UTEP hasn't won a football game since Nov. 26, 2016. And if the Miners don't win at least one or their remaining four games this season, they'll join one a dubious club.
In 2017, UTEP had their third winless season in eight decades as an FBS member. In the season following each of the previous two winless season, the Miners didn't go winless again. In fact, they had dramatic turnarounds, going from zero wins in 1964 and 1973 to eight and four wins in 1965 and 1974, respectively. That's not happening in 2018.
They've played better under first-year coach Dana Dimel — four losses by nine or fewer points after losing 11 of 12 games by at least 14 points last season — but they're 0-8 and four losses away from becoming just the seventh active FBS program to go winless in back-to-back seasons.
Those six programs have accomplished the feat a combined 10 times. Colorado State (1910-11, 1917-18, 1961-62) and Kansas State (1946-47, 1965-66, 1987-88) have done it three times apiece, while Duke (2000-01), Northwestern (1980-81), Purdue (1906-07) and Virginia (1959-60) have each done it once. No program has ever gone winless in three straight seasons.
In those 10 instances, the back-to-back winless programs won an average of 2.9 games in the third season. Nine of the 10 teams broke the streak with four or fewer wins, three won one game, none reached a bowl game and only two — 1908 Purdue (4-3) and 1915 Colorado State (7-0) — finished above .500.
In Week 10, UTEP visits Rice, whose only win was a three-point triumph over Prairie View A&M in Week 0. The Owls haven't beat an FBS opponent since defeating UTEP, 31-14, on Sept. 9, 2017.
The Miners host Middle Tennessee in Week 11, visit Western Kentucky in Week 12 and host Southern Miss in the regular-season finale.
