CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2021 UTEP

7–⁠6 (4–⁠4 Conference USA), coached by Dana Dimel.

Schedule and results

UTEP in 2021, game by game: won at New Mexico State 30–3; won vs. Bethune-Cookman 38–28; lost at Boise State 13–54; won vs. New Mexico 20–13; won vs. Old Dominion 28–21; won at Southern Miss 26–13; won vs. Louisiana Tech 19–3; lost at Florida Atlantic 25–28; lost vs. No. 16 UTSA 23–44; lost at North Texas 17–20; won vs. Rice 38–28; lost at UAB 25–42; lost vs. Fresno State 24–31+27−41Won 30–3 at New Mexico State+27New Mexico StateWon 38–28 vs. Bethune-Cookman+10Bethune-CookmanLost 13–54 at Boise State-41Boise StateWon 20–13 vs. New Mexico+7New MexicoWon 28–21 vs. Old Dominion+7Old DominionWon 26–13 at Southern Miss+13Southern MissWon 19–3 vs. Louisiana Tech+16Louisiana TechLost 25–28 at Florida Atlantic-3Florida AtlanticLost 23–44 vs. No. 16 UTSA-21No. 16 UTSALost 17–20 at North Texas-3North TexasWon 38–28 vs. Rice+10RiceLost 25–42 at UAB-17UABLost 24–31 vs. Fresno State-7Fresno State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 28atNew Mexico StateW 30–⁠340%
Sep 4vsBethune-CookmanW 38–⁠2868%
Sep 10atBoise StateL 13–⁠5422%
Sep 25vsNew MexicoW 20–⁠1358%
Oct 2vsOld DominionW 28–⁠2170%
Oct 9atSouthern MissW 26–⁠1349%
Oct 16vsLouisiana TechW 19–⁠356%
Oct 30atFlorida AtlanticL 25–⁠2833%
Nov 6vs16UTSAL 23–⁠4440%
Nov 13atNorth TexasL 17–⁠2051%
Nov 20vsRiceW 38–⁠2869%
Nov 26atUABL 25–⁠4225%
Dec 18Bowls & playoffvsFresno StateNew Mexico BowlL 24–⁠3128%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Fresno State 31–⁠24 in the New Mexico Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 7th in the Conference USA.

In program history: The 28th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 94 on file).

Record
7–⁠6
Conference
4–⁠4 tied for 7th in Conference USA
AP final
Unranked
Points
326–⁠328
Coach
Dana Dimel
Elo
1427 +64 this season
SP+ rating
-4.2 No. 91 of 130; offense No. 91, defense No. 83
SRS
−8.2 No. 100 of 130 in FBS
Returning
105% of last season’s EPA, No. 4 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 134 roster talent No. 121 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
Dave Warner
Defensive coordinator
Bradley Dale Peveto
Offense
Pro-style
Defense
4–⁠2–⁠5

How good, play by play

  • Offense62nd of 130
  • Defense23rd of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted71st of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted52nd of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.1537%1.4862nd of 130
Defense0.0638%1.2623rd of 130
Opponent-adjusted0.14 off
0.11 def		38% off
41% def		—71st off
52nd def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.5own 2719% allowed
Defense3.8own 2917% caused

CORE rating 7.0, 40th of 130 (offense 3.7, defense -3.3).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsGavin Hardison QB3,218 yds
Passing touchdownsGavin Hardison QB18 TD
Rushing yardsRonald Awatt RB843 yds
Rushing touchdownsDeion Hankins RB6 TD
Receiving yardsJacob Cowing WR1,354 yds
Receiving touchdownsJacob Cowing WR7 TD
TacklesBreon Hayward LB98 tkl
SacksJadrian Taylor DE6.5 sacks
InterceptionsDy’Vonne Inyang DB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2021 class

Gerard Joseph DL★★★No. 1758
Tyler Williams CB★★★No. 2090
Jakolby Longino QB★★★No. 2215
John Burris III CB★★★No. 2412
Jeremiah Ballard WR★★★No. 2419

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2021 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks13.00.811
Receivers13.00.801
Offensive line12.00.773
Defensive line13.00.830
Defensive backs23.00.809
Whole class62.80.806

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 123

The 2021 roster

123 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2021 line; 59 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 2

The 2021 portal
Nick Ast QBfrom Kansas State
Walter Neil Jr. CBfrom Kansas State

Transfers out 9

Armonie Brown DL★★★no new school on file
Joshua Fields RB★★★no new school on file
Adam Cousins WR★★no new school on file
Broderick Harrell CB★★no new school on file
Dakari Bickham DL★★to North Alabama
Duron Lowe CB★★to Liberty
Quintavius Workman WR★★no new school on file
Rashad Beecham WR★★returned to UTEP
T.J. Goodwin PROno new school on file

2021 Conference USA standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
UTSA7–⁠112–⁠2
Western Kentucky7–⁠19–⁠5
UAB6–⁠29–⁠4
Marshall5–⁠37–⁠6
North Texas5–⁠36–⁠7
Old Dominion5–⁠36–⁠7
Middle Tennessee4–⁠47–⁠6
UTEP4–⁠47–⁠6
Charlotte3–⁠55–⁠7
Florida Atlantic3–⁠55–⁠7
Rice3–⁠54–⁠8
Southern Miss2–⁠63–⁠9
Louisiana Tech2–⁠63–⁠9
Florida International0–⁠81–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.