on Oct. 17, 1930.
? Texas Tech enters the contest after having won each of its last six meetings against UTEP, marking the longest winning streak in the series. UTEP's last win in the series came on Oct. 12, 1957, in a 26-14 victory in El Paso.
| Game Information | |
|---|---|
| Opponent | UTEP Miners |
| Date/Time | Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015/2:05 p.m. (CT) |
| Location | Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas |
| Radio | Texas Tech Sports Network from Learfield Sports | Network Affiliates | Listen Online Brian Jensen (Play-by-Play/16th Season), John Harris (Analyst/33rd Season), Chris Level (Sidelines/6th Season), Steve Pitts (Engineer/37th Season) |
| National Radio | None |
| Satellite Radio | Sirius Channel 108/XM Channel 108 (Texas Tech Broadcast) |
| Television | FOX Sports Net | TV Listings Mark Followell (Play-by-Play), Brian Baldinger (Analyst); Leslie McCaslin (Sidelines) |
| On The Web | Live statistics at TexasTech.com | Gametracker |
| Rankings | Texas Tech (AP: unranked); (USA Today Coaches: unranked) UTEP (AP: unranked); (USA Today Coaches: unranked) |
| Head Coaches | Texas Tech: Kliff Kingsbury (Career: 13-13 in third season; At Texas Tech: 13-13 in third season) UTEP: Sean Kugler (Career: 9-17 in third season; At UTEP: 9-17 in third season) |
| Against UTEP | Texas Tech leads the series, 15-6-1. (7-3 at home) |
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