As far as conference opponents in the FBS go, UTEP and Old Dominion have one of the more improbable series going.
Outside of Idaho, which is in its final season in the FBS and has several 2,000-mile road trips, the 1,755 miles between El Paso and Norfolk, Va., is the most for conference opponents in the continental United States (Houston to Connecticut is next at 1,534).
Despite that, and despite being in different divisions in Conference USA, this is the third straight meeting between the teams. By comparison, ODU will not play fellow East member Middle Tennessee for the second straight year.