When struggling football teams meet in Week 11 of a lost season, the outcome usually comes down to which team finds motivation, finds something to play for.
That wasn't a problem for Rice in a not-as-close-as-the-score-indicates, 44-24 victory over UTEP that left both teams at 3-8. For a Miner team that in the words of coach Sean Kugler was "playing for the future of the program," it was as bleak as could be.
By halftime, Rice had a 16-3 advantage in first downs, a 379-42 advantage in yards, a 17:49-12:11 advantage in possession and a 34-3 advantage in points.